The first meeting with a potential employer is a nerve-wracking experience; if it is your first job interview, the experience can be terrifying. However, a job interview is about being prepared. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel, and that confidence will project in the discussion. Here are tips for preparing for your first job interview.
Do Your Research
It would help if you researched the organization and the responsibilities of the role you are applying for before your interview. An internet search or browsing through LinkedIn can help you find the necessary information. Know the company’s products and services to understand how the position you are applying for adds value to the company.
Researching employers will help you discover companies that you love, or they might have a mission statement that appeals to you. Bring this enthusiasm to the job interview, which could help you land the job.
Practice Answering Common Interview Questions
Go through the standard interview questions with a family member or a friend. This practice is more beneficial than simply reading potential questions and forming answers in your head. This rehearsal has the added benefit of helping you manage anxiety and pre-interview nerves.
Practice your enunciation and your body language too. Get familiar with projecting calmness and confidence. Develop detailed answers that are precise and to the point. Try to answer a question in 1-2 minutes. Go longer, and you risk reiteration and the suggestion of a lack of confidence.
Mind Your Body Language
Body language can be as effective as what you say in the job interview. How you carry yourself is critical for making a good impression. Smile when you enter the room, sit up straight and look the interviewer in the eye. Try to appear poised and confident.
Maintain a good posture and use appropriate hand gestures. Avoid waving your hands, crossing your arms across your chest or touching your face or hair. Try to avoid twitching and appear calm and attentive.
Tell the Truth
Be yourself in a job interview. As you answer each question truthfully, let your personality shine through. Don’t know the answer? Admitting to the interviewer is better than making something up. You will make a poor impression if you do not appear genuine to the interviewer.
Your answers can have a tremendous impact on the decision to hire you. You could face termination if you get the job and your new employer discovers you lied in the interview. The lie could also impact your prospects too.
Prepare Questions
You will have the option to ask the interviewer questions during your interview about the company and the job. Prepare questions ahead of time. Questions can be about the open position, the company culture or professional development. When you prepare questions in advance, you demonstrate to the interviewer that you are serious about the position.