To Inform The Audience How To Prepare For A Job Interview

To inform the audience how to prepare for a job interview.
We’ve all had to prepare for an interview at some point in our life. Many of you may already have a job or have interviewed many times and are confident with your interview skills. However, many of us are in college to get a better job than an entry level position and these positions usually have harder interviews. For some this may completely new and for some this can serve as a refresher. A lot of times we don’t prepare for interviews maybe due to lack of knowledge or time. What if they are last minute and you don’t have time to really prepare. Let’s say you found out that you have an interview tomorrow, you still should take the time to prepare for it. After you have submitted your resume and have been invited for an interview you can start to research, prepare and practice for the interview. From personal experience to some research I have done, I’d like to inform you today how you can prepare for a job interview.
First, I think it’s pretty common sense that you should be familiar with the job description and responsibilities that you are applying for. So what I would do first is read over the job description and responsibilities, possibly even remember some key words and use them when you are talking to the interviewer so that they can see your understanding of the job. Not only is it important to know the job but also the company. A lot of times (and this has happened to me) will the interviewer ask if you know anything about the company. Trust me it doesn’t look good if you say no. Go online and do some research. Find out when they were established, read about their history. Find out what direction they are headed in the future because they might ask how would you benefit the company and its always good to answer with reasoning for longevity. Then think about some questions that weren’t answered on the internet and prepare one or two questions you have about the company. Usually you will be asked, “Do you have any questions about us?” and its good to show interest in the company.
Secondly, after you have completed your research you should prepare for questions. I have provided a handout with 5-7 most common interview questions that can help you prepare for an interview. Answer them ahead of time so that you feel comfortable answering them. This will allow you to answer with few grammatical errors and strong vocabulary. “Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Having an idea of what your strengths are can help you use them to your advantage” (Camacho-Reyes, 2011). After preparing for answering the questions you should prepare your attire. Dress appropriate for the job. What does that even mean? When I interviewed for GAP I dressed similar to the kind of clothes they sell, when I interviewed for the entry level office position at Harley Davidson I dressed more business formal versus business casual. So make sure you prepare for the proper attire. We’ve all heard the term dress to impress.
The next step on how to prepare for an interview would be practice. Practice, Practice, Practice. Practice makes perfect after all. If need be, dress up in the clothes you will wear. Have a family member or friend ask you the questions I have provided you with or questions you have researched. If you don’t have that option then stand in front of a mirror and ask yourself these questions. Practice your entrance such as hand shake, eye contact and body language. The reason you should practice speaking is to eliminate any grammar, pronunciation mistakes and stuttering. The first questions you will be asked most likely will be “Tell me about yourself” and you would want to answer this without any stuttering or using filler words “uhm”, “ah”.” Another question you should practice to answer is the “why should we hire you” question. This is considered to be your two minute pitch, where you take about two minutes to sell or advertise yourself. Practice your tone of voice and facial expressions.
So I’ve talked about research, preparation and practice but there are a few other things that I want to inform you about. Usually the employer will already have your application and resume. If you haven’t already included a list of references with your resume or application, now would be a good time to do so. Have a list of 3-4 references and hand this to the person giving the interview. You could say “I would like to provide you with a list of references” after you shake their hand.
To sum up what I have just informed you on, preparing for a job interview is quite simple and can be done rather quickly. Someone who prepares for an interview will feel more confident than someone who doesn’t prepare for an interview.

Camacho-Reyes, M. (2011, October 3). The 30-Second Speech: How to 'Sell' Yourself in a Job Interview. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from http://patch.com/california/oceanside-camppendleton/bp--the-30-second-speech-how-to-sell-yourself-in-a-jo56b5ee34b2