Sweaty palms, a racy heart, the onset of anxiety—we’ve all experienced this at some point in our lives before an interview. I’ve gone through this nerve-wracking stage more times than I can count just this past year alone while I was in search of the perfect internship. Some of these interviews were a success and others not so much, but either way, these experiences have helped me learn so much about what to do when it comes to interviews.
Learning about the ins and outs of interviews not only helped calm my pre-anxiety jitters, but it also helped me make a better impression on the interviewer.
Here are five things you can do to ace your next interview.
- Research the company and the job.
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Some of the common questions that interviewers love to ask are, “What do you know about our company,” or questions related to tasks of the position like, “What do you think will be challenging about this job?” Make sure you know the company and the job well before your interview. A good place to start is the company’s website and social media―look at their mission and vision, products/services, and read the job description a couple of times to familiarize yourself with it.
- Prep a couple of questions beforehand.
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No matter what job you may be interviewing for, every interviewer will end it by giving you time to ask questions. The worst thing you can do is say you have no questions because it shows you are uninterested in the position. Have a list of two to three questions you want to ask before going into the interview. These can be related to the job itself or the interviewer’s experience with the company.
- View the interview as a conversation.
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Something that helped ease my anxiety a lot before interviews was altering my view of it. Instead of looking at it as an intimidating interview, think of it as a normal “conversation” where someone is simply getting to know you. Interviews are a two-way street, so you’re interviewing them just as much they’re interviewing you!
- Follow up after the interview.
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It’s good etiquette to reach out after your interview and thank the interviewer for their time. Use this email to reinforce your interest in the position and include some points you discussed during your interview. If you receive a rejection email, it’s also best to reach out to the interviewer. In this case, ask them for feedback on your interview and ask the recruiter to reach out again if other opportunities (that are a better fit) arise.
- Write down questions you remember from every interview.
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This comes in handy when it comes to practicing interview questions. I like to write down some questions I remember after each interview and set them aside for when I want to practice questions for interviews. Doing this will help you figure out what questions you are being asked the most for similar job positions, and give you a better idea of what you’ll be asked in your next one.
Now go out there and kill your next interview!