Preparing well for your interview will improve your confidence and enhance your responses. Build confidence and clarity using the digital resources and guidelines.
Big Interview is a 24/7 platform to practice and improve your interview skills from home.
Know Yourself
Employers want to know why they should hire you, what you’re capable of, and what you are going to do for them. Ensure you can speak to your accomplishments, outcomes, strengths, and areas of development. Conveying a strong sense of self-awareness is paramount to successful interviewing.
Know the Company and Role
Learning about the company you are interviewing with will allow you to speak more confidently about the company, frame your experience through its lens, and determine your fit for the role. Here are some ways that you can get started with researching prospective employers:
- Set up informational interviews with CPP alums who are connected to your target company to gain an insider’s perspective
- Review the employer’s website and conduct an online search for recent news or information, and familiarize yourself with the company’s products and services.
- Follow potential employers on LinkedIn to gain insight through recent posts and see if you have connections who are current employees.
Practice, Practice, Practice
There are many ways to gain confidence in your interviewing skills.
- Check out Big Interview’s General Practice Set and industry-specific sets.
- Look to online resources like Glassdoor to get insider information.
Be Confident
You have researched, practiced, and prepared and are ready for the day of the interview. Some nervousness is normal, but remember to have confidence in being yourself.
Arrive early (at least 10 – 15 minutes) and be prepared with extra copies of your resume and any other materials you need. The interview begins the moment you cross an employer’s threshold, sometimes earlier.
Present a positive image. Offer a firm handshake and greet the interviewer by name. Pay attention to nonverbal communication, especially eye contact and physical posture, and display energy and enthusiasm in a way that fits your personal style.
Be ready for small talk. You’re being evaluated from many angles, including informal conversation.
Remain Engaged
Ask questions when you need clarification or want to know more. Avoid questions you could have answered on your own before the interview by looking over the job descriptions and doing research on the company.
Be prepared to discuss your qualifications as well as anything employers might have questions about. This includes issues like limited to no related work experience, gaps in work history, or low GPA if they’ve indicated that is a key factor for them. Come prepared with solutions to what they may perceive as challenges.
Finish Strong
Remain enthusiastic and courteous. As the discussion ends, the interviewer is assessing your overall performance.
Ask about next steps in the hiring process.
Wrap up. Shake the recruiter’s hand, thank them for the opportunity to interview, and request a business card. This will give you contact info for your thank you email or letter.
Take time to reflect. You are assessing the employer similarly to how they are assessing you.
Think about the following
- Names and titles of people you met with
- Main responsibilities of the role
- Would I be effective in this role? What makes me a fit for the job?
- What are my general impressions of the people? The position? The organizational culture? Would I feel comfortable there?
- Would I enjoy the work? Would it make use of my preferred skills and talents? Does it suit my personality and values?
- Would I like the lifestyle that goes with this kind of work (hours, pace, dress code, travel…)?
- Where would this work fit into my long-range plans? Are there opportunities to move up or to another related field?
Thank You Email/Letter
These are an integral part of the interview process. They are the primary vehicle for positive follow-up to the interview and are an important opportunity to show professionalism, confirm interest, and send a message, one more time, that you are the right person for the position.
- Thank you notes should be sent via email within 24 hours of your interview or meeting. After you send the thank you email you can additionally send a more personalized card via postal mail.
- Check out a sample thank you note for inspiration.
- If you do not hear from the employer after the hiring timeline they initially indicated, follow up once. Call or email the interviewer or human resources contact. Reaffirm your interest in the position and inquire about the new hiring timeline.
For most organizations the initial call and/or email is from the HR department.
Helpful tips:
Express your appreciation for the opportunity and ask what the process looks like moving forward.
Make sure you understand everything that is being presented to you.
Ask questions if they arise.
You do not typically need to accept the offer right away and can ask for time to consider the offer being presented. Typically, you will have at least 24 hours and may be asked to reply by the end of the next workday. You may need to discuss with people closest to you or review different parts of the offer before deciding.
Provide them a date by which they will have your response.
As you consider all your options know your worth, by researching ahead of time. Review ONET, or salary.com for specific information about industry average salary.
Look at other roles within similarly structured companies and consider what you uniquely bring to the role when calculating your salary ask.
Familiarize yourself with other benefits that may determine if an offer is the right choice for you:
- In-person, hybrid, or remote work
- Retirement or pension options
- Bonus structures, cash profit sharing, etc.
- Healthcare benefits, vacation and sick time, or parental leave options
If you believe you deserve more, ask the question. The representative might need some time to review your negotiation, allow for that, by thanking them for considering your proposal.
Bring your confidence but at the same time be gracious for the opportunity. Be as concise as possible when describing what you value and the worth aspect. Practice everything you plan to discuss and ask for feedback, so you are prepared to negotiate.
If the employer responds with a “no,” it’s your responsibility to either accept or decline.
Thank the employer for taking the time to allow for a negotiation.
