Training Interview Preparation Guide

Job interview is one of the most drawn-out and intimidating ways of making first impression. However, it's also your opportunity to get on an employer's good side, which can give you a distinct edge over even those applicants whose credentials are better than yours.

★ Talk to current employees. Show initiative while getting a feel for the office environment. Learn as much as you can about the company from people who work there.
★ Earn your interviewer's name and job position before going to the interview. You may need to call the company to find out.
★ Know as much about the company as possible. You can't change your employment history or your qualifications, but you can work harder than every other applicant by being supremely knowledgeable about the company. Use the company's website, their annual report, and newspaper/business magazine articles to gather as much information as possible.

Start by looking into their future goals and plans. Conducting the interview with this in mind will make you seem like a good long-term investment. You should also be ready to talk in depth about the industry, the organization, and the position you are applying for.

Participating actively during the interview gives a good impression of your level of interest in the job. It's a good idea to come prepared with at least three thought-provoking questions to ask your interviewer. (Avoid asking anything that could be easily answered through a quick internet search, or you will simply come across as lazy.)

Ask questions about what is discussed during the interview itself. Though you may be tempted to respond to everything with an "Absolutely!" or a "Sure thing!" to show how competent you are, this will actually make it look like you're not listening. Show that you are paying attention by asking for more details whenever something isn't clear. (Avoid asking questions for the sake of asking, though, or it'll seem like you can't keep up.)

★ Ask questions to bond with the interviewer and project your enthusiasm. Inquire about his/her position and background or how long (s)he has been with the company.
★ Questions that reflect your interest in future prospects. "Which are new markets the company is planning to explore in next couple of years?" or "What are the chances for professional growth in this job opportunity?" Both show that you want to be on the same page as the people you'll be working for.

★ Know basically what you want to talk about before the interview. If you're stumbling and fumbling for an answer on a very basic question, you're not putting your best foot forward. Have your very basic answers down pat, and anticipate some of the tougher questions before you step into the interview.
★ Get feedback from a friend. Even if you think their feedback isn't on the mark, it's something to consider: We don't always know how we come off to other people, and the actual interviewer could share some of the same concerns.

It's best to prepare for a wide variety of questions by thinking about your own career goals, long-term plans, past successes, and work strengths, but you should also brace yourself for the deceptively simple questions that most employers like to throw at their interviewees.

If you have a friend who is also preparing for an interview, consider preparing together. Not only will this give you a way to structure your preparation, but it will also help you get comfortable with giving answers, telling anecdotes, and using appropriate terminology. Practice giving concise, complete answers and maintaining eye contact with the interviewer(s) while you give them. Make sure you aren't speaking too slow or too fast and that your answers are stated with confidence.

Biggest weakness is a classic canned interview question that many people dread. Answering this question is a bit of a tightrope walk: While you don't want to be too honest ("I have a really hard time staying motivated"), you won't fool anyone by trying to spin an obviously good quality into a weakness ("I just can't bear to do less-than-outstanding work!"). Instead, think of a genuine issue you have as well as ways you have managed to work with/around it ("I'm not naturally a very organized thinker, but I've become very organized on paper and in my personal space as a result").