Career Prep: Steps For A Successful Job Interview

Published February 10, 2024

Job Interviews Don’t Have To Be A Stressful Experience

By Riley Melvin, K12 Student Advisor

Fear, worry, panic! These are just some of the words people use to describe their feelings around a job interview. But, not to worry. With a few simple steps, people new to launching their careers can become good at interviewing for jobs, both in-person and within a virtual platform.

To help provide a place to begin, below I’ve listed a few basic steps to help students do well in their first job interviews:

Step 1: Maintain a sense of confidence during your job interview.

This may seem fairly simple, but if you don’t have a strong sense of confidence when going into an interview, you may come across as nervous. And, if you sense within yourself that you are projecting nervousness to the interviewer, your thoughts can quickly spiral. A great way to gain confidence is by writing down everything at which you are naturally good. Then, you read over this list to prepare. This will help to give yourself a boost in confidence, not only for interviews but for other aspects of your life.

Step 2: Make sure you are properly prepared for your job interview.

Another great tip for acing an interview is to prepare in advance. A way that you can prepare for an interview is by looking up commonly asked questions, such as… “What are your strengths?” or “What are your weaknesses?” … and then you practice the answers beforehand so that you are not caught off guard. A second way that you can prepare is by thinking of as many possible positive answers that you can give the interviewer. This will help show that you are a positive worker with good traits/habits. And, a third way you can prepare is by practicing the actual act of interviewing with someone you know; practice in-person or over an online video service. This will help you to become more familiar with the format of an interview and feel comfortable during the process.

Step 3: Dress appropriately for the job interview.

A very important part of your interview is your dress and grooming. When choosing what to wear for an interview, make sure that you choose something appropriate for the job opening. This can be more formal or casual attire. It depends on the role. By choosing proper clothing, the interviewer will be able to see that you are a professional worker that they should have within their company ranks.

Step 4: Be sure to bring a current copy of your resume with you to the job interview.

When going into a job interview, you should always make sure that you have a current, accurate resume with you. Some good things to have listed within your resume include your references, your past experiences in the field, your positive traits, and any certifications that you have received.

Step 5: Make sure your tone of voice, speech habits, and wording reflect your professionalism in the job interview.

Speech is an important part of your interview, as it shows how you address others and show respect towards your superiors. A way that you can display good speech is by talking in an appropriate tone and volume. Another thing you should be sure of when speaking to an interviewer is to speak clearly and not stumble over your words. This will ensure that the interviewer can properly hear you and not mistake what you have said.

Taking into consideration, and practicing, these steps will help you to become excellent at job interviews – and to leave a positive impression for every interview you choose to attend.