What to do Before an Interview

Preparing is a crucial step in the interviewing process. There are many things that you can do beforehand to help you execute a successful interview!

Refresh yourself with the employer: If you haven’t already researched the organization that you’re interviewing with you’ll want to do it before an interview. It’s good to know the organization’s history, values, and mission. It also prepares you for any questions relating to the organization and can impress the interviewer by showing them you’ve familiarized yourself with who they are. During your research, check out any reviews or news articles and what current and past employees have to say about working there. You are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you!  

Compare your qualifications to the job requirements: Revisiting the job description can help remind you what skills are needed for the position. This gives you time to think about your own skillset and qualifications you have that are relevant. You can prepare specific examples of how your qualifications relate to the job position. See the next section to learn how the STARR approach can be applied when preparing your examples. 

Practice common interview questions: There are several benefits of practicing interview questions: 1) You gain confidence and improve your comfort level; 2) You get constructive feedback about how answers sound and where you can strengthen your replies; 3) You can practice body language, eye contact, and vocal speed and tone.  

Prepare your STARR approach. For each skill, you can develop your answer by telling the interviewer a STARR story including these 5 factors:  

1. Situation:  Set up the situation to the interviewer. 
2. Task:  Describe your process and the tasks involved. 
3. Action:  Talk about the various actions that you used to solve the problem or issue. 
4. Result:  What were the results that followed because of your actions? 
5. Relate:  Relate your story back to the position you are applying for. 

Click here to learn more about common types of interview questions. 

Click here to schedule a mock interview with a Career Advisor.  

Locate Driving Directions: Make sure you allocate enough time to get to your destination. You’ll want to figure out the parking situation in advance so there are no surprises. You may find that there is a longer walk than expected from parking to your interview location. Be sure to bring some cash or quarters in case you must park in a garage or metered parking.  

Plan your outfit: Your clothes are your image, check the mirror and see what others see.  You may not plan to wear a suit on a day-to-day basis, but you SHOULD for an interview. Check out this video for more tips to Dress for Success or click here for our tips to Dress for Success!

Remember good health tips: 

• Make sure you get enough sleep the night before.
• Eat food that is light and not too filling
  • Avoid trying anything new to eat - just in case
• Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages
• If stressed or anxious, try these preparation and relaxation techniques