Your interview prep checklist

University of Colorado Boulder

By the time you get to an interview, the employer has already decided that you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. This is an opportunity for them to decide if you will be a good fit and contribute to the team. It is your chance to highlight your experiences, personality and potential. Whether your interview is in-person or happening virtually, use this checklist to help you prepare and feel confident.

Do your research

Employers love to see that you’ve taken time to get to know their company. You might even be asked a few questions about the company, so it’s best to do some research before an interview.

Read the “about” section of their website or company blog to learn about recent news and what’s important to them. Check their social media accounts to see what they’re sharing. Become familiar with the job position description, the team and how you might fit. If possible, it can be helpful to know more about the people you’re interviewing with as well. This research can help you talk about how your experiences and skills can specifically benefit the company and the role you are interviewing for.

Answer common interview questions

It’s impossible to know exactly what questions will be asked, but you can spend time developing responses to commonly asked interview questions. Write out your responses with key points you want to communicate. Include some concrete examples that highlight your talents. You may also want to search the company on Glassdoor.com. They offer an interview section where past interviewees share insight and example questions from actual interviews at the company. This can give you some hints about a company’s interviewing style. 

Incorporating stories into your answers is also great for demonstrating your strengths. For example, rather than saying you are very organized, you could share how you helped your student group organize an event and what the outcome was.

To do this, try forming your responses with the STAR method:  

• Situation: Provide an overview, being specific and succinct.
• Task: Describe the goal you were working on.
• Action: Describe your actions and the steps you took.
• Result: Describe the outcome, if possible. This is your time to take credit for your work or show what you learned.

Address your weaknesses

No one is perfect, and you don’t have to pretend to be when in front of your potential new boss. Anything negative that you mention in an interview can be spun to show that it was a point of learning. Mention the weakness, provide an example and then share specific ways you are working on or around this weakness. What did you learn from the situation? How would you handle it differently moving forward? This takes practice, so it’s helpful to prepare this response ahead of time.

Practice out loud

After you’ve prepared some responses, try practicing out loud. A mock interview before your big interview can help reduce stress and boost your confidence. You’ll get feedback on all of your responses and get used to answering questions in a virtual format.

You can also use online interview preparation tools like InterviewStream. This mock interview practice portal records your responses to random pre-recorded interview questions. Only you can see your responses unless you want feedback from your peers, industry professionals or a career development advisor.

Think of your own questions

An interview is a two-way street. Just as they are asking questions to learn about you, you should ask questions to be sure this is the right job for you. If you don’t come prepared with questions, the interviewer might assume you haven’t done your research or you’re not interested.

You can ask about the day-to-day responsibilities of the job, the company culture or important qualities needed to excel in the position.

Get organized

If you have a virtual interview, become familiar with the platform you are using (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) to avoid technical issues. Test your camera and microphone. Find a quiet location where you won’t be interrupted, and make sure there’s nothing distracting in your background.

Be sure to present yourself professionally, including what you choose to wear. This doesn’t mean you need to wear a suit, but make sure the clothes you wear reflect the job you want. Even with a virtual interview, it’s best to dress up from head to toe. You never know if you’ll need to stand up during your conversation.

Finally, take some time before your interview to put your mind at ease. Try a short guided mediation or power posing before your interview to feel relaxed and confident.

This article previously posted at Career Services, university of Colorado Boulder. Visit https://www.colorado.edu/career/2020/09/04/your-interview-prep-checklist