A Great way to prepare for an interview!

Preparing for a job interview is a personal effort.  After all, each of us knows our own psyche best. So we use whatever means we feel most comfortable with to prepare for what is, at best, a somewhat surreal and unnatural undertaking.

It’s stressful to talk about yourself to a stranger. Add to that the importance of a job offer hanging in the balance. It’s enough to make one’s stomach churn with grief.

At Key Corporate Services, we have advised many candidates on the art of the interview through the years. Being one of the major executive recruiters in the country, we have a simple suggestion that works extremely well when preparing for the interview.

Write out the answers to the potential interview questions in advance.

The reality is, you probably are already thinking about the questions you will most likely be asked.  Those “standard” questions that everyone is asked during the interview.

So, instead of thinking what your response is going to be, write your answers down. This way, you won’t be tempted to “shoot from the cuff” and risk rambling on and on.

Writing down your answers in advance will help you articulate concise answers.  This will help you avoid responding in a disjointed, convoluted way. It’s not necessary to memorize the answers word for word. However, writing them out forces you to put thoughts and ideas into complete sentences.

So, what questions should you prepare for?  Here’s a common question just about anyone asks “Tell me about yourself.”  Don’t flub this answer by rambling generalities.  Have a concise, memorable answer that uniquely describes who you are.  Do this by writing out your answer in advance on paper.  Whether or not you remember to say what you wrote is not important.

 The simple fact that you thought about the question in advance will help you answer it more effectively.

Think about those STAR-formatted questions (what was the situation, what actions did you take, and what were the results) you will be asked. The more you have prepared, the more you’re able to answer questions very effectively with examples from your past whether they ask it in the form of a behavioral question or not.

Think about the requirements of the position and write out your answers to questions regarding your experience and skills aligned to the job.

In short, the time you spend thinking of possible questions and writing out the answers, the better prepared you will be. And, this will translate into a calmer, less stressed, you that (comes across as confident to the interviewer.

From The Key Corporate Services Blog Team