So you've graduated from college and you're eagerly awaiting D-day - your first job interview. So how do you feel? Are you brimming with confidence or are you absolutely freaked out?I am sure we all pass through this stage in life. It's a time of big change and we're eager to make the jump into the corporate world. Nailing the first interview is a tall order but there are things you can do ahead of time to better prepare yourself. However, and this is something you have to come to terms with quickly, there are things that you can no longer control such as previous academic achievements, schooling, background, etc. Once you understand that, it's time to focus your attention on some basic pre-interview preparations.
Some of these points might seem elementary but they are the ones which are often overlooked. Doing so is almost an immediate red flag to the hiring manager so get these simple points down and you'll be on your way!
- Research in the right direction
It's important to research well and in the right direction. Like the entire world, organizations and their HR departments have evolved in the past few years. Interviewers expect the candidates to go that extra mile and talk candidly about various things, especially about current affairs in the respective field. They will try to test your knowledge about their firm too.
Hence you should stay updated about your field and do extensive research about the company you want to work for. Start your research by going to the company website and spending time exploring and analyzing their products and services, how they make money, how your position will aid in their making money, etc. If it's a comprehensive website, you'll gain good knowledge about the way the company works and what else you should know about in order to pass the interview. - Resume
Your resume is normally the only document that you'll carry into the interview (note: bring 2 copies: one for them, one for you in case the interviewer wants to discuss it line-by-line). Apart from accounting for your achievements and bragging about yourself, it's also a reflection of your personality. A well-prepared resume can be easily distinguished from a resume made in haste and the former always gives an edge to the candidate appearing for the interview.
Hence part of your research should involve preparing and presenting your resume. You might consider preparing an unconventional and unique resume but make sure that you check the company profile before you do it. Companies like Google encourage you to do that but every company may not appreciate it. Just keep in mind that your resume should be clean and the HR executive should easily be able to glance and extract the required information from it. - Utilize the social networks
If you've been using the social aspects of the internet then it's time to make use of it. Your friends on various social networks like Facebook, MySpace, etc., could give you valuable insight on different aspects of the interview.
Social networks like LinkedIn could come in very handy during this time. You can connect with people already working at that company and perhaps learn more about the work culture and the interview trends. You could also check the online communities formed by the employees of that firm in various social networks and try and get in touch with some of them. - Prepare the answers
Have your answers ready. There are tons of common interview questions that you can anticipate. Prepare in advance and do whatever else you can to avoid "um this", and "um that" responses. I am not asking you to write the answers and cram them into your brain like you're studying for an exam, but you should have some key points ready to flow when you're asked a common question.
Even the most confident person tends to get nervous at times so why not practice and perfect your pitch? - Practice
Wanna know how to practice before facing the interview? Face the mirror and answer the questions you expect to be asked. If you have a video camera, consider taking a video of the entire practice session so you can replay it several times. This act, which may seem childish to some of you, could instill new confidence because it allows you to refine verbiage, facial expressions, hand movements, nervous twitches, etc. Just don't let your buddy get hold of that video because it's one of the last things you want showing up on YouTube! Simple, isn't it ?
Cheers,
Abhijeet
