How to prepare for a job interview: the art of preparing for a job interview
Many job seekers believe that if they submit a great professional resume and cover letter, they are likely to get an interview. True enough. Having solved the puzzle and successfully answered the question “What should a resume look like?”, they make a mistake and assume that a job interview is just a formality. But the resume is like a script. There is no story without it, but it is not the most important part.
Understanding the art of the interview is knowing how to prepare. Analyze the job requirements and compare them to your talents and experience. You should highlight the skills presented on your resume, matching them with the job description.
The hiring manager or human resources representative conducting the interview will likely delve into the basic information presented on the resume and will want to know more details than are mentioned on the resume. Knowing what your resume says and being able to discuss each item is a vital part of preparing for any questions that may arise regarding previous employers or educational references noted on the resume.
Effective preparation means that you will be adept at thinking of specific examples of how you applied problem-solving skills in any previous position. Be sure to provide short and concise examples. Keeping the hiring manager interested is also an important interview skill.
by Michael Shurtleff Audition: everything an actor needs to know to land the part is recognized as a must-read for actors. Job seekers can also learn from him. First, realize that as a job seeker you are in the same position as an actor. Shurtleff writes: “The truth is that for every actor who is hired for a part, fifty or a hundred or two hundred don’t… The life of an actor is not enviable. It consists mainly of losing, of being turned down.”
Shurtleff helps aspiring actors and job interviewers improve their chances. “Reveal yourself. Speak up. Seize the opportunity. What do you have to lose? You’ll lose the interview if you sit there like a mummy anyway. It’s better to risk communicating with the person sitting across the table.” that desk.
Shurtleff discusses the keys to a successful audition, calling them “guides.” Some of these are: Relationship; Communication and Competence, and Significance.
Don’t treat an interview like a conventional social situation. It is vital to realize that you are there to impress and persuade that you can help the interviewer’s company with all your skills and experience. Orient your answers to the requirements of the job. Make sure you have done as much background research on the company to inform your readiness.
Don’t make simple mistakes. Arrive at a job interview before the scheduled time, dressed neatly and formally, and with additional copies of the original submitted resume. Even if the employer has specifically stated that the dress policy is business casual, the first impression is the one that is maintained, so a business formal appearance will make the right first impression on a prospective employer.
If your resume was prepared by a highly qualified professional resume writer, you should base your interview preparation on this document. She should be able to analyze each core competency listed and provide vivid examples from her experience that highlight this qualification. Practice your answers repeatedly, even if you have to write them down and rehearse reading the answers until you become so familiar with your answers that you will recite them naturally.
Few of us enjoy job interviews, but it’s possible, if you’re prepared. Then you will know that you have done the best you could. In his book, Michael Shurtleff asks, “Why do we have to go through the torture of auditions?” He quickly gives the answer, which we should all accept as the reason for job interviews: “Because no one has ever come up with a better way to pitch. If you come up with one, let us know.”
