Preparing for the Interview

In today’s job market, more and more professionals are competing for the same open position. And the ones that prepared seem to make it to the next round of interview, or better yet, land the job offer. So how does one prepare for the interview effectively? Well, I would like to share my thoughts with you on how to masterfully preparing for the interview.

The first thing to consider is researching the company and understand the job opportunity. I would recommend not just reviewing the company’s website, but digging deeper and learning about future partnerships, related news articles, financial projections, ongoing projects, etc. This will allow you to engage in a conversation with the interviewer when asked to share what you know about the company.

Next step would be to self-assess the product…you! The interview is one of the most important sales calls you will be making in your professional career. During the interview, you are selling yourself to the company and helping them understand why it is that the company needs you. Remember, the interview is about what’s in it for the company and you are the product they need. So understanding what makes you good at what you do will only help you during the interview. Make sure to prepare a list of measurable accomplishment or quantifiers that you can discuss and demonstrate your strengths. Some examples of these can be sales figures, metrics, or financial figures. Also, make a list of what you are doing to improve yourself. If you are not improving yourself – START!

Another item to remember when preparing for the interview is carefully crafting your “public statement.” Your “public statement” needs to describe why you are looking for work. Were you laid off? Were you fired? Did you resign? Were you on sabbatical? Here are a few examples of some “public statements.”
• “I was laid off as past of a reduction in force by my former employer, due to economic conditions. That is why I am looking for a new position.”
• “There was a restructuring by my former employer and my position was eliminated. That is why I’m searching for a new job.”


So as you prepare for the interview, remember to sweat the small stuff as well. Logistically, you should have several routes planned and make sure to arrive with plenty of time. The last thing you want after all the preparation and practice is to show up to the interview 5 minutes late. Having a game plan for the interview and sticking to it will ensure great success in your career search.