Job Interview Tips: How to Make a Great Impression
Securing a job interview is a significant achievement, but it's only the first step. The real challenge lies in making a memorable impression during the interview itself. Whether it's a Zoom video call or a traditional face-to-face meeting, the principles of good interview techniques remain the same. In this comprehensive guide, we'll provide you with essential job interview tips on how to make a great impression, ensuring you stand out from the competition.
Section 1: Pre-Interview Preparations
Comprehensive Company Research
One of the most crucial job interview tips is to conduct in-depth research about the company. Delve into the company's website. Check their latest press releases. Review their social media presence. All of these tasks help you better understand the company's goals, values, and culture. A deep understanding of their mission and values will allow you to curate your answers to demonstrating those values. Showing how you demonstrate the company’s values will help you confidently articulate how you can contribute to their mission during the interview as well as show you are a good cultural fit.
Familiarize Yourself with the Interviewers
If possible, find out who will be interviewing you. Look them up on professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn. This will allow you to gain insights into their roles, interests, and professional background. This information can help you establish a rapport during the interview. When it comes down to it most job skills can be taught so the interview is more so a formal way of assessing how well you will work with and integrate into the team and culture. This is incredibly important because studies have shown that sitting next to a highly productive worker increases your own productivity by 15%. The same goes for sitting near an underperformer; it can decrease your productivity by 30% (Kellogg Study).
Review the Job Description
The job description is a treasure trove of information. It outlines what the employer, more specifically what the hiring manager, is seeking in a candidate. Revisit it to understand the key skills and experiences required for the role. This will enable you to tailor your responses to highlight how your background aligns with these requirements. Additionally, it allows you to anticipate and rehearse some of the common interview questions for the role. As you review the job description prepare yourself for the salary negotiation. Download our free Salary Benchmarking Guide and Salary Negotiation Tactics or read our Salary Benchmarking article to walk you through the process.
Review Your Resume
It may seem a little counterintuitive to review your own resume, but reviewing your resume is vital. It is especially important if you follow the best resume writing practice of customizing your resume to each job application. This will allow you to recall which specific skills and experiences you highlighted. Having those skills and experiences at top of mind is especially important because any item on your resume is fair game for an interview question that is customized to your resume specifically.
Utilize the STAR Method for Behavioral Questions
Prepare for behavioral interview questions by using the STAR method. This technique encourages you to frame your responses in terms of Situation, Task, Action, and Result, providing a clear and concise narrative of your past experiences. It may not be easy to answer using this framework at first, but that is why it is important to rehearse your answers so you can feel comfortable answering any question even the ones you did not rehearse.
Rehearse tough questions
As mentioned above, reviewing the job description can give you an idea of the type of interview questions you could be asked. Take the questions you anticipate and rehearse answering them. This allows you to integrate the skills and experiences you reviewed from your resume into your answers. If this is not your first time interviewing you may be able to recall previous interview questions that you have struggled with in the past. By rehearsing your answers you are giving yourself extra opportunities to practice answering those questions and improving your interviewing skills. It is best to practice and refine your skills before the rubber hits the road especially when a good interview is the last roadblock between you and your dream position.
How to Use AI or ChatGPT to Anticipate Interview Questions
Step 1: Understand the Job Profile
First, to leverage ChatGPT, you must clearly understand the job profile and the company culture. If you have followed the steps above you will already have a baseline idea, but chatGPT is a useful tool to further refine it. To do so the AI tool requires specific and relevant information to generate appropriate questions.
Step 2: Generate Interview Questions
To refine the work you have already done above with AI input the detailed job description into ChatGPT. The AI uses this information to generate questions that assess the candidate's skills and experience relevant to the job.
Prompt: You are a seasoned hiring manager with over 20 years of experience. You are responsible for this job posting. Based on this job description, what are the 10 most common interview questions you will ask job applicants. Here is the job description. (Paste Job Description).
Step 3: Understand the Interview Questions
After asking ChatGPT to generate sample interview questions based on the provided information. The questions generated will focus on relevant ways to assess the candidate's ability to perform the job and fit into the company culture. Now you can use the AI to help understand and rehearse answering these questions.
Prompt: I am preparing for an interview, I’ll share the job description. The interviewer is going to ask me the question
(Insert question from original prompt).
Please list out the 3 main reasons why the interviewer is asking this question and give me 3 corresponding tips on how to structure my answer. Output this in a 2-column table format, with the 3 main reasons in the left hand column, and the 3 corresponding tips in the right-hand column. Here is the job description:
(Paste Job Description).
Step 4: Generate Potential Answers
Prompt: Based on these tips and my own resume, write me an answer to the interview question (Insert Question). Use one specific example from my work experience. Use the STAR answer format: Situation/Task (project Background), Action (what I did), Results (include quantifiable metrics. Here is my Resume: (Insert Resume).
