Interview Tips

Even if you have gone through countless interview sessions, job interviewing never seems to get any easier. With each job interview, you meet new people, you sell yourself and your skills, and are questioned about what you know and what you don't. And still, you gotta stay confident and inspired through it all. Most of the times it can be a challenge, especially when you're appearing for a job you would love to get hired for.

A job interview is always a critical process. The impact created during the interview always determines what happens next. The moment you walk in most interviewers knows where you stand in the competition for that job opening. It is always a good idea to emphasize your communication skills, and presentation, so you can chat clearly about the value that you can add to the organization.

The key to effective interviewing is to show confidence, stay calm and positive, and be able to share the experience of your workplace skills, your achievements and your qualifications for the job. Take time to work on your interview skills so that you can develop effective interview tactics to use in all of your job interviews.

Always remember that a job interview is not an exam: so you don’t need to prepare for hours and hours. Rather, you just need to do research about the company, go through the job description and understand exactly what they are looking for in a new hire, and ensure that you’re able to discuss your skills, experience, achievements and what makes you a perfect fit for the job.

Don’t worry! It’s really not as hard as it looks like. With these professional interview tips, you’ll be able to present yourself in such a way that the interviewer will be amazed by the time your selection draws to a close.

Dress for Success

Dressing part of the job interview has often gone to the of many interviewees. In reality, this is the first impression that you give your interviewer of yours and how you’re dressed can strongly reflect on you as a likely candidate.

If you somehow manage to talk to a recruiter before the interview, you can ask them about the dress code in the workplace and choose your outfit respectively. Or, If you don’t have someone to ask, research the company to check what’s appropriate.

From the moment that you walk through the door, you're continuously being monitored by the interviewer. If you’re this far into the door, you have hopefully done some research on the company that you’re working for. You already have an idea of their company culture and how you think you would fit into it. This includes the workplace dress code.

Dressing sense can also make you look like somebody who doesn’t take themselves or the job seriously and is far too relaxed. Being overdressed can be seen as a sign of overcompensation. If you are genuinely unsure, then always dress sharply but don’t overdo it.

Be On Time (That Means Early)

Always be on time for the interview. Being on time means reaching ten to fifteen minutes early. If needed, reach the interview spot well before the time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there. Take into consideration the time of your interview so that you can adjust for local traffic at that time. And always give yourself a few extra minutes to calm your nerves, and visit the restroom to check your outfit.

Get Ready Ahead of Time

Don't wait for the last minute to pick out your interview attire, get some extra copies of your resume with you and don't forget a notepad and pen. Always have one good interview outfit ready, so you don't have to worry about what to wear. When you have your interviews lined up, always get everything ready the night before.

Planning out everything (from what footwear you choose to wear, to how you’ll style your hair, to what time you will leave and how you’ll get there) will not only get you time in the morning, it will also give you and your brain much extra time to prepare for interview and take critical decisions.

Make sure your interview outfit is neat and tidy and appropriate for the type of organization you are going to interview with. If you get a chance to have a chat with the recruiting manager before the interview ask them about the outfit. Don’t forget to carry your portfolio with extra copies of your resume. Keep a pen and notepad with you for note-taking.

Practice and Prepare

Practice the typical job interview questions employers ask frequently and prepare your answers accordingly. Strong answers are those that are precise but short that highlight your skills and back up your resume. Your answers should also emphasize the skills that are relevant to the particular position. Be sure to review the job listing, make a list of the requirements, and match them to your experience.

Remember that even the most well-prepared answers will fall short if you do not answer the exact question you are being asked. It’s always important to prepare yourself with the safest answers, and equally important to hear carefully during your interview to make sure your answers give the interviewer the information they are looking for.

Also, carry a list of your own questions to ask the employer. Almost after every interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. It is important to have at least one or two questions prepared in order to express your interest in the organization.

Research the Company, and Show What You Know

Complete your homework and research the company and the employer, so you are able to answer the question, "What do you know about this company?" If this question is not asked, you should try to show what you know about the company on your own.

You can do this by combining what you’ve learned about the company into your responses. For example, you can say, “I noticed that when you executed a new ticketing system last year, your customer reviews improved dramatically. I am very much skilled and familiar with the latest technologies from my knowledge with developing software and in the end, praise a company who aims to be a leader in its industry.”

You should also try to find out a lot of information about the company’s past, projects and values, staff, culture, and recent achievements on its website. If the company owns a blog and has a social media presence, don't forget to look around there as they can be of great help too.

Silence Your Phone

There’s nothing more distracting in an interview than an unexpected call your phone. While a call on your interviewer's phone may allow you to take a breath of relief and collect yourself but don’t let it be yours. Never!

However, don’t switch off phone completely or leave it outside the interview room as you may find it very handy when it comes to add a contact or appointment to your calendar. Also, if you are a Mobile Application Engineer you can use your phone to give some practicals or to showcase your work.

Try to Stay Calm

Try to stay as calm as possible during the job interview. Always remember that your body language speaks more than you speak to the answers to the questions. Proper practice and preparation will allow you to gain confidence when you sit on the hot seat. And always try to avoid these 55 mistakes in your Job Interview.

