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What is the best way to prepare for an interview?

Honestly, I have not been on many interviews within my lifetime. However, during my Principles of Professional Psych course at Kean University my class as a whole had to do a one on one brief interview with the professor in front of the entire class. The professor asked us a numerous amount of questions regarding our positions in which were applying for. I am just a little curious to know if this is very similar applying to the real world. I have experienced a few number of interviews at places such as Trinity Solar whereas it was not even a "real" interview. I walked in, took a seat, and was read my duties as to what I would be doing. I immediately was hired on the spot. No questions were asked regarding my background and why I was even there. This was so bizarre to me. Some feedback, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. #interviews #interviewing-skills #interviewing #interview-preparation #personal-development

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Jorge’s Answer

Hi Mitchell,


Some important "tips" I can give you:



  • Find out your strengths and weaknesses (what you are doing to beat your weaknesses points)

  • Read about the history of the company

  • Go further and read some articles about the company's industry - show to the interviewer you are prepared

  • If you know the interviewer's name, memorize the name and call him by his name

  • Always look in the eyes of the interviewer

  • Look for frequently asked questions and put it on paper


Hope I Helped you


Greetings from Brazil :)

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Mandi’s Answer

Hi Mitchell,

Here are my interview tips:

1) Be prepared. Make flash cards with the top interview questions with your answers on the back of the card. Practice over and over so you don't get stumped on these questions during the interview.

2) Resume. Bring a few copies of your resume - enough for you and your interviewer(s) to reference.

2) Ask questions. Don't be afraid to jot down questions you would like to ask on a notepad and bring it with you to the interview.

3) Arrive on time. Plan your route, figure out the parking situation, and account for traffic the night before. And leave plenty of wiggle room in case something comes up! This will save you a lot of stress the day of.
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Simeon’s Answer

The most important tip is to network; make as many friends as you can related to your field. Reach out to those people you felt comfortable around and shared good chemistry with. If you make a connection with someone in the company, the pressure to perform perfectly in the interview won't be as high.

Interviewers know it's difficult to really know a person during an interview, so they are usually scanning for basic interpersonal skills. Show that you can work well with others, motivate yourself, and push through stressful situations calmly and efficiently. Try to have four or five stories about yourself from the past and try to redirect questions toward these stories during the interview. Make sure to choose instances from your past that highlight your positive qualities, including your ability to learn from or perform during difficult situations.
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Rowena’s Answer

Great question and so many great answers, already.

Some of my hot tips include:

1) Looking up interviewers profiles on LinkedIn. Reading up on their background and creating 'relatedness' (or small chat even) creates connection really early on in the interviewing piece. Plus this helps you to craft questions regarding about the interviewer and their experience within the Company.

2) Bring Your Authentic Self versus the 'text book' answer, or pretending to be someone you are not. Interviewers understand that this may be your first time interviewing, nerves and the such. They have all been there before themselves. So what will set you apart is really your personality, drive and motivation. I am in HR and I always coach my leaders to 'recruit for attitude, train for skill'. If you have the 'willingness to learn' and can show that (if you don't have the skill', that is 'gold!".

3) With so many virtual interviewers going on at the moment (as a result of COVID), I encourage you to do the small stuff well. Things like - making sure your virtual background is on, or ensure that background is neat, clean and tidy. Do the sound/microphone check. Look in the camera, and wear a professional shirt (At the very least).
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Poonam’s Answer

Here are the best interview preparation for fresher:

1. RESUME:

A resume is the primary tool to land a job. Create your resume as per the job profile the organization is putting forth and underlining your strength desired for the job. Keep in mind a certain something, that the points you are specifying in it ought to be the ones, you are actually intended to. This ought not be ranting and not be false just to impress the hiring manger.

2. EMPLOYER INFORMATION:

Before going to any interview for any organization, ensure you know enough about the organization and you are ready to work in this organization. To achieve this, go through the company profile and the current position of the organization. It will help you to comprehend them and give you more confidence. So, invest efforts in this during your interview preparation.

3. YOUR ATTIRE SHOULD PORTRAY THAT YOU MEAN BUSINESS:

Your dressing sense is the reflection of your identity. It characterizes the society you come from. Dress like you represent them. A formal suit is recommended. Dark trousers and a white shirt would be the best blend. Abstain from wearing coloured shirts and trousers. Resemble a professional.

for more :Interview preparation for fresher

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Lauren’s Answer

Each company and position will be different, but as an interviewer, I typically evaluate candidates against the competencies that are needed to succeed in the role. For example, if I'm looking for someone with strong project management skills, I want to know that they're able to manage project plans, keep tasks on track, and respond appropriately to issues. I'll ask candidates to describe particular scenarios that demonstrate their skills and experience in these areas. The strongest candidates are able to give specific examples of how they've handled these scenarios in past work or school experiences.

