How to Prepare for an Interview

Did You Know?

When it comes to job hunting, the competition is fierce. Studies show that each corporate job offer attracts 250 resumes on average. Of those candidates, 5 will get called for an interview, and only 1 will get the job.

That’s a lot of people all going after the same job you are. They all probably have a work history similar to yours, and some may even have more experience than you do.

So, what sets you apart?

What Do Recruiters Look for on a Resume?

1. Job Experience

2. Cultural Fit

3. Prestige of College

4. GPA

It’s no surprise that job experience is the top thing recruiters look for on a resume, but there’s a reason cultural fit is a close second. Employers want to hire individuals who are the whole package. They don’t want to hire someone who’s just good at their job. They want to hire someone who shows initiative and confidence. They want to hire someone they can get along with who will also build relationships within their organization.

How Can You Be That Person?

There are several qualities that are appealing to employers, but the #1 trait employers absolutely love is confidence.

When a candidate projects confidence, employers know that they:

Are prepared

Confidence comes from the knowledge that you can handle whatever comes your way. A confident candidate gives the impression they came prepared and are ready to interview.

Take initiative

Candidates who possess confidence are more likely to take action because they believe in themselves and their ideas.

Are able to think independently

Independent thinkers tend to be more assertive and more willing to think outside of the box — two very attractive qualities within the corporate world.

Get along well with others

Confidence is a trait that attracts others. People with confidence tend to build long-lasting relationships, make friends easily and promote a healthy and happy environment.

Possess leadership qualities

Confidence is an important quality to have when managing and leading other people. The fact that you believe in yourself will, in turn, inspire others to believe in you.

Conversely, when a candidate lacks confidence, interviewers will get the impression that they:

Are not passionate about the job

A lack of confidence can make candidates seem timid and anxious during an interview which can give the impression that they aren’t happy and excited to be there.

Don’t do well under stress

If you can’t perform well during an interview, how will you handle the daily stress of the job which may include tight deadlines and time-management constraints?

Are not a people person

Interviewers want to hire someone who’s a good fit. Nobody wants to hire someone who can’t get along with their coworkers.

Are not prepared

People who lack confidence often come across as timid and uncertain in their answers. This can lead to giving the impression that they came unprepared.

Confidence is KEY!

How do you become confident?

Well, the Bureau of Labor says that preparation can be as important as the interview itself, and our team at My Interview Practice strongly agrees.

That’s right, the #1 way to enter an interview confidently is to prepare!

How Can I Prepare?

The My Interview Training Program is the perfect solution to ensure you’re prepared. The program will help you understand what employers look for in a perfect candidate and how you can land your dream job.

Here’s how our curriculum is structured:

Company Research Guide

Learn what to research about a company, why it’s important, and how to use that information to gain an edge over the competition. Doing your due diligence before an interview is an essential part of the interview process.

This guide will explore vital research topics such as:

Identifying key information to figure out company values such as what kind of business they run, what their vision is, what their mission is, and more!
How to use a company’s website and social media presence to identify their ideal employee.

Research Worksheet

Keep track of your research with our step-by step worksheet that helps you capture important company information as you go.

This worksheet will help you:

Discover the company's products and services.
Determine how this role fits into the hierarchy.
Identify the company culture.
Evaluate the company’s main competitors.
See if you’re a good fit for this role.
Learn how to conduct a SWOT analysis.

Strengths & Weaknesses Guide

Determine how to accurately assess your strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage during an interview. Everyone has a skill that separates them from everyone else. Everyone also has weaknesses that differ from others, and that’s okay.

This guide will teach you how to:

Identify your strengths for any interview, even if you are switching careers.
Learn to assess weaknesses in a productive way and talk about them honestly without ruining your chances at getting the job.
Talk about your strengths without coming off as boastful as well as accurately assess your strengths and present them in a positive manner.

Strengths & Weaknesses Worksheet

Don’t know what your top strengths and weaknesses are? This worksheet will help you identify them and then formulate your talking points.

It will help you methodically:

Brainstorm tasks that display your strengths.
Review your past successes.
Identify key stressors that can pinpoint potential weaknesses.
Learn from past failures.

Behavioral & Situational Questions Guide

Understand why interviewers ask behavioral and situational questions, and then learn how to use the S.T.A.R. technique to blow them out of the water! Interviewers love asking behavioral and situational questions. These types of questions focus on your past experiences to determine future behavior.

This section will help you:

Understand why interviewers ask behavioral questions and why they are important.
Identify the difference between behavioral and situational questions and how to answer both.
Use the S.T.A.R. technique and understand why it is such a valuable tool for job seekers.
Identify common interview questions and the best ways to answer them.
Use our Interview Simulator to practice answering behavioral and situational questions!

Technical Questions Guide

Technical questions are an important part of the interview process. Interviewers use them to find out if you have the technical qualifications needed for the job. Understand how to best answer these questions.

This section will help you:

Understand what technical questions are and why they’re important.
Research industry standards and best practices.
Use our Interview Simulator to practice answering technical questions!

Questions to Ask the Interviewer Guide

The questions you ask are almost as important as the answers you give in an interview. Determine which questions to ask and why they’re important.

This section will help you understand:

Why it’s important to ask the right questions in an interview.
How asking bad questions or no questions can ruin an interview.

Interview Checklist

Knowing what to do before and after an interview is crucial. Use this helpful checklist to help get you into the right mindset for the big day!

This worksheet will teach you:

What you need to bring to an interview to make a good impression.
How to dress appropriately for an interview.
Techniques and tips to help calm your nerves and enter an interview confidently.
The key points of a thank you note and how to write one effectively!

The Keys to Success

Remember, succeeding in an interview is a two-step process:

Preparation: You want to prepare yourself so thoroughly that you walk into your interview knowing you’re going to ace it.
Confidence: Once you’ve prepared yourself, your confidence will skyrocket! It’s this confidence that will be your greatest asset in the interview process.

Now that you know more about the My Interview Training Program, be sure to check out the next guide:

Company Research - Understand the company, who they want to hire, and why.

In this guide, we’ll examine topics such as:

Identifying key information from a company’s website to figure out company values.
Using social media to get to know the company.
Using a company’s website and social media presence to identify their ideal employee.
Getting into the mind of the interviewer!