Everyone knows that job interviews are nerve-wracking, especially when your finances are on the line, you’re close to landing a promotion, or you are finally interviewing at your dream employer or job.
But what if there were some strategies that would make your interview preparation and delivery a whole lot easier?
The following job interview tips will help you nail your interview easily, reduce your pre-interview anxiety, and enable you to make a favorable first (or second or third, depending on the stage) impression to the hiring manager and interviewing panel.
Some of these hacks you have already heard about, while others may be pretty new; the point is to use all the resources available to you as much as possible so your interviewing experience is much more pleasant and you turn up with your best self.
1. Story Bank
If you’ve searched over the internet for job interview tips, or how to answer interview questions effectively, you’ve likely ran into the STAR method over and over (answering competency-based interview questions through structuring your story around the Situation, Task, Action, Result). To make this even more effective, why not create a STAR story bank?
Simply create a Google Docs or Word document (or use an Excel sheet) and create a list of your stories and examples from previous work experiences. Use the columns in the tables provided to align the each part of your story with the components of the STAR acronym. This makes it easier to divide up your answer and ensure that it covers all key points in the STAR methodology.
A story bank also enables you to be well-prepared for any last-minute interview requests—as you can pull from it at any time and adapt to the job specs as needed.
2. Think Before You Answer
Often, due to nerves, we jump to conclusions and hand off answers to an interview question we thought we were asked, not recognizing that our answer couldn’t be further from what the hiring manager is looking for because they were not asking that question anyway—leading to a missed opportunity.
This is why it is essential to really listen to what the interviewer is saying—not only verbally, but to also read between the lines and understand what they are actually looking for. Take your time instead of rushing to answer each question; ask the interviewer to repeat the question again if you are not certain that you heard it correctly the first time; and research potential questions you may be asked in advance, so you can understand why you might be asked those questions and what competencies they are looking for you to demonstrate.
3. Use ChatGPT To Practice
Of course, this article would be incomplete if there was not some mention made of AI and its ability to support you with your answers to interview questions. ChatGPT can be a helpful tool for practicing and refining your interview technique. Here are a couple of tips on how to leverage ChatGPT effectively for interview preparation:
- Give ChatGPT this prompt: “I am preparing for an interview at (name of company) for the role of (name of role). Give me a list of potential interview questions I can expect to be asked, and what questions I should ask the hiring manager at this interview.”
- Try this prompt: “Help me prepare for an interview for the role of [name of role] at [name of company]. I will list some sample questions. Once I list them, give me some suggestions on how to best answer each one effectively, using the details from my resume above (include your resume).”
With these three simple interview strategies, you will find yourself much more composed, concise, and structured with your answers (instead of rambling off topic), and better equipped to demonstrate your tangible value to the organization, increasing your chances of securing the job offer.