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What can someone do the night before to prepare for an interview?
What kinds of questions should a person practice answering to prepare for an interview and what mindset/mental headspace should someone be in the night before?
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9 answers
Updated
Lori Ann’s Answer
Be sure to research the company you are interviewing with and ask one or two questions related to their mission or corporate culture. Get a good night's sleep and arrive to the interview 10 - 15 minutes ahead.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Gordon
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Get a good night's sleep! The most important thing is to be the best version of yourself, so whatever it takes for you for you to do that is what you should do. Some things I'd recommend:
- Pick out a song you love and sing it at top volume
- Do some power poses in front of the mirror
- Have someone you trust spend 1 full minute telling you great things about yourself without interruption
- Practice 3 deep breaths with your feet planted on the floor
These might seem silly, but there's a lot of evidence that they really work!
For specific questions to prepare, the best place to start is the job description. Look at each of the skills listed, and be prepared to answer a question that asks, "Can you tell me about a time when you [skill here]?" or "How do you / would you approach [skill]?" As much as possible, use examples from your past (professional as much as possible) to illustrate your ability in that skill. If there's something that you don't do as well or don't have experience in, think about an experience that is related.
Other questions that you should be prepared for:
- Why do you want this job?
- What do you know about our company and why do you want to work here?
- What are you best at? What are your strengths?
- What kinds of environments do you most succeed in?
- How would you like to grow your career over the next 5-10 years?
Good luck!
- Pick out a song you love and sing it at top volume
- Do some power poses in front of the mirror
- Have someone you trust spend 1 full minute telling you great things about yourself without interruption
- Practice 3 deep breaths with your feet planted on the floor
These might seem silly, but there's a lot of evidence that they really work!
For specific questions to prepare, the best place to start is the job description. Look at each of the skills listed, and be prepared to answer a question that asks, "Can you tell me about a time when you [skill here]?" or "How do you / would you approach [skill]?" As much as possible, use examples from your past (professional as much as possible) to illustrate your ability in that skill. If there's something that you don't do as well or don't have experience in, think about an experience that is related.
Other questions that you should be prepared for:
- Why do you want this job?
- What do you know about our company and why do you want to work here?
- What are you best at? What are your strengths?
- What kinds of environments do you most succeed in?
- How would you like to grow your career over the next 5-10 years?
Good luck!
Thank you for the advice, Katie.
Gordon
Updated
Alaina’s Answer
For all kinds of interviews you want to think about questions like why do you want to work for the company? Do you think your values and passion connect with the company’s mission?Where do you see yourself in the next 3-5 years as a professional in that particular industry? How can you better the company or what can you bring to stand out from everyone else? Those are just a few to think about.
Your mindset or mental state should be relaxed and less stressed for sure. Don’t overthink questions or answers You are human and we all make mistakes. You want to be natural and genuine. Definitely be in a positive environment and know prior what you will wear to stay professional and show you are serious about the position.
Your mindset or mental state should be relaxed and less stressed for sure. Don’t overthink questions or answers You are human and we all make mistakes. You want to be natural and genuine. Definitely be in a positive environment and know prior what you will wear to stay professional and show you are serious about the position.
Thank you, this is amazing! I really needed it.
Gordon
Updated
Karri’s Answer
You're going to do great in your interview! Just focus on being well-prepared, especially when it comes to understanding the company's history and the job description and requirements. Don't forget to reflect on your past accomplishments and areas where you've grown - this will show that you're ready to tackle new challenges head-on. And here's a tip that can really boost your confidence: keep a Kudo's file or Good Book filled with accolades and positive feedback you've received. This will serve as a wonderful reminder of the impact you've made and the people you've helped along the way. So go ahead and shine during your interview – you've got this!
Updated
Olivia’s Answer
Ensure you have great examples of things you have *accomplished* as opposed to just what you've been responsible for - for example, you may have been responsible for waiting tables somewhere. You accomplished providing great service to a full restaurant of customers, even when short-staffed, to ensure that the restaurant exceeded their sales goals for the weekend and received great reviews on Yelp. Interviewers love accomplishments!
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Gordon
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Be prepared by knowing your answers. What do you do well, where can you improve? What is one thing you are proud of within your career? How have you made a difference within your career.
Updated
Jazmine’s Answer
I would look up the job description and pull out some examples you have from your experience that relate to that job so you have them in the back of your mind! Also, look up the company and what they stand for. You can highlight these things in your interview! The last suggestion is to always have questions to ask at the end to show your interest - "when will the team be looking to make a decision?" or "what does the first 30 days in this position look like when ramping up to the firm?" I hope this helps!
