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Do These 5 Things Before Your Next Interview and Get the Job

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Interview prep is tricky not because you don’t know what to do to get ready, but because you know too much about what you could do. Before you get bogged down in endless practice interview questions, make sure you have these things checked off your pre-interview to-do list.

job interview tips 

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1. Research the company.

Do You Know What You're Worth?

You probably know at least a little something about your prospective employer by the time you make it to the interview stage, or your resume and cover letter wouldn’t have helped you snag the interview. Still, now’s the time to make sure you have a full grasp of the company history, including its mission and founders, and are up-to-date on its latest news. Start with the corporate website and the organization’s profile in PayScale’s Research Center, and then do a Google News search, and take a look at the company’s social media profiles. Know how long they’ve been around, what challenges they’ve faced, who their competitors are. Most importantly, figure out what their problems are — especially the ones that hiring you would solve.

2. Investigate your role.

Look up the job title and find out what responsibilities typically go with that role. Think about your experience, and how it would fit. Take a salary survey to determine a salary range. Hopefully, you won’t be asked to get into specifics, but if you are, have an idea of what you’d like to hear and what you’d accept.

3. Get to know the key people.

If possible, ask for the names of the people you’ll be speaking with, so that you can look them up on LinkedIn before the interview. If you’re interviewing with folks outside of HR, pay special attention to their background and experience. Note any points of commonality with your background.

4. Prepare for common questions.

Avoid giving canned answers to common interview questions by concentrating on demonstrating how your skills, experience, and passion can help the company solve its problems. Practice, but focus more on remembering your own best qualities than on memorizing pat replies.

5. Practice confident body language.

Sit up straight, make (just enough) eye contact, and shake hands firmly — in short, practice looking like someone who deserves to get the job.

Tell Us What You Think

What do you do before you interview? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt
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IreneTabathaDmitriyAnnonoumous ObserverLisa Recent comment authors
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Dmitriy
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Dmitriy

Does not apply to one-legged, partially bald mathematician with Fields medal.

Annonoumous Observer
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Annonoumous Observer

One has to be careful with making comments on glass door, rateyouremployer, and other employee venting sites, especially if the company is small with less than 20 employees, also anything the location or ip address that you used where you wrote it. Also keep in mind that recruiters check sites like this and check years on your resume to cross reference, as sites like this post the year in which the posting was put there, any crappy or negative experience… Read more »

Tabatha
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Tabatha

Nilda, if you didn’t get a long with your employer, don’t bad mouth them, just so in so was very passionate about this company, but I learned everything that I could learn from them (even if it was I’ve learned don’t be like that), and now I’m ready for a new lesson or mentor. I agree about what to wear. Unless it’s for fashion (when you need to show that you can accessorize), then less is more. I usually wear… Read more »

Nilda Cruikshank
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Nilda Cruikshank

What to say about a past employer when the employer wasn’t the best. What to say if a past employer, in fact, wasn’t good, and didn’t have any work ethic in his/her relationship with you ?. If this is the case, what to say if an interviewer ask about a previous employer ?

Lisa
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Lisa

Job interview
I was advised to only wear 1 piece of jewelry nothing take away focus .
Clothes business and always clean and pressed

Irene
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Irene

[correction]
I think a couple of things are missing:
Get a nice haircut, lose any or all body piercings/attachments; cover tattoos; and give your best clothes a wash and iron or press.
It’s about getting them to think they’ll LIKE working with you.

Irene
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Irene

I think a couple of things are missing:
Get a nice haircut, lose any or all body piercings/attachments; cover tattoos; and give your best clothes a was and iron or press.
It’s about getting them to think they’ll LIKE working with you.

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