Lots of people find that they get very nervous in an interview, so if you do, too, know that it’s not unusual. These tips will help you get through the process a little bit.
- Learn as much as you can about the employer before you interview. Look at their website and their LinkedIn company profile. Talk with any connections you have there. Understand what they do as much as you can. This background info will help you prepare your answers in a way that is likely to be relevant to them.
- Look at the employer’s social media to see how people dress. Your goal in an interview is to dress about one level up from daily wear. (If your interview is virtual, you only need to dress your top half, but if the actual job has an in-person component, make sure that the bottom of the outfit fits and is flattering.)
- Check your tech. If it will be over a platform like Teams or Zoom, log in or create a free account and poke around a little to get familiar with it. Also make sure your name shows up as you want it to, and that you are nicely centered in the camera frame.
- Check your location. If the interview will be in person, make sure you know where you’re going. Ideally, try going there using the means you’ll use on interview day, at around the same time of day so that can anticipate traffic. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early and allow for unanticipated events like accidents along the way.
- Practice common interview questions. You can look up the kinds of questions that are typical for your industry, and you can use tools like https://freemockinterview.com/. You can also take classes on sites like https://growthhackyourcareer.com/free-access/.
- Prepare for behavioral questions. These are the “Tell me about a time when…” questions, and are very common in interviews because they illustrate who you are more than other questions. Have stories prepared for these—and remember that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
- Prepare for strange questions. Some employers really like to dig in and learn who you are, so you might get questions that seem to come from nowhere: What is your favorite book or movie? What kind of dessert would you be if you were a dessert? These can feel intimidating and pointless, but take a moment to think about why they’re asking you and you’re likely to come up with an answer.
- Be thoughtful. It can feel like a lot pr pressure to answer quickly, but you’re better off thinking the question through before answering. That will also give you a chance to line up your stories, or to ask any clarifying questions.
- Remember to smile. Yes, I know, that’s cheesy advice, but it’s important because a) it shows that you’re pleasant and b) it reminds your anxious brain that there’s nothing to fear here. You’re just talking to some people, NBD.
- And finally, prepare questions to ask them. This shows your interest in the job, your ability to prepare, and your curiosity. As much as possible, avoid questions directly related to things that benefit you, like salary, PTO, and benefits. Instead, focus on the nature and culture of the work, the expectations they have, and so forth.
Through all of this, also remember that you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you, so make sure you’re paying attention to how you feel about things and if the role feels like a fit.
And always remember to breathe!