My suggestion for preparing for interviews is to study the job description so you have an in-depth understanding of the types of skills and competencies the interview team is looking for and then prepare examples from your past experience to demonstrate that you have skills in those areas. The best examples describe the situation, what you did, and what the outcome was. Come prepared with multiple examples to share for different types of skills.
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Vineeth’s Answer

There are certain things you will want to do in advance to prepare for it.Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, so you’ll want to do your best in preparing for your interview in advance.

1. Pick your outfit
2. Practice greeting your interviewer
3. Study your resume and know everything about it
4. Practice your answers to the most common interview questions
5. Research the company and the job position you are applying for
6. Find out the type of interview you will be going on
7. Print out the directions to the interview and be on time

It’s ok to be up to 10 minutes early, but no more than that. Otherwise, the interviewer may not be ready for you, Follow these tips and you will successfully know how to prepare for a job interview. Interviewers can tell whether or not a candidate has prepared for it or not and they will appreciate it if you did.
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Karine’s Answer

Great Question answer is PREPARE :-)



  • Know your self ( note your strengths with an real example, your gaps and what do you do to overcome them, what are your values and aspirations)

  • Do not talk through your resume but exercise in front of the mirror to present yourself personally and professionally inn 2 minutes only : If you do it well it will sounds like a nice story, factual but THRUE because it is YOU and your history, experiences...

  • Do your homeworks ! Always google the company you are having the interview with, Linked In can help for the person doing the interview finding some things about his life or experience you can relate too.

  • Test yourself with a colleague, friend, boss etc. ... or on real interviews you are not intestered about the more you practice the more confident you will be for the job of your life !


Hope this helps and good luck !

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Kellie’s Answer

Practice, Practice, Practice! Come up with a few "stories" which are situational that you can relate to any answer. The model SAR - Situation - Action - Result is key. Always 1) describe the situation, 2) describe the actions - what you did and how you did it and 3) don't forget to describe how it turned out! And practice - know these stories you will apply to your answers and be comfortable talking about them, be concise but detailed. Practice in the mirror - this may sound silly but it works. The more you practice, the more comfortable you are with your answers and your authenticity will shine through.
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Michael’s Answer

Hi Mitchell,

I would say to, first, research the company you are interviewing with. Review their website (if available) and reviews (such as those posted on GlassDoor) to understand the company and their core values. Knowing about the company and what they stand for, I believe, would really help during the interview process. There may be times where the person interviewing you may ask "Do you have any questions for me about the role or the company, itself?" This is a great opportunity to ask follow up questions during the interview. This will let the person interviewing you know how interested you are in the company and that you did your research ahead of time.

Another way to prepare for an interview is to really understand the job description and qualifications. Think to yourself how your experience aligns with the open role you are interviewing for and how you would be a great contributor to the team.
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Ali’s Answer

Research potential behavioral interview questions and align experiences (work, extracurricular) that answer the question. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer questions and tell your story.

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Carole’s Answer

I would like to answer some of your questions about Interviewing for a job:
Let's start with the interview that you had and they did not ask you anything regarding your skills and experience. This is a little unusual, but odd things happen when it comes to the interviewing process. Here are some suggestions:
1. Go with knowledge about the company your are interviewing with so that you will be more comfortable no matter what they ask you.
2. Come prepared with a copy of your resume and references, so if they ask you for another copy you have one ready.
3. The questions that your teacher gave you are great preparation just to be able to answer them in a proper manner. Maybe go over some of those with a friend.
4. When they call you for an interview appointment, you might ask the name of your interviewer and then if possible look up this person on the web site to what his/her title is and that might give you a clue of how the questions will be structured. If it is a member of Human Resources they usually have lots of skill and ability questions along with a scenario or story of a problem that you have to solve with your knowledge.
5. Sometimes it is a round table with 6 people shooting questions at you. I have experienced this and in this case I feel it is important to take your time to think before you speak and the more you know about yourself and the company the easier that is. Bottom line is the be truthful in what you say, because good interviewers can tell when you are fudging or not telling the truth. Also if they check on your previous jobs or references they may get a different answer. SO BE TRUTHFUL.
6. I would purchase a good interviewing book such as: "The Job Search Solution" by Tony Beshara; or "The 250 Job Interview Questions" by Peter Veruki. These help will you become more confident about going on interviews because you will feel more knowledgeable about how to answer.
7. Researching the company is a must, because then they will be aware of the fact that you took the time to get facts about their company. It is a step above the other interviewee. It might be possible for you to ask a question concerning this company at this point. That will show again that you are interested.
8. Clothing is another factor in interviewing. If you are coming from work and you work was casual dress, bring a jacket that makes your outfit look more like an interview outfit, so that they know that you care what they think about you.
9. My motto for interviewing is: PREPARE FOR ANYTHING THAT IS THROWN YOUR WAY; LOOK LIKE YOU ARE READY FOR BUSINESS; SPEAK SLOWLY AND DISTINCTLY SO YOU ARE UNDERSTOOD; ANY NERVOUS TWITCHES ARE A DISTRACTION SO KEEP THOSE IN ORDER; HAVE SOME QUESTION FOR THEM IN CASE THEY ASK YOU; AND PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD IN YOUR MIND SO IT SHOWS UP IN THE INTERVIEW.


