8 Job Interview Preparation Tips

While a job interview can be nerve-racking, it doesn’t have to be difficult to make a good impression. In fact, if you follow these eight simple tips, you will be able to get through the interview without freaking out, impress the employer, and continue with your job search.

1. Maintaining eye contact is one of the most important things you can do during an interview. Making eye contact with your interviewer demonstrates that you are confident in your abilities and interested in what they have to say. However, make sure you’re not staring your interviewer down. Be self-assured rather than creepy.

2. Smile: This will demonstrate confidence while also putting your interviewer at ease. A smile conveys to others that you are a pleasant person, and they will return the smile. When you see your interviewer smile, it makes you feel more at ease, and this cycle will continue throughout the interview.

3. Speak Clearly and With Purpose: If necessary, take a brief moment to consider what you want to say (not too long or it will become awkward) to avoid using fillers like “mm,” “um,” or “hmm.” Your responses will be more precise, purposeful, and clear as a result.

4. Be on Time: Nothing irritates your interviewer more than being late. Their time is valuable, and wasting it, even for a moment, conveys the message that you don’t value them or their time. If possible, arrive early, but do not arrive late.

5. Be Honest: Lying is never appropriate or acceptable in the real world, so why would it be acceptable in a job interview? It’s not. Be truthful, and you will make your life and interview easier, as well as avoid a termination if your lie is discovered.

6. Dress Professionally: It’s easy to overlook, but if you arrive at the interview looking dingy or unkempt, you’ll give the impression that you don’t care about yourself or the interviewers. Dress as if you care about yourself, the job, and the interviewer, and you will be well on your way to landing the job.

7. Don’t Interrupt: This may seem obvious, but it is important to remember. While it is important to express who you are and why you are qualified for the job, you should never interrupt the interviewer. Your comment, no matter how good you think it is, is not good enough to interrupt your interviewer.

8. Be Pleasant: Avoid being sarcastic or rude. Even if you’re having a bad day or just want to get out of the interview, act as if there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.

If you follow these tips, you will be well prepared for your interview and on your way to landing the job.