You have just finished applying to millions of tech jobs in your field and you finally heard back from a few that think you may be a fit and want to move forward with interviewing you. What is next? This article will help prepare for your big day!
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1. Research The Company!
You most likely have a general idea of the company you applied to, but do you know enough? There is a good chance you applied to several jobs and this was just one of them.
Now is your chance to really make a good first impression. Go on the companies website and actually do a deep dive on the core values of the company. See their beliefs and goals and make sure that you can communicate why you would be a good fit based on this.
Google the company and see the latest articles and news headlines that they were mentioned in. These are key talking points that you can bring up during the interview to show that you are invested in wanting to become part of the company’s future.
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2. Research The Interviewers!
This tip is very underused, which is why you should use it to your advantage. Usually, when you are scheduled for an interview, you will get a list of the people who are going to be interviewing you.
Find out their roles and how long they have been at the company via websites like LinkedIn(use incognito browsing). This can be used to mentally prepare yourself and make you less anxious about who is going to walk into the room for your interview. Many times I have had a recruiter tell me the first interview wouldn’t be technical.
Then I would research the interviewer and find out they are a Team Lead or Sr Developer. Once the interview came realized it was indeed a technical interview. If I had not done my research prior I may not have been fully prepared for that part of the interview.
This is also a good place to find common ground and make yourself more relatable. Maybe you saw that they were a consultant at one point in their careers, as were you. When discussing your experiences make sure it is something you bring up so that they can relate to when they were in your shoes.
This next part is a little hit or miss so be careful. Tread lightly here and never get deep into people’s personal lives. You may have seen that they always like or comment on AI articles. You can now, indirectly, bring up the AI courses that you have taken in the past as something you found interesting through your studies and leave it at that. Don’t force the connection here. They will either get excited because you are discussing something they are passionate about or just they will just simply say ok. Either way, don’t try to stress your topic here.
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3. Have Questions Prepared!
At the end of each segment with an interview, they will always ask “Do you have any questions for me?” Normally everyone’s response is “no” and the interview concludes.
Want to stand out in an interviewers head? Use this opportunity to actually ask questions. This is another way of showing your extra interest in the company and role that you are applying for.
Some examples of questions you can ask include:
What is the room for growth in this position/company?
How is success measured in this role?
How long have you been at this company and what has been one of your most enjoyable moments here?
Has your role changes since you have been in this company?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
What is a typical day like here in your company?
Don’t be afraid to 2or 3 of these questions as well as any questions that you can think of.
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4. Have Auto Responses For Certain Questions!
There are certain questions you can expect to be asked every interview. There is no reason you should be caught off guard by any of these questions and you should be able to respond to these questions right away.
Some examples of common interview questions that you should have prepared responses for include:
Why do you want to work here?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Tell us about yourself?
Why did you leave your previous job?
Why is there a gap in your work history?
Do you enjoy working by yourself more or as a team?
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5. Relax
The last tip is just to relax. Don’t overthink the interview. It realistically won’t be your last interview in your life. If it doesn’t work out in this interview, it won’t be the end of the world. You can apply to more jobs and have another interview set up by next week
Over stressing an interview can effect many areas of your life including your sleep. It would be more beneficial for you to relax the night before your interview rather than you be stressed out and show up to your interview tired. Take a deep a breath and just be confident in yourself!
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