How To Prepare For A First Interview – Modern Techniques

It is vital that before you go into an interview that you have properly prepared yourself to talk. But before you can talk about yourself and the company you first need to do your homework.

So do read their website cover to cover, re-read and memorize the job description you are interviewing for, and look up your interviewers on LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter, to have a better understanding about where they are from, where they have worked, and who they are. Trust me, it helps! But at the same time make sure not to divulge to much personal info about them, or ever be anything but 100% formal!

Ex: If you learned that are passionate followers and attendees of Burning Man, don’t mention it, perhaps they do not want their co-workers to know! By divulging to much personal information about your interview you may look odd, or like a stocker. There is a fine line so just stick to the basics. Talk about where they are from, lived aboard, or went to school.

In your research, do try to find a news story about them, or watch a YouTube video the company may have been in – they offer wonderful clues into the culture of where you are interviewing.

Look, interviewing is a technique. And the most important thing that you can do to prepare is to practice and know what you are going to say before you say it! Here is an easy approach for preparing for any interview, be it for a mail clerk position, or VP level.

Step one: make up, and formulate an answer for the most popular questions that will be asked of you.

Think about it, most employers always ask the about the same questions, or at least will include some similarities in questions when they bring you in. You may also be thinking, what about the “odd-ball questions,” that are sometimes asked like: “If you were a car what kind of car would you be and why?” These, can sometimes be asked, but are normally not really relied upon to decide if you are a good candidate or not. So, try not to worry about the unexpected. Odd questions are generally used, just to make the interviewer feel less square, and feel more cool. So just act like they are a fun question and you cant go wrong. Instead, turn your attention to prepare yourself for what you can expect. This is proven to be the best way to be successful in an upcoming interview.

Here’s a tip – know, and get used to the idea that at least once (probably twice) you will get tongue tied or stumble answering the questions. DO NOT PANIC! This is NORMAL! All candidates do this, just move on. So take you time and don’t worry if you do. If you even need to buy a second to regain your composure, or think about what you will say, just ask them to repeat the question and take a deep breath.

The best way to knock an interview “out of the park,” is to practice, practice, practice, answering the most popular questions out-loud. Grab a friend, or if your buddies are too busy, make flash cards and repeatedly make yourself answer the questions aloud while sitting at a table.

In a perfect world, you should have another person mock interview you to prep. There is not better way to prepare. Give them the following questions and tell them to throw in some questions of their own. Tip – do not at any time break character or start talking about how you are doing with your mock interviewer! Always pretend like you do not know them, and talk to them like the interview is really happening.

Following are a list of popular and great questions you should prepare yourself with. Know these forward and backward and you are on your way to rocking the interview!

Top General Interview Questions

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • Why are you interested in this position?
  • What would you do for us that someone else can’t?
  • What about this position do you find most attractive? Least Attractive?
  • How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution?
  • How do you describe your personality?
  • What would you say are the major personal traits/qualities this job demands?
  • Describe to me how this job would relate to the overall goals of the company?
  • What aspects of your job do you like best?
  • What aspects of your current job do you like the least?
  • Of all the work you have done, where have you been the most successful?
  • How do you make yourself indispensable to a company?
  • Why do you want to work in this position?
  • What do you look for in a job?
  • What are the three most important responsibilities of this position?
  • How long would you stay working at a position such as this?
  • What do you see yourself doing ten years from now?
  • Tell me about a time when your course load was heavy. How did you complete all your work?
  • Tell me about a time when you had to accomplish a task with someone who was particularly difficult to get along with.
  • If you were hiring for this job, what would you look for?
  • What are you looking for in a job?
  • Why should we hire you?
  • What would your most recent employer say about you if we asked?
  • Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
  • What salary are you seeking?
  • What is your greatest strength? Weakness?
  • Do you have any questions for us?

Top Management Questions

  • What is your management style?
  • What did you look for when you hired people in the past?
  • What do you see as being the most difficult task in being a manager?
  • What is your biggest weakness as a manager?
  • How many people did you supervise on your last job?
  • Give of an example of problem that occurred with a subordinate and how did you resolve it?
  • How do you motivate others?
  • Give of an example of a training program you lead or created?
  • Please give an example of your experience with budgets or project management? What are you strengths in the area?

Step two: anticipate what they might ask you about and practice answering these additional questions as well! Normally your biggest clues on what will be ask to you, is listed on the job description. Expect a question, or the interviewer to want to talk about each bullet point in some way. So do your research and spend time thinking about the job and the responsibilities if you really want to land it!

Step three: repeat.

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