4 Brutally Effective Interview Preparation Techniques

Most of us harbor a healthy fear of facing an interview. While it is OK to have a few butterflies in the stomach, in fact, it actually helps; it is irrational to be afraid of facing an interview. Probably that fear stems from our fear of failure. It is possible to succeed in an interview by preparing beforehand.

These simple but effective techniques will go a long way in helping you prepare better for your interview—

Do a SWOT analysis of Yourself

SWOT means strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. List them down. Align your strengths and opportunities to the job description. List down specific examples how you used your skills and strengths to achieve results. Analyze how you will overcome your weaknesses and threats.

Research the Company

Go through the official website of the company. Read up about the company and its business, growth trends, expansion and diversification plans, industry analysis etc. Talk to present employees to learn about their experiences and challenges.

Rehearse the Interview

Make a full dress rehearsal. Get your friends, colleagues or family members to act as the panel. Practice your answers before a mirror—this will help to program your hand movements while answering. Take this rehearsal seriously; use it to iron out any difficulties and to improve your responses.

Prepare and Practice Common Questions and their Answers

Most of the questions that the interviewers ask are usually common for every interview. These include questions like—“Where do you see yourself 5/10 years from now”, “Why do you want to leave your present job” and “Tell me 5 reasons why I should I hire you”. At the end of the interview, you may be given a chance to ask any questions. Prepare these questions beforehand too.

If you prepare yourself well beforehand on these lines, it will be indeed hard for the interviewer to reject your application. So go ahead, prepare, prepare and prepare. All the best!