20 Tips for a Successful Interview

According to recent statistics, more than 90% of people have once experienced anxiety related to job interviews. Indeed, formal conversations with hiring managers are always challenging.

Luckily, there exists a great number of tips that will help you to turn your job interview into a success! What are they? Well, let us check out the below-mentioned information!

Before we start: Just in case you are considering the opportunity to become a web developer, make sure to read another article on our website. It will help you to answer the following question: “Is web development a good career in 2022?”

The Importance of Job Interview

Every job search process consists of several steps, starting from creating a CV and ending with acing an interview. While the last one, in most cases, is oftentimes considered to be the most crucial one.

Namely, the way your job interview goes defines whether you will get the job or not. Moreover, it allows you to:

• Make the first impression;
• Get acquainted with your future work environment;
• Negotiate your salary;
• And so on.

20 Tips to Make Your Job Interview Successful

Naturally, there is no universal formula for a successful interview since each and every case is strongly individual and depends on a wide range of factors. At the same time, however, these top 20 tips will definitely help you to get well-prepared for your upcoming conversation with a hiring manager and, therefore, get one step closer to the position of your dreams!

Tip #1. Research the Information on the Company

While preparing for a job interview, it might be a good idea to conduct short research on the company. Namely, make sure that you are aware of the industry, founder, and other peculiarities of the company you are going to work for. This way, you will both feel more confident and show your employer that you are really interested in the job.

Tip #2. Check Out the Details of the Hiring Process

Also, make sure to read the job description attentively. In other words, check out the requirements for the position you are applying for, the responsibilities you are going to face, and the details of the recruiting process (for instance, how many rounds of the interview you will have to pass or should you also expect to get a technical task).

Tip #3. Define Your Strong Points

It is of vital importance to be well aware of your strong points before going to the interview. Therefore, try to figure out what professional and personal qualities differentiate you from all other candidates (for instance, strong leadership skills or communication skills). You might even write a list of your strong points on a sheet of paper and think of how to present them to the hiring manager.

Tip #4. Think of Potential Interview Questions

Moreover, make sure to think of job interview questions you might get while talking with your hiring manager. By means of preparing example answers, you will be able to think of your potential answers in advance and, thus, feel more confident.

Worth knowing: According to recent statistics, the most commonly asked interview questions include:

• “Tell us about yourself”;
• “Why do you want to work here”;
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses”;
• “Where do you see yourself in five years”;
• “Why did you decide to leave your last job”;
• And so on.

Apart from the above-mentioned common job interview questions, you might also be asked something more specific and connected to your future position. For instance, you might receive an interview question like “what is web design,” “what is personal branding,” or “what TikTok ads for beginners are expected to attract new followers” if you are applying for the web designer, brand manager, or content creator positions respectively.

Tip #5. Be Able to Share Examples of Your Workplace Skills and Job Qualifications

Sometimes, an actual interview for a job does not only encourage you to answer questions of a hiring manager but also motivates you to share concrete examples of your workplace skills and job qualifications from the past few years.

Due to the fact that it might be difficult to come up with relevant stories on the spot, it will be a good idea to prepare them in advance. This way, you will know for sure what to say during your upcoming job interview.

Tip #6. Practice!

One more exceptionally relevant before your next job interview thing is to practice, practice, and practice. Ask a friend or a family member of yours to act as your potential hiring manager and have a mock conversation with them.

Feel free to go through the common interview questions by means of answering them a couple of times. This way, you will be able to become well-prepared for your upcoming real conversation.

Tip #7. Pick Up an Interview Outfit in Advance

Do not underestimate the importance of the outfit you are going to have during your job interview. Believe us or not, the way you look usually plays an important role when it comes to the question of whether you will eventually be hired or not.

There exists a famous proverb that says, “First you judge how nice, then you judge how wise.” Therefore, pick up the clothes you plan to wear for the interview in advance. Make sure that it is clean, ironed, and neat. As well, remember that your outfit should match the company culture.

Tip #8. Prepare a Copy of Your CV and Take It With You

Despite the fact that you have already sent your CV to the company, make sure to prepare one more copy and take it with you for the interview. Just in case a hiring manager has misplaced their copy of your CV, you will save their time and nerves by handing an extra copy of your CV over before the interview starts.

Worth knowing: According to the vast majority of interviewers, a creative, informative, and, at the same time, simple CV doubles the chance of a candidate getting hired.

Tip #9. Arrive on Time

It is of vital importance to arrive for your job interview on time. Namely, do neither come too early nor too late. Otherwise, arriving five minutes before the scheduled time will show you as a well-organized and punctual person.

