Picture this: you have an interview tomorrow morning, and your heart is beating three times faster than usual. You can’t seem to find your resume anywhere, and your face is breaking out in a cold sweat. Calm down: these nerves are normal. Take a deep breath. Relax your shoulders. You want to make the best first impression and feel ready to show them how amazing you are.
Lucky for you, we’ve constructed 5 tips to help you nail every interview, according to the people actually doing the recruiting.
1. Know your resume
This seems like a basic one, and you’re probably thinking, ‘Of course I know my resume.’ But just how well do you really know your resume? A resume typically shapes a company’s first impression about you, so make sure you know it like the back of your hand.
“My best interview tip is to truly know your resume,” said Tromberg, Moris and Poulin managing partner and lawyer Andrea Tromberg. “Be ready to show that your resume is not filled with jobs that you really cannot back up with detailed experience.”
I know you experienced everything on your resume, but study it. And then study it again.
2. Research the company
Never go into an interview blind-sighted. Whether it be a job, internship or research opportunity, know the company so they can better know you. Show recruiters that you are knowledgeable about their work and the values they uphold. This expresses strong interest, and it shows you care about the company. Be the person who impresses them with quick facts and let them know you did your homework.
3. Practice makes perfect
You’ve heard it a million times, so buckle up and get ready to hear it a million times more. Practice is key to perfecting nearly anything. So whether that feels like propping your Zoom camera up in the right angle or talking in front of your mirror until you feel confident, practice = your best friend.
“Prepare, practice and rehearse because you need to go in anticipating what questions may be asked,” said Disney Vacation Club’s Director of Finance Jay Roesch.
Believe it or not, searching up possible questions and writing your potential answers on a Google Docs page helps a ton. So grab your computer, stand in front of your mirror and practice until you feel as confident as ever.
4. Dress to impress
Regardless of whether your interview takes place in-person or over Zoom, dress up in a way that not only makes you look good, but one that makes you feel good, too. Ladies: whip out your Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer, throw on your favorite business casual attire and apply your favorite lipgloss. Gentlemen: comb your hair neatly, fasten that tie and don’t forget to wear your smile.
“Above all, be yourself,” GCA salesperson Michael Herrman said. “Present yourself as you truly are, and not to just impress.”
When you feel your best, you perform your best. You’re going to take on the world anyway, so why not look hot doing it?
5. Brainstorm smart questions to ask
Personally, the scariest interview questions I always received was this: “Are there any questions you would like to ask me?” Talk about heart-dropping. I always gazed at an empty spot in the room, and I never knew what to say. Well thankfully for you, you’re in luck. Before any interview, brainstorm possible questions to ask your interviewer. Recruiters love it when their interviewees ask intriguing questions, so plan ahead of time of what you may ask. It’ll save you from experiencing a.