Step 5: Review and Refine the Questions
Finally, review the generated questions and answers, and refine them if necessary. Make sure they're tailored to the specific job requirements and align with the company's values and culture.
In addition to curating custom interview questions, ChatGPT can also generate sample answers to behavioral interview questions. This can help candidates prepare for the interview and provide interviewers with a benchmark for assessing responses.
Curate Intelligent Questions
Remember, interviews are a two-way street. The interviewer wants to see that you're invested in the role and have taken the time to think critically about it. Prepare a list of insightful questions that demonstrate your understanding of the role and your genuine interest in the company. Below is a list of some of my favorite questions some of which most interviewers have not been asked. You can also use ChatGPT or AI in a similar way to what was described above to create a custom list of good questions to ask.
- If there are any concerns about my background, what are they and how could I overcome them?
- What has been your favorite experience working for the company in this role?
- What attributes does someone need to have in order to be really successful in this role?
- What are some of the biggest challenges someone would face in this position?
- In a year from now how would you know you hired the right person?
- What are the team’s biggest Strengths and weaknesses?
- What questions am I not asking that I should be asking?
- Is there anything else I can provide you with?
- What are the next steps?
Section 2: The Day of the Interview
Dress Appropriately
First impressions matter. Ensure your attire is appropriate for the company culture. If you're unsure of the dress code, err on the side of caution and opt for a more formal outfit. Remember, it's better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Bring Essential Documents
Bring multiple copies of your resume, a list of references, and any other relevant documents. Having these on hand shows that you're prepared and organized.
Arrive Early
Punctuality is a clear indicator of your professionalism and respect for the interviewer's time. Aim to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early. This gives you time to settle in and mentally prepare for the interview. Mentally prepare with positive self-talk and final review of what you did to prepare from section 1.
Mind Your Manners
Treat everyone you encounter with respect, from the receptionist to the hiring manager. Your conduct with all staff members can contribute to the overall impression you create.
Section 3: During the Interview
Maintain Good Posture and Eye Contact
Body language can speak volumes about your confidence and interest in the role. Maintain an upright posture, keep your movements calm and composed, and maintain eye contact with the interviewer.
Be Authentic and Positive
Authenticity is crucial in an interview. Be genuine in your responses, and maintain a positive demeanor. This helps in building a connection with the interviewer and leaves a lasting impression.
Provide Honest and Concise Answers
When responding to the interviewer's questions, honesty is paramount. Avoid exaggerating your skills or experiences. Keep your responses concise and focused, providing clear and relevant examples where possible.
Apply the STAR Method
Remember to use the STAR method when answering behavioral questions. This approach helps you provide structured and impactful responses that clearly demonstrate your problem-solving abilities. If you receive a question you do not feel prepared to answer, pause and collect your thoughts before answering. This will allow you to ensure you answer in a structured way and can answer in 2-3 minutes.
Demonstrate Enthusiasm for the Role
Show genuine enthusiasm for the role. Discuss why the position interests you and how it aligns with your career goals. This signals to the interviewer that you are motivated and excited about the prospect of joining their team.
Section 4: Post-Interview Follow-Up
Ask About Next Steps
Before concluding the interview, ask about the next steps in the hiring process. This demonstrates your continued interest in the role and keeps you informed about what to expect moving forward.
Send a Thank-You Note
Sending a thank-you note after the interview expresses your gratitude for the opportunity and reinforces your interest in the position. Make sure to send individualized thank-you notes to each person you interviewed with.
Section 5: Mastering Zoom Interviews
In today's digital age, many companies conduct interviews via video conferencing platforms like Zoom. These virtual interactions require a slightly different approach. Here are some Zoom job interview tips to ensure you make a great impression even when you're not physically present.
Test Your Tech
Ensure your internet connection is stable, and your audio and video are working correctly. Familiarize yourself with the platform's features in advance to avoid any technical hiccups during the interview.
Choose a Professional Background
Select a clutter-free, professional-looking background for your video call. Ensure the area is well-lit and free from distractions.
Dress Professionally
Even though the interview is taking place virtually, it's essential to dress as though you're meeting in person. Dressing professionally helps you get into the right mindset and conveys your seriousness about the role.
Section 6: Final Thoughts
Remember, an interview is more than just a chance for employers to assess your fit for the role. It's also an opportunity for you to evaluate whether the company and position align with your career goals and values. By following these job interview tips, you can confidently navigate the interview process and leave a lasting impression on potential employers. Good luck with your job search! If you are actively searching and running into roadblocks along the way feel free to reference any of Acquired Salary’s free resources. If you are looking to take your career to the next level by a promotion or a salary negotiation schedule a free consultation with us today to see how we can help.
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