I wish you the best in your future interviewing process; Follow the advice listed in the books I suggested and you will feel very confident for interviewing.

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James Constantine’s Answer

Hello Mitchell!

Best Ways to Prepare for an Interview

1. Research the Company and Role Before attending an interview, it is crucial to gather information about the company and the specific role you are applying for. This includes understanding the company’s mission, values, culture, products or services, and recent developments. Websites like Glassdoor can provide insights into employee experiences and company ratings. Additionally, reviewing the job description thoroughly will help you align your skills with what the employer is seeking.

2. Practice Common Interview Questions Interviews often include a set of common questions that candidates should prepare for. These may include inquiries about your strengths and weaknesses, your career goals, and scenarios that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities. Practicing responses to these questions can help you articulate your thoughts clearly during the actual interview. Resources such as The Muse offer lists of frequently asked interview questions along with tips on how to answer them effectively.

3. Prepare Your Own Questions At the end of most interviews, candidates are given an opportunity to ask their own questions. Preparing thoughtful questions demonstrates your interest in the role and helps you assess if the company is a good fit for you. Consider asking about team dynamics, growth opportunities within the company, or specifics about projects you might be working on.

4. Dress Appropriately Your appearance can significantly impact first impressions during an interview. Dressing appropriately according to the company’s culture is essential; for instance, business formal attire may be suitable for corporate environments while smart casual could be acceptable in more relaxed settings. When in doubt, it’s better to err on the side of being slightly overdressed than underdressed.

5. Practice Good Body Language Non-verbal communication plays a vital role in interviews. Maintaining eye contact, offering a firm handshake (if appropriate), sitting up straight, and nodding when listening can convey confidence and engagement. Practicing these behaviors beforehand can help make them feel natural during your interview.

6. Follow Up After the Interview Sending a thank-you email after your interview is not only courteous but also reinforces your interest in the position. In this email, express gratitude for the opportunity to interview and briefly reiterate why you believe you would be a good fit for the role.

7. Reflect on Past Experiences Since you’ve had limited experience with traditional interviews but have encountered unique hiring situations like being hired on-the-spot at Trinity Solar, reflect on those experiences critically. Consider what went well and what could have been improved upon in those interactions to better prepare yourself for future interviews.

By following these steps systematically—researching thoroughly, practicing responses, preparing questions, dressing appropriately, maintaining good body language, following up post-interview—you will enhance your readiness for any job interview scenario.

Probability that this answer is correct: 95%

Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used in Answering this Question

1. Glassdoor A platform that provides insights into company cultures through employee reviews and salary information which aids candidates in understanding potential employers better.

2. The Muse An online career resource offering advice on job searching and interviewing techniques including common questions asked during interviews.

3. Harvard Business Review A leading publication that covers various aspects of business management including effective interviewing strategies backed by research and expert opinions.

God Bless You!
JC.
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Shawn’s Answer

Here are some tips for preparing for an interview.

1. Come prepared and be professional
2. Know going in what your strenths and weaknesses are
3. Try to answer the questions in a format that shows what you did/ what actions did you take/ and what were the results of a scanario that is related to the question that is being asked.
4. Be positive and try to be comfortable when answering questions.
5. Be on time with copies of your resume and greet the interviewer

The best things to do is to know the job you are interviewing for and study the job description. This will allow you to see how you can fit into this role and be the best canidate for the position.
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Bradley’s Answer

Hi,

I always like to do as much research on the company as possible. I like to know as much as I can before I go into any conversation or interview. Once you've done the research and the prework for the interview, you just need to go in with confidence. The best interviews I have ever had I approached as just having a conversation with someone. It makes them feel relaxed and gives off a sense of confidence. Be confident but not cocky. And if you do not know an answer, don't try to make anything up. People look for qualities when hiring and not necessarily someone that knows everything. Show a willingness to learn.
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