Tips to Having a Great Interview

A job interview is an unavoidable step on the path to employment. Whether you're facing a panel interrogation or a casual one-on-one chat, learning how to give a great interview can broaden your prospects and help you sail through the hiring process.

Identify Your Best Anecdotes

Stories are one of the most powerful ways to communicate about yourself. They are memorable and offer proof of your abilities. Before a job interview, identify four or five of your most compelling accomplishments, and come up with a short anecdote to accompany each one. Practice telling the stories out loud, either to a mirror or another person. Repeat, making changes each time until the words feel natural. When you get to the interview, you can avoid stumbling over your words and adapt the stories as needed to fit the question.

Expect the Unexpected

Some interviews are slow and uneventful. Increasingly, however, employers are looking for ways to observe your personality, critical thinking abilities and communication style. One common method is to ask bizarre questions or pose scenarios that seem unrelated to the job. Chances are, the employer is more interested in how you arrive at an answer than the answer itself. Avoid being caught off guard with practice interviews. Ask your interviewer to toss in unexpected questions, and practice answering them confidently and comfortably. Learn to be comfortable with silence as you think, or try working through your thought process out loud. Although it can be stressful at first, this process is invaluable in the long run. Adapting gracefully to the twists and turns of a conversation is the key to a great interview.

Prepare Your Own Questions

A job interview is not a one-sided meeting; it is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the company and the position. Before your interview, write a list of questions for the employer. Spend time researching the company on its website and social media sites, and cross off the questions that are answered online. Then, comb through local and trade publications for clues about the company's standing in the industry, recent developments and potential challenges. Use that information to write three or four insightful questions to add to the list. In doing so, you can subtly show off your knowledge and insider understanding.

Warm Up

A job interview is similar to a theatrical audition. Take a cue from actors and singers, and spend time warming up before the session. Warm up your body by going for a run or taking a vigorous walk, and end with a thorough stretching session. This process helps your muscles feel more flexible, so you won't appear stiff or uncomfortable during the job interview. Warm up your voice by singing along to the radio on the way to the office, or call a friend for a 10-minute conversation. This step is especially important for a morning interview because it clears away the scratchiness and hoarseness, enabling you to sound professional and pulled together.

A job interview can be stressful, but the right preparation can go a long way in reducing the pressure. By anticipating the potential challenges and practicing your responses, you can appear confident, competent and professional.

Photo courtesy of Renee Bertrand of Flickr.com