Finding the perfect career is hard work as it is – but factoring in interviews with stuck up recruiters can make the task of securing your dream career even more difficult. Here’s how to prepare for job interview questions correctly so that you never get put on the spot:
Find out the type of interview
There are numerous interview types that recruiters make use of to test different candidate attributes. These range from: case study interviews to behavioral interviews that test suitability for a job role. Therefore a fundamental aspect of how to prepare for job interview questions correctly comes down to firstly understanding the type of interview. For example, questions for technical interviews will require you brushing up on your technical knowledge; however case study interviews will require you practicing the art of creative thinking and problem solving. Therefore before jumping the gun, first clarify what type of interview you are going to be subjected to.
Look at examples
Once you know the type of interview, you can then go about finding examples online for this type of interview. The key is to not go overboard with the amount of questions you find – there is likely to be hundreds of them by the way; you will find that most of these question often have a common ground but are phrased differently. Pick a few of them and go to the next step.
Develop generic scenarios based on experiences
The next part is a fundamental part of how to prepare for job interview questions correctly. This step will be unique to different people. It requires firstly developing generic examples of achievements in your academic or work life. These examples can then be extrapolated and fitted in with the questions you found above. For example a generic question like: “give me an example of when you used problem solving to fix and issue?” can be associated with just about any project you rolled out. Therefore when an interviewer asks you a question that is phrased differently from the one you prepared for – you will not be fumbled but rather prepared with one of your generic scenarios.
Never memorize
As much as developing generic scenarios of past experiences is an important step for how to prepare for job interview questions correctly – you should never put to paper and memorize how you are going to convey these ideas to the interviewer. You need to seem as natural as possible to the recruiter so that they get the impression that you are easy going and capable of thinking on the spot.
Take a chill pill
Relax and take a breather. Companies want people that can think and act under pressure. If you are nervous during an interview it implies that you are not confident in your skills. This can be a tall request, however with practice you will find that it becomes much more simpler to grasp. You can prevent anxiety the day before an interview by having a good sleep and not over preparing.
Learn about the company
Companies want to know that you care enough about what they do; therefore you should at least google what their company values and is trying to achieve. Learning about a company you are being interviewed by does two things:
- Allows you to ask better questions that show your interest in the company
- Allows you to align your answers to the companies culture and values
Ask the right questions
After every grueling interview, a question is always asked by the recruiter: “do you have any questions?” a lot of people fail to realize that this part of the process is just as important as the actual interview process. This is when you use the knowledge gathered in the previous step to ask meaningful questions about ongoing projects and how you can fit in the bigger scheme of things. Also ask questions to satisfy your curiosity – never ask questions just because they make you look smart; be genuine and the recruiter will respect you for this. You should also ask questions to determine if the company is a good fit for you – many people fail to realize that they should be the one calling the shots and not the hiring company.
Let your experience grow with time
By far the ultimate method for answering interview questions correctly comes down to practice. You will definitely get it wrong the first few times – maybe even 10 – however, over time you will be an expert at dealing with interviews. The key is to go with the flow and have fun while finding your way.
To learn how to fully achieve success in all facets of your life, read: Applying A Growth Mindset To Achieve Success
