If interviewing makes you anxious, you’re not alone. Even the strongest candidates get pre-interview nerves – after all, an interview is an exciting and vulnerable experience. You may never be able to shake the butterflies in your stomach before a phone screen, but there are some steps you can take to improve your confidence and presence in an interview.
One of the most important components of interview preparation is often the most neglected – company research. This basic step shouldn’t be brushed aside, no matter how simple or straightforward the company seems. Remember, some employers interview hundreds of candidates a year, so it becomes very clear when somebody has (or hasn’t) done their research. It is almost guaranteed that you’ll be asked to flex your knowledge of the employer, so don’t be caught off guard.
But where to begin? If the company has a website, that’s a good place to start. Read up on the company’s history, vision, and mission statement. What you learn from that research will give you a preliminary idea of the company’s culture. Culture fit is one of the most important things that interviewers look for, so this is a crucial step. Think about how the company’s values line up with your own, and don’t be afraid to get specific. The more connections you can draw between yourself and your prospective employer, the better.
Once you’ve exhausted the company’s website (the Careers page is often another good place to look for cultural information), you can turn to sites like LinkedIn to learn more about the individual interviewers you’ll be speaking with. Get an idea of their background and how long they’ve been with the company. Make note of any similarities that you can leverage to build rapport during the interview.
A great way to build confidence and skill is by practicing responses out loud. Research common questions for your position and industry and talk through potential answers using the Situation, Action, Results (SAR) method. The job description is an invaluable resource during this stage. While you can’t know exactly what questions you’ll be asked, you do know what the interviewer will be looking for. The job description, essentially, is an answer key. It describes the perfect candidate exactly as the employer sees them – use that language to your advantage.
Taking the time to do your research and craft tailored examples that mirror the job description is a surefire way to impress, whether in a phone screen or final round.