How to Ace a Job Interview by Impressing Your Interviewer
A job interview is often the first face-to-face contact that companies have with prospective employees. As such, making a good impression is key to showing that you are professional, competent and the best person for the job. To ace a job interview by impressing your interviewer, you will need to have both style and substance. A well-polished appearance, along with polished answers about your career history and work experiences, can make an impressive statement about your value as an employee.
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Instructions
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Conduct a practice interview. Before going to your actual job interview, practice with a friend or family member. Rehearse what you might say about your professional background, previous accomplishments, past employers and career goals.
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Dress to impress. Proper business attire is essential for a job interview, explains the University of Minnesota Career Services Center. Both men and women should wear dark-colored suits that are clean and ironed. In addition to neat and clean clothing, choose accessories and shoes that are subtle and conservative.
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Arrive early, prepared with an "interview toolkit." Bring along a pen and notepad, as well as copies of your resume, professional portfolio, reference list, academic transcripts and writing sample.
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Display a confident, positive attitude. Although it is normal to be nervous during a job interview, offer your interviewer a firm handshake and genuine smile. When you answer your interviewer's questions, speak loudly and clearly and make eye contact.
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Answer your interviewer's questions with specific examples. It can be difficult to think on the spot, but make an effort to answer each question in detail, providing specific, relevant examples from your past work experience.
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Tackle the tough questions. If you were fired from your last job, have gaps on your resume or have other difficult issues in your past that come up during your interview, answer them briefly but candidly.
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Ask insightful questions. Although your interviewer will be asking the bulk of the questions, prepare some questions you have about the job and the company. Keep in mind, however, that some questions are off-limits during interviews. For example, Union College's Becker Career Center maintains that you should never ask about salary or benefits during an initial job interview. Likewise, do not ask questions that you could answer yourself by doing simple research.
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Send a thank-you letter. After your interview is over, send a brief letter or email message to let your interviewer know that you appreciated the opportunity to speak with her. If any specific questions about your credentials came up during the interview, address them in your thank-you letter.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid making negative statements about past employers or coworkers in your interview.
References
Resources
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