12 Ways to Ace your Job Interview and Snag that Job!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve bombed not one, not two, but several job interviews. You’ve walked out of the interview feeling hopeless and miserable—knowing that you either let your anxiety and nerves get the best of you or lacked preparation for certain interview questions that you didn’t see coming.  
Fear not ladies and gents, there is hope! The good news is, there are steps that you can take to not only kill the interview, but stand out among other candidates which significantly increases your chances of snagging that dream job.  
Step One:
Write down 10-15 common interview questions and be prepared to write down some answers
A few of the most common interview questions would include, “Tell me about yourself,” “Why should we hire you?” “What skills do you possess that make you a great candidate for this position?” First thing that you must note is that this is your opportunity to let the hiring staff know the highlights of YOU. Once you write out the responses to these questions, you’ll notice a similarity in your answers. There’s a simple reason for this! They are asking you the exact same question, but using different wording. In fact, most interview questions consist of 3 questions, yes—3 questions that are simply worded differently. What hiring managers want to know, is how/why you will add value to their company, how you handle conflict/stress/pressure/, and whether you’re invested to grow within their company. That’s it! Don’t let the pressure of 10 + questions make you nervous, as long as you have answers to these 3 questions—you will find a way to tie in those answers to any question at hand. If you’re having difficulty finding interview questions, I would highly suggest utilizing Glassdoor reviews to get examples of your job-specific interview questions from past interviewees.   
Please note that all answers should be answered in an elevator pitch—this means, at or below 3 minutes a piece. You don’t want to tell the interviewer your entire life story, that would bore them to death! You want to spend time talking about the highlights of what makes you a great candidate for the position, as well as accomplishments that you are proud of that are pertinent to the job.
Step Two:
Do some Research on the Company and Position You are Interviewing For
This research would include, but not be limited to, the Company’s mission statement, when it was founded, whether the company is domestic or global, etc. There are a ton of helpful resources on the internet that can be accessed about your prospective employer. Don’t be afraid to dig a little deep and surprise the interviewer with a fun fact that maybe he or she doesn’t know about!  
It would also be beneficial for you to know exactly what the job description is if there is a specific position you are applying for. Print out the job description, study it, and be prepared to share knowledge to show that you did your homework, and also feel free to ask questions—there is an immense power in asking questions during an interview rather than just answering them—it shows an increased interest in the job and interviewers love nothing more than an ambitious knowledge seeker.   
Step Three:
Mock Interviews Grab your mentor, teacher, buddy, or family member and ask them to mock interview you. With the same questions and answers from step one, have your interview partner go down the list and ask each question. Side note—It is important to not memorize each answer written down, as this may come across as robotic or rehearsed during the real interview. You may also catch yourself panicking if you forget the “next line” of your answer. Rather than memorizing your answers, be sure to recall the key points and highlights of what makes your answer a great one. Practice as many times as you need to, as this will help you feel like you’re the KING OF THE WORLD come interview time. Okay, maybe not, but you get my point. Mock interviews are CRUCIAL.
Step Three:  
Practice your body language
Whats more important than what you say? It’s HOW you say it. You can pitch an interviewer the perfect answers, but if you’re slouching, emotionless, or uptight—that could come across as a lack of interest or ambition. Don’t be afraid to use your hands when talking to express your thoughts, smile, keep your back straight, these small things will all amount to a huge difference in poise and presentation—its more important, believe it or not, than WHAT you say. Going in with the MINDSET that you will do these body language exercises during your interview will atomically boost your confidence. Let’s face it—interviews can be nerve-wracking. The key is to not let is show, and never tell the interviewer that you’re nervous. It’s a very big no-no.  
Step Four:
Preparation for your upcoming interview
The following bits of information will be helpful for the days leading up to your interview. You may be asking yourself what should I wear? Should I print out a resume? 10 resumes?
Ladies and Gents—this may be a given, but in case there are any of you with any doubt out there—jeans are NEVER ok for an interview. Business casual is the absolute best practice. Slacks, a blazer, ties, and bowties, all appropriate attire for this occasion. You want to go into this feeling confident, and a sharp outfit along with the body language exercises listed above, will certainly keep you up to par.  
Would you hire someone dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and flip flops? Don’t think so.
As far as your resume goes, I would highly suggest having it proofread by a trusted source. Make sure to list your relevant experience, and try not to include a job from 15 years ago that is irrelevant to the job. Try to keep your list of experiences under 5 jobs if possible. Employers love to see stability and consistently, and while having over 15 jobs total in the span of your career, it may not be best to include each of these experiences. Don’t forget a reference sheet! List about 3-5 professional references, including name, title, phone number, and email address.
If you are unsure whether you will be doing a panel interview which typically consists of interviewing with 2 or more hiring managers, be prepared to have enough copies of your resume to hand out, about 10 or so. If you want to turn it up a notch, make a trip to your local office supply store and purchase resume paper. Resume paper is a high quality sheet of paper, typically thicker than most sheets of standard paper and will definitely not go unnoticed. You can either buy a box of resume paper for about $20, or go the cost-friendly route as I did and purchase individual sheets for a couple of cents. Not only can you purchase the paper at your local office supply store, but you should also be able to get them printed as well. Purchase a neutral-colored folder to stick your resumes in. Whala! You're all set now as far as resume goes.
Step Five:  
Arrive on Time. And by on Time I mean Early
Theres a saying that goes, if you're on time, you're late. Very true saying when it comes to interviews and the workplace. You want to arrive a minimum of 15 minutes early. This will further demonstrate your interest and seriousness about the job at hand.
Step Six:
Have a list of questions ready for the interviewer
Yes, an interview is not only a chance for the interviewer to get to know you, but it is also a chance for you to get to know your potential new employer. It also shows that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in knowing as much as you can about your potential new job. Have a list of 5 questions ready to ask at the end of the interview. Try to refrain from asking your questions before or during, as this will interrupt the flow of the interview. Asking questions should be considered crucial rather than optional in any interview—it is so important and shouldn’t be avoided by any means. You want to know about salary, PTO, health insurance benefits, ask away! Ask the interviewer about their experience with the company so far, what qualities they are seeking in the candidate, who they consider to be their biggest competition, etc. This is a more relaxed portion of the process, where you get to sit back and essentially take the role as the interviewee. In a best case scenario, the interview will be wrapped up with a common interest held by you and the interviewer. While avoided in the beginning, don’t shy away to brag about your latest team’s win or about the amazing restaurant you are about to hit up after the interview. You want to leave a lasting impression, and there’s no better way to do that than to end it on a high note.  
Step Six:
Follow-up Thank you
Again, this step is crucial and should not be considered optional by any means. This is an email or letter that you send to the hiring staff to thank them not only for their time to speak with you regarding the opportunity, but also to express the excitement that you have in moving forward to the next steps of the interview process. I once had a friend who was one of ALL of the candidates who got turned down by a medical sales company for not sending a follow-up thank you email. Yep, all 10 candidates were turned down for the position for missing this important step. While other companies may be able to overlook this step, it is still something that it extremely appreciated by your prospective employer. Below is a real life example of a thank you letter that was sent to my first employer post-graduation:
Hello Ms. Jane Doe,

It was great to be able to meet you today. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to meet in person and discuss my qualifications with the hiring team. After learning in more detail about the job and Medtronic, I am even more excited about the possibility of joining the team that is the first point of contact for patients looking to facilitate the managing of their diabetes with Medtronic's innovative insulin pump therapy. I would also like to thank you again for the filtered water; as a public health professional, it is important to consider what may be lingering in your water.
If there are any questions regarding my resume/qualifications, please feel free to contact me on my cell at 956-555-5555 or to my email: [email protected]. I look forward to being given an opportunity for the next step in the interview process. Have a great day!
Sincerely,
Sally Doe

Pretty simple eh? Make note of the tailored response to the diabetes position, and also a clever remark about the “filtered” water that was provided to me. It’s not about the water—its simply a comment showing gratitude and a bit of friendly humor that relates to a specific remark made by the recruiter when she pointed out that the water was filtered versus unfiltered. Also, letting the interviewers know that they can contact you via telephone or email if there were any additional questions—is a great way to wrap up a thank you email.  

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