Worth knowing: Just in case there occurred unforeseen circumstances that prevent you from arriving at the job interview on time, make sure to inform a hiring manager about it in advance. Get ready to shortly mention the reason for your lateness and schedule an alternative date and time.

Tip #10. Stay Calm

It is also essential to stay calm during the interview. Naturally, it is a tense situation that makes a vast majority of people nervous.

However, try to pull yourself together and be as relaxed as possible. This way, your conversation with a hiring manager has a high chance of going smoothly and positively.

Tip #11. Control Your Body Language

Body language is just as important as what you actually say. Therefore, try to control the way you sit, gesticulate, and move during your job interview. Namely, please remember the following common body language rules:

• Keep your head up and shoulders back but relaxed;
• While sitting, choose a position with good eye contact with the interviewer;
• Have an open posture;
• Control your hand gestures and do not gesticulate too actively;
• Make sure your facial expression is pleasant but at the same time natural;
• And so on.

So, remember that controlling your body language helps you to control the overall tone of your job interview.

Tip #12. Set Up a Connection with the Interviewer

From the very beginning of your job interview, do your best to set up a connection with the interviewer. In other words, build a strong rapport by means of warmly greeting the hiring manager, remaining friendly, and showing your interest in the job. As well, do not forget to thank your interviewer for a pleasant conversation as soon as the job interview is over.

Tip #13. Sound Natural and Smooth

Even “canned” and prepared in advance answers to interview questions should sound natural and smooth. Thus, prepare them in advance, but do not learn your potential responses by heart. As well, make sure to be flexible in accordance with the way your talk with a hiring manager goes and adjust your answers to it.

Tip #14. Make a Good First Impression

While heading for the job interview, remember that “you will not have a second chance to make a first impression.” Thus, do your best to let a hiring manager evaluate you positively from the very beginning of your conversation.

Worth knowing: According to the statistics, a great number of hiring managers make up their minds about candidates within the first five minutes of the job interview and spend the rest of the time looking for things to confirm their first impression.

Tip #15. Prepare a Question or Two for the Interviewer

In most cases, the interviewer will ask you whether you have any questions in regard to the company or position you are applying to. Please make sure to prepare a question or two for such a situation. The main reason for it is that the absence of any questions from your side might make the interviewer think that you are not really interested in actually getting the job.

Tip #16. Know Your Own Worth

Even if you are not applying for the position in the sales team, you should know your own worth and “sell” yourself during the job interview as profitable as possible. In other words, it is essential to respect your own professionalism and inspire your hiring manager to respect it as well. On top of that, do not be afraid to negotiate your salary if you feel like your personal and professional qualities deserve more.

Worth knowing: A psychological state in which individual doubts their talents, skills, and accomplishments and has a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud despite the external evidence of their competence is called impostor syndrome. So, make sure that you do not suffer from it and evaluate yourself in a realistic way.

Tip #17. Avoid Lying

While on the job interview, remember that all the secret becomes clear with time. Thus, try to stay as candid as possible and do not lie to your hiring manager. Naturally, you might present some facts in the most advantageous for you way. However, make sure that they are real and up-to-date.

Tip #18. Send a Follow-Up Note After the Interview

It might also be a good idea to follow up shortly after the interview with a “thank you” email. Do mention a specific reason why you found the interview helpful, as well as say that you will be glad to receive an opportunity to work together in the future. It is one of those tiny things that will definitely help you to leave a pleasant “aftertaste” from the conversation with you.

Tip #19. Avoid Common Interview Mistakes

On top of all the above-mentioned tips, try to avoid these common interview mistakes:

• Using your phone during the interview;
• Being unsure of the information mentioned in your CV;
• Talking too much;
• Mentioning your last company or team in a negative way;
• And so on.

These missteps in a job interview might substantially lower your chance of getting hired. Thus, make sure to avoid them.

Tip #20. Think Positively!

Last but not least, think positively! Having a mindset that radiates good vibes will assist you in receiving a pleasant experience from the job interview, no matter whether you will eventually get hired or not.

Moreover, remember that you should not give up even in case you do not get the job. Otherwise, try to stay optimistic and transform the rejection into a positive experience and a chance to get something better in the nearest future.

Final Words

All in all, a job interview is a challenging experience for each and every person. However, you might efficiently transform your nervousness into success by means of preparing yourself for it. So, arm yourself with the above-mentioned tips for a successful interview and get one step closer to the job of your dreams!