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How Prepare For an Interview

How To Prepare For An Interview?

Thinking of getting a desired career job but well you know how to prepare for the job in corporate multinational companies or how to land for an interview in those companies? The difference between landing the job of your dreams and cracking the interview for the same often boils down several aspects to one key element is how well you prepare for the same.

It's not possible to anticipate or predict every single question that will be asked by hiring managers as  It is entirely possible (and advisable)  that you enter for the interview with a strong sense of humor of what questions to expect and how well responding to the approached interviewed question!

In fact, that's the entire reason why we built our flagship interview preparation for the  Big Interview to be scheduled on that very day - since we know that there is a proven set of steps that has to be taken. Here are some things to do as a part of your preparation that will boost your confidence and enable you to leave the interview feeling sure you have presented your best self:

Step 1. Research the Company

color-band-purple -Doing thorough research about the organization you are applying to will put you head and shoulders above your competitors who will be applying for a job beside you. When you go into your interview with sound knowledge about the company and the potential role of your designation in the company, you'll be able to answer questions in a much more tailored and much more targeted way.

A few specific things you are going to want to know before you walk into the room with your interviewer include:

1. The Product:

Know the products and services of your company produces and promotes. You don't need to understand every detail about every aspect and work detail of what the company makes, but definitely needs to have a basic understanding of the basic important roles and primary things your company produces, sells, or values.

If possible, get a hold of a sample of the product for a better way to understand how it works from the consumer's point of view. The more knowledge you have about the work detail of the company, the better it will help you to crack your interview.

2. The Role

Knowing your roles and responsibilities and the job description in the company carefully so that you are being sure about your understanding of the responsibilities that will be expected from your end. Understanding the job role will help you in asking thoughtful questions during the interview process and will give you a good thoughtful idea of what your workday will look like regarding tasks that you are expected to perform.

Kindly ensure sure to ask for any clarification that you need about what is expected from your job role during your interview so you can feel confident that you are fit for the job role and possess all the information needed in the event if you are given a job offer.

3. The Personality

Most companies keep updated blogs and social media profiles so that they are able to share and discuss their industry, company culture. Use these materials as a way to research the overall personality of the company while you are being interviewed with a way to get a feel for the specific culture of the workplace. If you have questions about the workplace environment when conducting this research, kindly jot them down to ask during your interview with your hiring managers.

Step 2. Know Your Values and Ask Questions

Self-awareness is one of the most fundamental qualities and most sought-after competencies that need to have in the workplace. Spending some time in reflective intensification about the career choices that you have made will give you a rough idea of the things that you value in your working life.

Making note down of the requisite questions you would like to ask about the company and environment culture in the company that is important to you. These questions can range in topic from the software, operational method, and tools used by the company, to the policies and procedures that are followed in the company.

Related: Questions to Ask a Recruiter

Remember, the interview is as much about you finding good opportunities for your career goals as it is for the organization to find a good fit for the required job role. Knowing that your values and principles align with your potential employer is essential to having a soother and happy work life.

Step 3. Prepare to  Answer to Common Questions

Though many interviews in various organizations contain notoriously dreaded questions like, "What is your greatest weakness?" with a little preparation in these questions are will make interview nothing to fear. It's important to be succinct, exact, and honest in your revert, but don't overthink about  it just note down some bullet-point responses to the frequently asked common  interview questions and rehearse them so that  they are fresh in your mind and  when the day of the big interview comes you can expect to encounter some variation of the following questions during your interview process:

Related:  8 Common Interview Questions Everyone Should Know

  • Tell us about yourself
  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • Greatest weaknesses?
  • Describe your work history
  • Why are you interested in this position/working for this company?
  • Why are you looking now? Or Why did you leave your last job?
  • When is a time you failed and how did you respond?
  • Big Interview is designed to help you assuming the type of questions that will be asked at your interview based on your experience and the industry you are getting int your career.

 

Step 4. Know What You're Bringing to the Table color-band-magenta

Many people become uncomfortable at the idea of selling themselves during the interview but presenting yourself in your best possible way does not have to sense gimmicky or disingenuous. The fact is, you do have skills, qualifications, and exposure that sets you apart and it is totally acceptable to acknowledge that about yourself as an individual.

While preparing for your interview, it's better to know how your particular skill set will get converted in your job role and how it will help contribute to the overall goals of the organization's objectives or department. Having statistics on hand about how you have grown and have been successful in your previous roles will serve you well here.

For instance, what percentage of overall sales were you responsible during your tenure in the last position?
 How much did your previous companies' social engagement in media grow when you were managing the same?
Whatever accomplishments you had in your previous roles and responsibilities or are relevant to the position will be a great asset for your interviewer to know about you.

Don't be nervous or shy about sharing your accomplishments with the relevant interviewer that you are a good fit as much as you are, so make sure they have all of the reasons why this job should be given to you by the employer.

