The time is approaching fast. What material should you include in that final review before your next interview? While those last hours can be overwhelming, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Like many Interview Success Formula site members, you may have less time to prepare for this job interview than you hoped. First, recognize that with your time constraints, you won't be able to do everything. If you try to cram it all into your head during those final hours before you interview, you may feel overwhelmed and tired the minute the interview begins.
Instead, focus your review on a few principal areas:
First, make sure you know the company basics. Double-check how to pronounce the company's name if you are less than 100% sure. Also find out whether they refer to themselves by an acronym instead of a longer name. You want to naturally use that acronym when delivering your answers in place of the formal name.
Also, review the organization's website. The website will describe the company's priorities and give you a sense of the way people speak there. Make sure that you are also familiar with the organization's mission statement and values. By the time you complete this step, you will feel a bit more tuned into the culture of this organization. Next, take a look at your materials and prepared answers.
Read over your resume. If you haven't looked at it in a while, you don't want to be surprised by the interviewer's questions. And you want to avoid saying anything that will conflict with what's on the written version.
Also, remind yourself of everything you have accomplished in your career or even in your life. It is important to think about the best things you have done in your career to date, so that you feel more confident during the interview.
If you can, locate the cover letter that you drafted for this position. Then re-read this letter several times. You want to remember the arguments you made for why you are a good fit for this job. And again, you don't want to be surprised by what you wrote during the actual interview.
If you are in a design related field, also be sure to finger through your portfolio. Review the order of the pages so that you can communicate a smooth story of your professional development, from the first page to the last.
In addition, you may want to identify, or remind yourself of, the top three accomplishments that you would want to share during the interview. You can use these real life examples as proof for what you bring to the job.
As a side note, remember to use numbers in describing these accomplishments. For instance, you didn't help a lot of people; you helped 953 people or over 900 people. More specific numbers are generally considered more believable.
Finally, give yourself a mental breather from pre-interview stress. You don't want to walk in all worked up. Instead, find your own last minute pick-me-up. Talk to a friend on the phone. Listen to a favorite song. Think about your favorite day of vacation or your favorite meal over the past year.
As you review for your next interview, make sure you don't miss anything important. Use the tools, checklists and resources included here:
