How To Prepare For a Job Interview: Do’s and Don’ts for Job Interview Questions And Answers

The thought of interviewing for a new job is likely to bring about a certain level of anxiety. Anxiety that can either make or break your chances of getting hired.

More often than not, it is the latter.

Feeling nervous in such a situation is understandable. Being in a new place, with all eyes on you; even for the best of us, it may not be the most comfortable situation. In fact, according to Powell, Bourdage, and Bonnacio, what creates this nervousness is the fear of being wrongly evaluated. This can happen despite being fully prepared.

As is often said, the first impression matters the most. While you may think that making a great first impression is a matter of personality and charm, the truth is that job interviewing skills can be learned.

And for something as crucial as this, everyone should know how to prepare for a job interview.

Related: 15 Emotional Intelligence Interview Questions to Spot—or Show—EQ

Job Interview Anxiety: Do You Have It?

Getting cold feet before stepping into a room that is ready to judge you? Quite normal.

Feeling a bit nervous, jittery, and even worried right before a job interview is not a bad thing. Rather, it is a way of keeping yourself in check to put your best foot forwards.

Remember, adrenaline increases focus too!

What creates a problem is experiencing too many of these emotions too much of the time.

By too much, we mean several days before and after the scheduled job interview. In which the following symptoms might continue to persist:

• Nervousness, worry, and fear fright
• Intrusive thoughts
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mental fatigue and restlessness
• Irritability and uneasiness
• Psychosomatic symptoms - such as sweaty palms, troubled breathing, insomnia, migraines, muscle aches, and indigestion

Believe it or not, the majority of these symptoms stem from a lack of being prepared. As humans, we tend to be more confident when we know what is about to come. Especially in an uncertain situation like a job interview. If one has all that under control, a lot gets managed.

How To Prepare For A Job Interview

Showing up to the interview is one thing. Being prepared for it is another. However, it is nothing that is too difficult to do.

Be Interested In Your Potential Workplace

When one does not know anything about a certain situation, the uncertainty magnifies to the maximum. The same goes for not being interested in a potential workplace.

When one applies for a job they truly want, the confidence and motivation to do great skyrocket. This conviction comes with knowing that one possesses the skill set and values to fulfill a job role. For that, knowing which career suits one best is crucial. Along with that, is one’s own interest in the offer and whether it meets your personal criteria.

If you are sure that you will be a good fit, you can project that confidence during your job interview as well.

Take our career test to help determine if your potential workplace is right for you or not. 

Know About the Company

When stepping into a new workplace, it is always good to know all that you can about it.

Research the industry, company, and employer. All of this information is present on the company’s website, blog posts, and social media accounts.

Job interviews are not only about knowing a potential employee. They also help determine if an individual’s work ethic, values, and goals match that of the company. In short, if they are a good fit or not.

For that, it is always better to showcase how one can add value to the existing norms of a workplace.

Not sure what your personal work values are? Take our free assessment!

Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More

When it comes to corporate job interviews, to some extent the questions remain the same (or at least some variation of the questions). This gives you time to prepare the best possible answers to them.

In most cases the interviewer will start by asking about your education, moving on to your experience. A good tip is to review the job listing and practice your answers in accordance with it. Make sure to include how your previous experience added to your current skillset that the company requires. Keep your answers concise and relevant.

For blue-collar jobs, it is always helpful to maintain a portfolio along with practicing job interview questions. This helps to showcase one’s skill level, expertise, and related outcomes.

All in all, practice makes one perfect. It helps to reduce anxiety and cultivate confidence.

To give you a hand, we’ve put together some tips to successfully answer frequently asked interview questions. 

Dos and Don’ts For Job Interviews

Once you are ready to step into that room, there are a couple of things to consider. Certain dos and don’ts to keep your new job interview on track.

Do Practice Relaxation

Feeling jittery before a job interview is normal. What makes it a problem is if your anxiety does not let you perform well.

Sweaty palms, shaky legs, and constant fidgeting might give the wrong impression. You want to be comfortable and at ease to focus well. The following things can help with that:

• Deep breathing
• Sensory grounding techniques
• Walking around to let the jitters out
• Positive affirmations
• Not drinking caffeinated beverages — they increase the heart rate

Don’t Procrastinate

It is always better to be ahead of the game. Do not leave things to the last minute. If you have documents that you need to print, get them done days in advance. If you need to pick up a new dress or tie, do it before the day of the interview.

Prepare ahead for everything to avoid unwanted surprises. This will make you feel more in control of the situation.

Do Your Logistical Planning

Know the nitty gritty. Where is the job interview? How will you get there? What time is it scheduled for? For an online one, are your devices charged? Do you have everything that you need?

Plan ahead!

This will help you be on time, make you seem professional, and create a great first impression.

Don’t Get Intimidated

If you have all the preparation done on your end, you have nothing to be scared about.

Confidence is the key to acing a job interview. Such confidence makes the interviewer believe in one’s capabilities as well. Especially when it comes to assessing how well they function in stressful situations.

Take the conversation as a normal yet important one. 

Do Listen and Communicate

In job interviews, listening is just as important as speaking.

More often than not, all the answers are already present in the questions. For example, the interviewer might ask you what you found difficult to do in your previous job. In reality, they are asking about what you are not good at, and how you manage it. So, answer with how you overcame a difficult situation to showcase your skills of resilience and adaptability.

Also, remember, you can ask questions too! Preparing for a job interview also means preparing any questions that you might have. Ask about any ambiguities you might have with your job offer, duties, and even workplace culture.

Don’t Ignore Job Interview Red Flags

Job interview red flags pop up when workplaces have toxic environments. During the interview process, these might include the interviewer being:

• Late and unresponsive
• Unclear about the job description and related information
• Disrespectful towards current employees, employers, and the interviewee

According to MIT Sloan Management Review, the presence or absence of such red flags determine factors such as future employee well-being, retention, and productivity. Don’t forget — it’s not just you who is doing the interviewing! You need to make sure that the job is right for you. Otherwise, you might want to consider declining a job offer. 

Check out our tips for evaluating the interviewer, potential boss, and your job offer.

Do Follow Up

Once the interview is done, the next step is a follow-up.

It is common for companies to not contact an interviewee in case they are not selected. Yet, this tends to waste a lot of time for someone who is waiting for a callback.

In such circumstances, it is better to take things into your own hands. Ask about the work culture regarding interview follow-ups. Along with that, also follow-up on your own after a few days.

Until you get the response, stay calm, and hope for the best.

To give you a hand, BrainManager has put together a Job Interview Cheat Sheet and a Post Job Interview Checklist .

Both are available as printable downloads in the Careers Section of our free member’s area.