Step 5. Know the Location of the Interview

Most of the job interviews aren't nerve-wracking enough as along with the same mostly all the interviews happen in places we have never been before. This can actually cause a great deal of anxiety and mental pressure in the mind of the prospective candidates, especially if you live in a metropolitan city or you are from outside the city then you are easily made nervous by driving in unfamiliar places or to the places where you have never been. To avoid becoming nervous and anxious due to reaching  your interview venue, take some of these steps during your preparation to help put your mind at ease:

Leave in Plenty of Time 

You might be early than coming in late, so be sure and accurate to build in time to account for heavy traffic, getting lost, parking issues at the interview venue, trouble locating the suite number, or any other small thing which can inconveniently arise when you are not expecting such issues. If a travel goes smoothly, you can take the extra time to calm yourself and relax at the interview venue to remove your uneasiness.

Save Your Interview's Contact Information

Sometimes, even though with our best preparation, life still throws a problematic situation at us in the worst possible time. If something happens and you realize that you're going to be late, then better you should call your interviewer and let them know about the same. Most of the people are sympathetic and understand that life happens, so be sure to give a reasonable explanation for your tardiness.

Look Up the Location Beforehand

Thanks to modern era technology and advancement, it's never been such an ease to look up at the locations on your phone or home personal computer. Do ensure to have a little research before you go to attend the interview and figure out in which building you will be interviewed of the specified location. If it's in a large building, be sure you have the correct office location.

Parking can also be a big concern in most of the metropolitan cities in today's era, so be sure that you know where there is parking available in bulk near the location. Though while scheduling the interviews most time the hiring managers or the prospective Interviewers often include this information while scheduling the interview, but don't be afraid to ask if it's something that you are anxious about. If time and circumstances permit, then it is also a good idea to go by the near location on or before the day of your interview so that you have a better understanding of the layout of the respective location. 

Step 6. Preparation for Mock Interviews:

We are speaking from years of experience which people had during their interview process skills since when we say that practicing for the same is the key to success as it helps to increase your confidence and boost your presentation skills in front of the interviewer or the respective hiring managers. We have seen candidates or the interviewee go from nervous to fidgeting ramblers to irresistible charmers.

The practice may be a bit monotonous and a tedious journey, but it's well worth it at the end of the day. Also, again no matter how many times you had the experience to practice an answer in your head, but it will sound totally absurd and different when the actual scenario happens to you when you speak it loud and firm. This is why it's actually very important to speak for your responses standing out loud as an important part of your interview preparation.

Related:  Mock Interview Tips (Examples)

The same will allow you to get in tune with anything which may have sounded great in your head, but if it doesn't really flow or feels graceless and out of place once articulated verbally. Big Interview is actually designed to help you clear and crack with the mock interview process. One has to literally prepare the thousands of practice questions — that should be separated into specific mock interviews for hundreds of different job profiles and responsibilities. 

Step 7. Print Hard Copies of Your Resume

Today as the world is heading towards the age of digitalization and globalization most Hiring managers do ask for digital copies of your resume and cover letters during your application for the interview process, they may not have one in hand their busy schedule. Having a copy of your curriculum vitae readily available shows that you are organized and prepared for your roles and responsibilities.

It is mostly advisable that during your interview process you are required to have at least 3 hard copies of resume with you. Additional Two are because if in case there is more than one hiring manager for the employment process, and one for yourself which you can use to follow along with the interviewer as the interviewer is discussing your work profile and previous experience work history.

Anticipate Questions About Your Resume

In your preparations, it is advised to be sure that you need to have rehearsed your explanations for any oddities or large gaps that may appear on your resume. For instance, being out of the professional work experience for many years as the leave from work might have been because you are required to take care for a child or elderly parent, or re-entering the workforce after having been self-employed, which may be considered as an understandable reason why there is a huge gap in your resume effectively as on date. 

Be Honest, But Diplomatic while answering all your interview questions and answers. In most of the cases and in some cases, questions about your resume can be awkward as it might require, more diplomatic approach. You need to be honest in your responses and answers to the interviewee, but you also don't want the interview to jump to incorrect conclusions. 

For example, if you left a job after a short time because of a hectic manager, it can be difficult to explain the same in your interview process without sounding overly negative about your previous organization. Planning and practice for the interview process can help you in finding out a neutral way as on how to explain the same in your situation.

Give yourself a bit of time to think these questions and answers carefully and thoroughly  — and practice them out loud before your interview process so that you are not caught off-guard at the moment ensure that you do not suffer a setback in your self-confidence.

Step 8. Have Concluding Questions Prepared

At the end of your hiring process, it is commonly found to be asked that if you have any questions regarding the company or the interview process please ask us. You may have questions to come to you at the moment, but it's a good idea to be better prepared beforehand. Here are some examples of the same.

  • What is your favorite part of working for XYZ Company?
  • In your opinion, what is the most essential quality or skill needed to be a good fit for this role?
  • What’s your final vision for this position/department?
  • What is one thing you'd add/change regarding this department/company if you could?
  • Preparing well is the cornerstone of knocking your interview out of the park. Give yourself the best possible chance of success by doing your research, preparing your responses, practicing aloud, and thinking thoughtfully about your values, goals, and skill set. Now that you know the right steps to take, don't just read another post on how to prepare for an interview. Put in the prep time and put yourself on the fast track to making your dream job a reality.

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