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Putting your best foot forward is vital when you’re trying to land a new job. You’ve made it past the application process, and you’re preparing for the job interview. You’re trying to think about possible interview questions and what kind of weaknesses job interviews usually ask about. Figuring out how to prepare for a job interview can be as stressful as the actual interview itself.
The best way to combat the stress and anxiety that comes with this process is to be ready for anything that could be asked. You want to be able to list off your leadership skills and talk about other smart goals you have for the role. It’s all about preparation. We’ll highlight three things you should do to prepare for a job interview and the unlikely places you can find resources to help you.
Job interview preparations
First off, you should consider how you came about this interview. Using job search websites like ZipRecruiter can get you more acquainted with how a prospective job lister feels about you. If you applied for the job on ZipRecruiter, the service would let you know when your application was reviewed and if it received a thumbs up rating. This provides you with solid intel going forward to give you transparency about the role, as it presents you to recruiters.
That means that not only is the company interested in you, but they thought highly enough of you to look over your application closely and rate it. You can use this to your advantage during the interview by highlighting the technical skills and smart goals you may have listed on your application or resume. Emphasizing what makes you good for the job is important.
Moving forward with the process
Using a service like ZipRecruiter can help you fine-tune exactly what you want to talk about in a job interview. By utilizing ZipRecruiter’s Salaries tools, you can find out what people with similar backgrounds to your own are getting paid for that role. That way, you can point out the kind of communication skills and leadership skills you have to get yourself the best compensation.
Come prepared and ready to have a discussion about salary, as companies want to know that you’re willing to negotiate with them. In Q2 2022, U.S. worker productivity had its biggest annual drop since 1948. You can prove to your prospective boss that you have the skills and traits to not be a part of any further drop and are looking to be compensated fairly for your skill set.
Think about questions ahead of time
Not only should you be thinking about what questions you will get asked in an interview, but also what questions to ask in an interview. Some people focus too much on behavioural interview questions. They need to branch out. Job interview questions can be about the job itself or about you as a candidate. You should be prepared for all of those.
But you should also be ready to ask questions yourself. Doing research on sites like ZipRecruiter, which you can sign up for for free, can give you more info about the industry and the role. The company is going to ask you questions about yourself. It’s time to have those answers and questions for them in return. Starting with a question like “what is my growth potential in this role?” is a good mix of a question about you and the role. It also shows that you’re thinking about a future at the company. Asking “what do you foresee being the most important trait for this role?” also gives hiring managers an idea of your thinking.
Three tips we’ve found for preparing for job interviews include highlighting your skills that are best suited to the role, knowing yours and the job’s worth, and being ready to ask questions. Also, always send a follow-up email after the interview. Following these can put you in a good position to blow away the competition and land the job.
