Ultimate Interview Tips - 20 Tips

You finally got an interview for the job you want. Congratulations! Here are 20 tips to help you prepare.

1. Really get to know the company - Do a research about the company.  Learn as much as you can about the company's mission, objectives, competitive advantages, goals, and future plans.
2. Think about the interviewer's concerns and reservations - Interviewers will look for ways to filter people so ask yourself why they might not want to hire you and prepare your defense. “I know you may think that I might not be the best fit for this role because [their reservation]. But you should know that [reason the interviewer shouldn't be overly concerned]."
3. Be prepared for common questions - Prepare your answers to common questions: “Tell me about yourself?  Why are you interested in this role with our company? Why should we hire you?” The idea is to quickly communicate who you are and what value you will bring to the company and the role.
4. Clarify the reasons why you want the job - Be prepared to explain what makes you the best candidate for the position. Prepare your key selling points with examples (your strengths, skills and previous achievements). Clarify why you want that job, what interests you about it, what rewards it offers for you, and what abilities it requires that you possess. Show that you are interested in the job.
5. Practice answering questions - Practicing your answers out loud, before you go to an interview, is an incredibly effective way to prepare. Say them to yourself or ask a friend to help you run through questions and answers. You’ll find you gain confidence as you get used to saying the words aloud.
6. Prepare smart questions for the interviewer - Interviewers always ask if you have any questions. You should have one or two prepared to demonstrate your knowledge of the company as well as your serious intent.
7. Make a great first impression - First impressions can have a lasting impact on interviewers. Most interviews either succeed or fail in the first five minutes. So what can you do? Make sure you are dressed smart and professionally and bring your energy and enthusiasm. Start off with a positive comment about the company and express your appreciation for the interviewer's time.
8. Stay on the same side as the interviewer - Create a relationship in which you're both on the same side. You could say something as simple as, "I'm glad to have the chance to get to know more about your company and to let you learn more about me, so we can see if this is going to be a good match.” 
9. Be assertive and take responsibility for the interview - Take the lead and ensure that you direct the interview to talk about your skills & experience.
10. Clarify your selling points - Be clear about your strengths, skills and accomplishments and give specific examples. Focus on your key strengths and why your background makes you uniquely qualified for the position.
11. Be positive - Do not speak negatively about your previous employers and experiences. Focus on talking about what you’ve gained from previous experiences and what you want to do next.
12. Be prepared to manage illegal and inappropriate questions - You may get one or more questions about your race, age, gender, religion, marital status, and sexual orientation which are inappropriate and in many areas illegal.
13. You can simply answer directly or refuse politely with a question ("I'm not sure how this is relevant to the job") - You can try to answer in a more effective way “ I don't know whether I'll decide to have children in the near future, but If you're wondering if I'll be leaving my job for an extended period of time, I can say that I'm very committed to my career I want to do my best in my work. " Alternatively, redirect with a clarifying question. “Help me understand why this matters, because I want to better understand the job”. 
14. Bring a copy of your CV - Have a printed copy of your resume with you when you go to interviews as you'll save a lot of time in case the interviewer doesn’t have one.
15. Close on a positive note - If you get to the end of an interview and think you'd really like that job, tell that to the interviewer. Say that you'd really like the job, that you were excited about it before and are even more excited now, and that you're convinced you'd like to work there.
16. Don't worry about sounding "canned" - If you're well prepared, you'll sound confident, smooth and articulate, not “canned”. 
17. Pay attention on your body language - Make eye contact, give a firm handshake, have good posture, speak clearly and don't wear strong perfume or cologne! Display confident body language and a smile throughout.
18. Make the most of the "Tell me about yourself" question - Focus on your selling points. Describe your accomplishments and qualifications related to the job. 
19. Be ready for Behavioral interview - Think of your previous experiences-behaviors that are important for the particular job. Use the STAR method to tell your stories with a clear Situation, Task, Action and Results.
20. Send a personalized thank you notes - It is good to ask for the business card of the person you speak with during the interview process so that you can follow up individually with a separate thank you email. Customize your notes by referring specifically to what you and the interviewer discussed. 
21. Don't give up! - If you've had a bad interview for a job that you truly think would be a great fit for you, don’t give up. Follow up with a note, send an email or call the interviewer to let them know that you think you could have done better in communicating why you think this job would be a good match. Explain what you have to offer and say that you'd like an opportunity to contribute.