Do Your Homework
With an interview in place, it’s now time to learn as much about the firm and position as possible. Gathering background information allows you to tie your qualifications back to the firm during your interview.
The employer will expect you to know a few things about the firm and if you will fit in well with their culture. Your research should help you answer questions like “Why do you want to work here?” and “What do you know about our company?”.
It’s also important to be informed of the firm’s latest achievements and where they’re headed. Knowing about the firm’s past performance and future plans can help you better explain how you could add value. Get to know who is interviewing you as well! You can learn more about them by visiting their bio on a company website or their LinkedIn page.
Practice Makes Perfect
Set aside time to practice how you would like to answer commonly asked interview questions. Practice with a friend or family member. Their feedback could help you review your responses and body language.
During your interview you will be asked questions specific to the firm and the role you’ve applied for, but you will also be asked standard interview questions. Prepare your answers to common questions ahead of time. Having an idea of what you’re going to say will help you frame a solid response. A common question that you may be asked right away is, “Tell me about yourself”. The more you practice and think through the questions you may be asked, the more confident you will feel walking into the interview.
It’s equally important to ask your interviewer questions to get a sense of if you could be a right fit. Prepare the questions you would ask ahead of time. Questions to ask could be related to the firm’s history, specific projects the company is working on or their future plans.
Different Types of Interviews
Interviews come in all different shapes and sizes. Whether your interview is over the phone, in-person or video conference, make sure you’ve dressed professionally and are aware of the length of your interview. Here are a few other tips to ace a video conference or in-person interview.
Prepare for the video conference by making sure your video and audio tools work well ahead of time. Set up your interview in a space that is quiet, has no distractions and good lighting. Ask a friend to have a quick video conference call with you to ensure all of these elements work properly before the interview begins.
Know where you’re going for an in-person interview! You don’t want to arrive to the interview too early, but arrive with enough extra time so you don’t feel rushed. Ensure you have the correct address, know where to park or have a sense of public transportation in the area. Think through the process of how you will get there in advance.
Follow Up
After the interview, send a thank you email to each of the individuals who has interviewed you. In addition to thanking them for spending part of their day with you, this is an opportunity to share insight to what you learned about the firm or role from speaking with them. Send this email within a day after the interview to reiterate your interest in the position.
Ready to ace your next interview? Check out our open positions! Learn more about life at LvHJ on our careers page at https://lvhj.com/career-opportunities/.