Avoid
setting yourself up for interview failure by taking these pre-interview steps
Thinking about what can go wrong during an interview seems a lot easier than
thinking about what can go right. From arriving on time, to proper attire, to
thoughtfully answering questions, the opportunities for committing a fatal
error seem endless.
But by making and working your way through a pre-interview checklist, you
can reduce the odds of committing mistakes and feel more confident. Here's what
you should put on your list.
Know where you're going. Before hopping in your car, have a
firm idea of the interview location. Either print out directions the day before
or use a smartphone app like Google Maps. Arriving late can blow your chances
before you even enter the door, says Alan Carniol, founder of Interview Success
Formula, an online training program that helps job candidates prepare for
interviews. "You're already nervous, so anything that can make you even
more nervous and be a distraction during the interview can just really hurt
your chances," he says.
Carniol also suggests finding out where you need to park, and if the
interview is taking place in a large business complex, which building you need
to go into.
Pick out proper clothes. According a CareerBuilder survey
released earlier this year, 60 percent of hiring managers said dressing
inappropriately was a detrimental job interview mistake. The person scheduling
the interview, past and present employees or pictures from the company website
are all possible sources for finding out what makes for appropriate attire,
Carniol says. But he notes, "You basically want to be a half-step up from
what they generally wear in terms of daily attire."
Research the company. A good starting point is the company
website, where you can find out its mission and history. But also check out its
social media sites. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can be great channels for
discovering what the company is doing on a day-to-day basis and what it's
promoting, Carniol notes. Along with connecting you to past and present
employees, LinkedIn can also be useful for researching a smaller, lesser-known
company, for which information may be sparse.
Speak to past and present employees. Who better to give
advice about being in the interview hot seat than those who have sat in it
before? If you speak with a current employee, Carniol says, make sure it's
someone who hasn't been with the company for either too short or too long a
time. "People who have been with the organization forever, they know the
culture so well that they can't really explain it. And people who are brand new
just don't know it that well. But you get someone who's been there a year or
two, at that point, they get the culture, but they haven't absorbed it to where
they can't talk about it," Carniol says.
Run through questions you may be asked. Spend time thinking
about questions that may come your way and formulate answers that specifically
address what the employer is looking for in a candidate, says Alison Doyle, job
search and employment expert for About.com. By providing vivid examples of how
your skills and past experience will help you excel in the position,
"you're showing why you are the best candidate for the job," she
says.
Think of your own questions to ask. You'll likely have the
chance to pose inquiries of your own. Asking meaningful questions shows that
you're truly interested in the job, Carniol says. He suggests two lines of
questioning.
The first is geared directly at your interviewer(s): What's the most
rewarding project you've worked on since being here? Why do you enjoy working
here? Such questions are helpful for learning what motivates employees and for
picking up possible red flags about the company culture, he says