As you answer questions, try to maintain eye contact with the interviewer, reflects your confidence. Make sure you pay attention and listen to the interviewer questions carefully so that you don’t forget it, and listen to the entire question before you answer, so you know exactly what the interviewer is asking and what to answer. Do not cut off the interviewer at any cost, especially when they are asking questions. If you need to take a bit to think about your answer and prefer to be quiet rather than starting your answer with multiple “ums” or “uhs.”

Make the most of the "Tell me about yourself" question

Almost all interviewers begin interviews with this question. So how are you supposed to answer this? You can start from where you were born, what your parents do, how many members you have in your family, what grades you got and on and on and on, and that's okay. But do you want the interviewer writing down how many brothers and sisters you have – or why the company should hire you?

Think to respond to this question with something like: "Well, of course, I can tell you a lot of things about me, and please let me know if I'm missing what you want. But a couple of things I think are most important for you to know about me are [your selling points]. I can elaborate on those a little if you'd like." Interviewers will always say, "Sure, go ahead." Then you say, "Well, about the first point, [give your example]. And when I was working with [name of the company], I [example of another selling point]." Etc. This approach allows you to focus the first 10-15 minutes of the interview on all of your key selling points. The "Tell me about yourself" question is a golden opportunity. Don't miss it!

Score a success in the first 5 minutes

Studies indicate that most of the decisions are made in the first five minutes of the interviews. interviewers make up their minds about candidates in the very first five minutes of the interview – and then take the remainder of the interview looking for things to confirm their decision! So what can you do in those five minutes to get through the door? Come in with energy and passion, and express your thankfulness for the interviewer's time. (Remember: They may be seeing a lot of other candidates that day and may be tired from the flight in. So bring in that energy!)

And, start off with a positive remark about the company you're visiting – something like, "I am really looking forward to this meeting [not "interview"]. I think [the company] is doing great work in [a particular field or project], and I'm really excited by the chance of being able to contribute here.

Line up your questions for the interviewer

Come to the interview with a prepared list of some intelligent questions for the interviewer that display your knowledge about the company you’re visiting as well as your serious intent.At the end of the interview, Interviewers always ask if you have any questions, and no matter what, you should have one or two ready. If you say, "No, not really," they may assume that you're not at all interested in the job or the company. A good question to ask in the end is, "If you could think for the ideal candidate for this opening, what would he or she be like?"

If you have a multiple interviews with the same company, you can use some of your prepared questions with each person you meet (for example, "What is the best thing about working here?" and "What kind of candidate would you like to see fill this job opening?") Then, try to frame one or two others during each interview you go for.

Close the Deal

While interviewing, this is one of the common mistakes that people make. After so much of time spent through the interview, you and your interviewer both should know exactly where you stand. The interviewers surely have their mind set and are clear with their decision by the final handshake of the interview whether you have made it or not. During that handshake, be straightforward. Confidence goes a long way. If you think things didn't go well, strongly ask your interviewer where you stand. If not, your answer will make it clear.

Let the interviewer know that you'd really, really like the job and you were very excited for it before the interview and are even more excited after and that you're assured you'd like to work there and are a great fit for that position. In the end, if there are two equally good candidates, the interviewer will think you're more likely and confident to accept the offer, and thus you might be preferred over the other candidate.

Send thank-you notes

Write a thank-you note to the interviewer after every interview. Make a note on paper and send them by email, or any other source you have. Send your notes by mentioning the points you and the interviewer discussed; for example, "I was really excited about [or interested by, or glad to hear] what you told about ..." Make sure to send your thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview.

To write a good thank-you note, you'll need to take time after each interview to list down a few things about what the interviewer said. You may also include any details that you forgot to mention during your interview and you want them to know. Also, write down what you could have done better in the interview, and make changes before you take off for your next interview.

Follow-Up After the Interview

Always follow up with a thank-you note for the interviewer after every interview, expressing your interest in the position. You may also include any details that you forgot to mention during your interview and you want them to know. Also, If you interviewed with multiple interviewers from the same company, send a thank you note to each one of them. Make sure to send your thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview.

Don't give up!

If you've gone through a bad interview for a job that you were really excited for and you truly think you would be a great fit (not just something you wanted badly), don't ever give up! Just Never! Make a note, draft an email to the interviewer, or call the interviewer to let them know that you think you performed under par and did a poor job of communicating during the interview, and why you think you would be a perfect fit for this job. Tell them again what you have to offer the company, what value you would add, and say that you'd like an opportunity to contribute or to prove yourself.

Whether this approach will get you a job offer depends on the interviewer or the company and on you. However, one thing's for sure: until you won't give it a try, your chances are completely zero. We've seen this approach work on numerous occasions for many candidates, and we encourage you to give it that last shot. Best of luck. Cheers!

Bonus Tips

Avoid These Common Interview Mistakes What shouldn't you do when interviewing? Here are the 55 job interview mistakes, a candidate looking for employment can make. Take your time to go through these mistakes before your interview, so you don't have to stress out about blunders after it and are well prepared for it as well.