After graduation, your next tough job will be to crack your first interview. Interviews are easy to crack if you prepare yourself in the right way. Of course, the domain knowledge, confidence and positive attitude contribute to cracking your interview especially if you are giving interviews for one of the top paying jobs for freshers, but these are just a few. Below are more tips for successful interview cracking.

Tips to Succeed in Interviews Successfully

1. Research About the Company

So, how to get ready for an interview? The first thing is to have some knowledge of the background of the company, and their products and services can help you be confident in the interview. Check the website and social media pages of the company, search for the company in the most recent press releases and have a solid picture of the company, it’s background and it’s goals. 

2. Practice Your Answers to Common Interview Questions

Most interviewers have a bunch of questions in common and you can find the common questions of your field by doing some research on the internet. Have long answers with scenarios and examples ready for these questions at your tongue tips.

Most interviews start with the question “Tell me about yourself”. Now this is a golden chance to showcase yourself and boast about all that you have done. Be sure to highlight the key achievements at each stage of your career. You need to be crisp and sharp on who you are and what value you are going to bring to their company. Check for the common interview questions and prepare answers for those as well. For example, if you are going for a Digital marketing interview which involves Google analytics, find Google analytics interview questions and get an idea.

3. Read the Job Description Multiple Times

Take a print out of the job description and read it multiple times. Understand the key skills the employer is looking for and include that in your resume as well as learn it from an interview standpoint. Build some scenarios and examples for those key skills and be fluent with them. Look back into your past and try to link the experience you have with these key skills the employer is looking for.

4. Answer Interview Question Using STAR Method

STAR here stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. So when you are talking to the interviewer you need to be clear and concise with everything. All your answers must relate to a situation, a task that you have done, all the actions taken around it and the positive result that you have achieved. 

5. Set up Mock Interview Session with Your Friends

Voicing out your answers loud is the best way to prepare for an interview. Ask your friend to come over a telephonic mock interview and ask you the common interview questions for your area. Ask your friend to rate you based on your knowledge, presentation and confidence levels.  

6. Prepare with Scenarios and Situations of Your Work

Interview answers should always revolve around experiences. Showcasing your theoretical knowledge alone will not gain you many points. So prepare well for all situational questions and be ready with examples from the work you have done. 

7. Plan Your Interview Attire the Night Before

Appearing for an interview with a shiny formal attire can gain you extra points. Check out the company website if the firm has any special dress code. If not a simple formal attire is your best bet. Casuals and semi-formals should never be worn.

8. Be Prepared with Questions to Ask Your Interviewers

Interviews are to be two-way conversations and interviewers expect you to ask some questions. Your intention by asking a question must be to make the interviewer believe that you are seriously thinking about joining their firm. For example, asking about the day-to-day responsibilities of that job may be a good question to start with. Next, you may ask about building a career by staying with the company.

9. Bring Copies of Your Resume, a Notebook and Pen

Bring 5 – 8 copies of your resumes neatly printed on clean paper in case there are multiple interviewers. Be sure not to have any folds or stains on the paper. Check on this post, if you need resume writing tips. Use a notebook and pen to take down notes which you can later use on your thank you note. 

10. Arrive at least 15 Minutes Early for the Interview

For interview being on-time is equivalent to being late and getting rejected. Arrive at least 15 minutes before time so that you have space to freshen up and settle down. Walk to the interview room and settle down with ease and confidence.

11. Make a Great First Impression

The small little things contribute to your first impression. Take care to shine your shoes, clean up and tidy your nails, check your attire for holes, hair, loose threads etc. The next key to first impression is your confident body language and wearing a smile throughout.

12. Practice Good manners and Body Language

You might meet with lots of people on the way from the entrance of the building to the interview room. Treat everyone with a smile and respect. This elevates your positivity and confidence. Your interviewers might be around watching you walking in. If they witness you ill-mannered at any point, you stand high chances of being rejected.

13. Keep Your Answers Concise and Focused

Your time with an interviewer is limited. Interviews sometimes go as an elimination round. So if the interviewers sense any sort of lack of clarity in your wording you may get rejected upfront. Vagueness in answering situational questions is their permission to eliminate your profile.

14. Never Speak ill About Your Previous Employers

Most interviewers may ask about your previous employers and the reason for moving out. You should never speak ill about your previous employer. You always need to keep a positive story handy 

15. End the Interview by Asking About the Next Steps

Asking about the next steps is the best way to end the interview on a positive note. It also gives the interviewer and sense that you are genuinely willing you join the firm.

Conclusion

Here are a few tips for a successful interview. We hope this article has given you enough insight on preparing for an interview to crack it and secure the dream job.