Updated
Autumn’s Answer
To make your interview preparation more actionable, follow these steps:
1. List your achievements: Write down at least 5-10 accomplishments from your work, school, or personal life that demonstrate the skills and qualities relevant to the job you're interviewing for.
2. Use the STAR method: For each achievement, describe the Situation or Task, the Actions you took, and the Results you achieved in a structured manner. This will help you clearly communicate your experiences to the interviewer.
3. Organize your experiences into categories: Group your accomplishments into four main scenarios: Overcoming a problem, Going above and beyond, Working with someone difficult or with differing views, and Organizing/Prioritizing tasks.
4. Practice your answers: Rehearse your responses to interview questions based on these categories, making sure to highlight the situation, the actions you took, and the specific, measurable results.
5. Reflect on lessons learned: Remember that not all results have to be positive. Be prepared to discuss experiences where you learned important lessons or identified areas for improvement.
By doing this preparation, you'll be better equipped to provide well-structured and compelling answers to interview questions, increasing your chances of success. Good luck!
1. List your achievements: Write down at least 5-10 accomplishments from your work, school, or personal life that demonstrate the skills and qualities relevant to the job you're interviewing for.
2. Use the STAR method: For each achievement, describe the Situation or Task, the Actions you took, and the Results you achieved in a structured manner. This will help you clearly communicate your experiences to the interviewer.
3. Organize your experiences into categories: Group your accomplishments into four main scenarios: Overcoming a problem, Going above and beyond, Working with someone difficult or with differing views, and Organizing/Prioritizing tasks.
4. Practice your answers: Rehearse your responses to interview questions based on these categories, making sure to highlight the situation, the actions you took, and the specific, measurable results.
5. Reflect on lessons learned: Remember that not all results have to be positive. Be prepared to discuss experiences where you learned important lessons or identified areas for improvement.
By doing this preparation, you'll be better equipped to provide well-structured and compelling answers to interview questions, increasing your chances of success. Good luck!
Updated
Kathy’s Answer
I recommend that you think about your work stories. Every question you might be asked will be about your work experience, to which your stories can be relevant. Think about your answers to questions in the S.T.A.R. format. S/T= Situation or task, A=Action you took, R= Results you achieved. An example might look like this.
Question: Tell me about a time you worked through a difficult challenge with a customer.
Situation/Task: Briefly set up what the experience was. Keep it positive, factual, and professional.
Action you took: Tell the interviewer what you action you specifically took. Job interviews are the time to shine as an individual. Let them know what YOU did to make the situation better or tackle the hurdle.
Result: What was the outcome? How did you make the situation better, or help the customer and your organization?
Additional Tip: Sometimes interviewers will ask about when you failed, because they want to see how you overcome it. In this case. There is a bonus "R" to make it a S.T.A.R.R. The first "R" here is how you fell short but keep it simple and professional. I.e. "I ended up missing the deadline." The bonus "R" is what you have changed or improved upon so that it does not happen again, thus turning it into a positive. Be honest, and also think about how your responses show how you would be a good fit for the role and organization.
Most every open interview question can be answered with your 5-6 top stories from your work experience. This about your stories and how they might address those questions in the S.T.A.R. format.
Look on-line for potential questions you might receive based upon the career field or role for which you are interviewing, so that you can prepare.
Question: Tell me about a time you worked through a difficult challenge with a customer.
Situation/Task: Briefly set up what the experience was. Keep it positive, factual, and professional.
Action you took: Tell the interviewer what you action you specifically took. Job interviews are the time to shine as an individual. Let them know what YOU did to make the situation better or tackle the hurdle.
Result: What was the outcome? How did you make the situation better, or help the customer and your organization?
Additional Tip: Sometimes interviewers will ask about when you failed, because they want to see how you overcome it. In this case. There is a bonus "R" to make it a S.T.A.R.R. The first "R" here is how you fell short but keep it simple and professional. I.e. "I ended up missing the deadline." The bonus "R" is what you have changed or improved upon so that it does not happen again, thus turning it into a positive. Be honest, and also think about how your responses show how you would be a good fit for the role and organization.
Most every open interview question can be answered with your 5-6 top stories from your work experience. This about your stories and how they might address those questions in the S.T.A.R. format.
Kathy recommends the following next steps: