So, you’ve finally landed that interview—now what? Well, you could roll the dice and see what happens. But if you’re using Top Applicant, you’re probably not the gambling type. To prepare for your next interview, let’s dig into the details that help answer a question on every top applicant’s mind: Do I know how to prepare for an interview?
Plan Accordingly
Whether you’re applying for your first job or your next move, tact and timing are key to every successful interview strategy. These are the cornerstones of our interview preparation process. Before accepting an interview, ensure you have the time to devote the respect your future employer deserves. After all, respecting your potential employer’s time is all part of the interview code of conduct.
It may be tempting to schedule your interview early or late in the day, but remember that your interviewers are people too! We recommend taking an early or late lunch. Everybody needs to eat! So this is a discrete and easy way to take a quick virtual interview.
If your interview is in person, you may have to take PTO or pull the oldest trick in the book. Everybody gets sick but use this excuse sparingly. Chances are that your manager has even used a few sick days to take an interview—so, believe us, they can see right through it. No matter when or where your interview is, you need to make the time to make your career happen. Check your calendar, set a date, and hit send.
Think you might need to reschedule your interview? We have tips for that too.
Do Your Homework
After you schedule your interview, the fun has only just begun! It’s beneficial to have a good grasp of the details surrounding the places you apply for. After all, that’s why Top Applicant built employer profiles into our platform! With our resume tracking, you can easily see the names of those who have read your resume and get to know your future employer better.
Study Checklist
Before you start cyber stalking your interviewers, take a breath and consider the most important things when preparing for an interview. To get started, ask yourself these three essential questions:
What’s Your Role?
This is where you’ll want to learn more about the day-to-day of what you want to do. On Top Applicant, job postings can share potential interview questions. Use these to help you learn more about how to present yourself confidently.
Bonus points if you reference your responses in one or two questions elsewhere in the interview process. This shows that you’ve done your homework, and every employer likes to see that!
Where Will You Work?
While you’re at it, do some snooping around the company website. Every employer includes a link to their homepage in their profile on Top Applicant. The quality of the site and the information shared can tell you a lot about where you will work.
For example, if you’re seeking a job as a UX designer and the company’s website isn’t on par with your standards, don’t judge them! Instead, we recommend looking deep into the company’s recent work.
As you look into a company, try to identify ways you believe you can add value to the company. As you reference these suggestions, tact is crucial. We only suggest one or two suggestions that directly apply to your role. Hiring managers are looking for a valuable employee, not a critic.
Who Will You Work For?
A biography page is one thing. But how can you really get to know your future boss? By talking to them, of course! As you prepare for an interview, we recommend crafting questions that show you devoted time to learning about the people interviewing you.
A simple connection on LinkedIn or a follow will help you share that you’re interested in the people interviewing you, whether you get hired or not. Social media is helpful because of pictures and videos that put personalities on display. To put employees and employers in the spotlight, we made it easy to follow preferred social media and link videos to every Top Applicant profile.
We didn’t just do this for our health! We built every feature of our platform to make the hiring process as simple and easy as possible. When everyone knows each other better, it’s easy to find a top applicant.
Prepare Your Answers
All the knowledge in the world is nothing if you can’t show your stuff! Part of knowing how to prepare for an interview includes talking about key pieces of your work history or other experiences you’d like to highlight. Rehearse how you’ll tell your story, and make sure you sound clear, concise, and professional in every response.
To confidently answer common interview questions, just read these examples:
Crystal Clear
Q: How would you describe yourself as a person and as an employee?
A: I would describe myself as a capable, courteous person on and off the clock. In every aspect of my life, I hold honesty, accountability, and dedication as my core values, This translates to punctuality, transparency, and hard work in my work with other successful teams.
This sample answer is a great way to share key traits that a manager is looking for. By providing clearly stated traits such as accountability and punctuality, this answer leaves no core value to interpretation. When practicing any of these values answers, it’s important to stay true to yourself. We recommend structuring your answers around the values that suit your personality best.
To the Point
Q: Are you a progressive problem solver or wait to be told what to do?
A: I believe in combining the best of both depending on the situation at hand. For example, if a problem is urgent and needs my attention, I take responsibility when given the autonomy. If a task needs my attention, but I need more clarification or lack what I need to take action, I will refer to my manager for instructions.
Getting to the point is crucial, especially when describing how you work best. This answer demonstrates a flexible approach to taking charge and taking direction. Examples are great, but you need to ensure that any examples you reference relate to your central point.
Always Professional
Q: Why should I hire you and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: You should hire me to add another driven, desirable employee to your staff. As I prepare for this role, I see growth and progress as part of my plan for the next 5 years. In my first years at COMPANY, I plan to dedicate myself to fine-tuning my skills and growing my knowledge. With experience, I also plan to grow my value within the company and expand my responsibilities by year 5
Professional careers ride on focus and discipline. That’s exactly what employers want to understand about the people they interview for a position. This answer demonstrates these values with a clear and realistic path to growth. Regardless of your motivation to get that job, every answer needs to focus on projecting an heir of professionalism to be successful.
Dress for Success
Even if you’re on a virtual call over lunch, you need to look appropriate to land a job. From the pretzel guy at the food court to an attorney on the Supreme Court, appropriate attire can look very different. To help you decipher the right attire for the job, here is what each dress code means for a company on Top Applicant.
Casual
While you’re preparing for an interview, see if you can notice a trend or a standard of dress for the people you see working for this business. If blue jeans aren’t just for Fridays, it’s a safe bet the dress code is casual. More and more companies are moving toward a relaxed dress code to empower their employees’ individuality and mental health. Feel free to step things up if the field you’re going into is typically collar-friendly.
Business Casual
This dress code is the safest bet for any interview. A good rule of thumb for this code is more than you’d wear on a date, but not enough for your wedding. Slacks are great, but you can leave the tie at home most of the time. There’s a reason businesses call them white-collar jobs, after all! With the variety of jobs available on Top Applicant, you may have to step things up even further to show you know how to prepare for an interview.
Business Formal
Hey, even James Bond has a work dress code. The key to this is keeping things classy but staying on target with the company you want to work for. For interviews in C-level positions and upper management, a good tie is your biggest ally.
Tasteful navy or grey 3-piece suits are typically the norm for men in this category. For women who aren’t into power suits, we recommend keeping your skirt or dress past your knees and avoiding distracting patterns. With the right clothes and the right prep, you’re ready to rock your next interview. Get things started with the right tools for your career.
The Right Tools Right Here
To build anything, you need the right tools. That’s why we’re innovating the future of hiring with Top Applicant. Our free resume builder levels the playing field for applicants to be seen and hired! With tracking, invitations, and complete transparency, the key features of our platform are ready to work for you.
To prepare for your next interview, sign up or sign in to apply and get hired by great employers!
