Interviews can be absolutely nerve-wracking; you’ve invested too much time in the job prospect to lose it to a botched interview. No worries! With this definitive list of power moves, you’ll be sure to ace the meeting!
1. Study, study study.
Girls are masters at finding information on the internet – just ask our exes – and a job interview is a perfect opportunity to enlist those skills. The more you know about who and what you’re interviewing for the better the chance your answers will be relevant and eye-catching. The best places to find this key information are Linkedin, social media sites and the company’s resources (like websites and material provided to you). Another fantastic source is Glassdoor. It’s an website where you can find interview questions that have been used in the past, ask others about their own interviews and view the top 50 most common questions asked across the country.
2. Dress for the success you want.
The first impression you make on an employer is often the one that sticks the best. Aside from your sparkling personality you’ll also want to dress for the job you desire. This includes being conscious of your hair and makeup styles too! The golden standard for appearance will vary by employer, so check out this awesome resource for simple and easy ideas!
3. Have a playbook and know how to navigate it.
Interviews aren’t always a simple one on one meeting at a desk. In fact, interviews can have many different variations. A few of the commons ones are group interviews, phone interviews and interviews while dining. This can seem like a lot to swallow, but all it really means is than you need to have a game plan for each scenario. Check out the attached links above for specifics on knocking your next interview out of the park.
4. Practice all your smooth interview moves.
The more comfortable you are with questions the more likely you are to do well on them! Rehearse everything including your personal resume and left-field questions they only might ask. Chances are, if you’re smooth with the oddball questions you’ll be able to nail the lightly tossed ones.
5. Be prepared beforehand.
You don’t want to be scurrying around the morning-of wondering where your tights are and why you only seem to own one nude heel. Set out your outfit the night before – or better yet, have a closet corner dedicated to pre-made outfits just in case a random opportunity jumps out last minute – and make sure all the pieces are parts are present. Print out extra resumes and keep them neat in a folder. Have business cards, if that applies to you, with you always. Make sure you have a working pen and paper if needed. You don’t want to seem unprepared to your – maybe- future bosses.
6. Hit the pose!
There’s been a lot of buzz recently about the “superhero pose.” It’s accomplished when you stand, feet apart from one another, and rest your fists on your hips with your elbows pointing out. Think “Wonder Woman” aesthetic and you’ve got it! Science shows that standing like this can increase your sense of power and control, which can seriously boost your confidence heading into a tense situation, like an interview. So… hit the pose!
7. The early bird gets the worm.
That’s basically a fancy saying that loosely translates to, “don’t you dare be late, but better yet be early.” If being early means you set eight alarms the morning of, then do it. Again, first impressions are key while interviewing, and you don’t want your first impression to be you, sweating profusely, storming through the office doors while spilling coffee and resume papers all across the floor.
8. Make yourself relatable.
The last thing you want to do is prepare everything perfectly, and then fail the interview because you couldn’t connect your skills or resume to the job you’re applying for. Make sure you combine your research on the company with the skills you know you have. Make sure they know how valuable you could be to the company! Here’s a resource that walks you through the steps of making yourself seem relatable and valuable to even the toughest employer.
9. Mama always taught you to send ‘thank you’ cards!
And this is no different! You should be sure to thank your interviewer(s) immediately after the meeting – of course – but a follow up thank you is a necessity as well. Begin by acknowledging your gratitude to them for interviewing you, and use the opportunity to follow-up on your interest in the position. You can even include a topic you discussed in the interview so long as it stays on topic. Be sure not to be too casual though! This isn’t a thank you note for your Aunt Tammy, this is a possible future employer! For more details on how to send the perfect thank you note check out this resource!