13 Quick Tips to Ace Your Job Interview

You’re excited — but also nervous. 

You got the interview, now it’s time to get ready.

13 quick tips to help you prepare for your upcoming job interview.

Before the Interview Tips:

1. Research the company

Awaken your inner stalker. Do some research into the company you’re interviewing for. 

Look at the company’s website, check out their LinkedIn, Google them, Bing them, read news articles, and keep researching until you have a thorough understanding of the company’s culture, mission, and values.

2. Dress for success

Making a good first impression is EVERYTHING.  

Research the company’s dress code and make sure you dress accordingly. You don’t wanna be wearing basketball shorts when everyone else is in suits. 

3. Prepare a few relevant short stories

Don’t just regurgitate what’s on your resume.  

Instead — highlight your skills with short stories explaining how you got them, why you got them, and how you used them.

4. Do a practice interview

Grab a friend or better yet — a career coach (and I just so happen to be one ?) and do a mock interview with them. 

Compile common questions and make the interview as realistic as possible. Dress the part, arrive 15-minutes early, bring your resume, and do EVERYTHING you’d do in a real interview.

5. Bring some examples of your work

You’re going to be asked about similar work you’ve done in the past. Review the job description and think of the most relevant experiences you can bring to the table.

6. Prepare a list of smart questions for your interviewer

Use your reverse UNO card and start interviewing the interviewer. It shows that you’re serious about the job opening and also helps you figure out if the job is a good fit for you. 

Questions you can ask your interviewer:

• What does a typical workday look like?
• Can you describe some projects I’d be working on?
• Is this a new role I’m filling?
• What does onboarding look like?
• How will my performance be judged?
• What are the company’s short and long term goals?

During the Interview Tips:

7. Arrive 10-15 minutes early

Arriving early gives you room for error, shows initiative, and shows that you’re serious about the opportunity. 

It also allows you to gauge the company atmosphere and prepare yourself for the interview.

8. Treat EVERYONE you meet with respect

Treat EVERYONE from the janitor — to the CEO with respect. 

Even if they’re not the ones making the hiring decision, they still might be asked about how you treated them.  

9. Make a good first impression

This cannot be overstated — your first impression is EVERYTHING.  

Make sure you don’t overlook the finer details. Check your clothes for stains, glasses for specs. Show confident body language, maintain eye contact, etc. 

The finer details really do matter, and your interviewer WILL take notice — be it positive or not. 

10. Be confident

If you’re not confident in yourself — why should your interviewer be?

Make sure you’re displaying a good level of confidence throughout the interview. Just don’t let the confidence turn into arrogance.

11. Bring copies of your resume and references

Yes — it’s old fashioned. Yes — it does matter. Make sure you have a few paper copies of your resume and cover letter on-hand. 

The interviewer probably won’t want them, but it’s all about the message you’re sending by bringing them.

12. Be authentic

If you trying to be someone you’re not — they’re going to see through you like glass.

Stay true to yourself and your values and don’t pretend to be the person you THINK they want. They probably don’t want that person in the first place.

13. Keep your answers short and to the point

Don’t go on a tangent about what your aunt’s brother-in-law’s nephew had for dinner. Make sure all of your answers are short and concise, and relevant to the point.

Bonus Tips

14. Focus on the first 5-minutes

Studies show interviewers make up their minds within the first 5-minutes of an interview. 

Focus most of your energy on KILLING the first 5-minutes — and the rest will come a lot easier.

15. Send a thank-you email after the interview

Grab the business cards of everyone in the hiring process. After the interview, make sure to send a personalized email thanking them for their time. 

Don’t just copy and paste the same email, make sure it’s relevant and specific to each person you’re emailing.

Want more help with interviews, tune into the Mastering Your Next Interview free webinar.

Want to get better at networking? Check out my Creative Networking Worksheet!