You’ve been applying for jobs for a while now, and finally, you have been able to get that coveted job interview. Many feelings may be running through your mind right now, but the most important one is getting yourself ready for your interview. Whether it is an in person interview, video interview, or group interview, you need to get yourself in the zone for whatever comes your way.
This job interview may be the one that gets you on the path to a new career or a new opportunity like an internship, so making the best impression you can is essential. You want to impress the hiring manager by being well prepared and showing that you are ready to take on what the job needs. Read on for some tips on when to arrive early and what you should prepare for.
How Early Should You Arrive?
You may think that arriving on time is good for a job interview, however, if you aim to arrive on time, then you may wind up being late, especially if things like traffic and last-minute emergencies pop up. It is best to arrive earlier than the scheduled interview time and plan for any eventuality.
Arriving early will show hiring managers that you care about your career and you are professional in your approach. If you arrive early you will also be able to prepare yourself for going in, checking any notes you may have, and taking some time to calm yourself so you aren’t out of breath and jittery before going in.
How to Relax Yourself Before Going in
Interviews can make anyone feel nervous, especially group interviews where you have to show your skills off in front of other people. Luckily there are a few things you can do just before you walk through that door.
- Deep breathing – focusing on your breathing is very important, make it as steady as possible
- Squeeze your thighs/buttocks to stop shaking, it may sound silly but it can work
- Stand up whilst waiting – when they come to get you, you will look confident and not trying to get up from a chair
- Smile as soon as you walk into the building, it shows that you are friendly and open, people react well and it can help you when you face the interviewer/s.
These are just a few ways that you can help yourself before going in. You may still have some tension just before, but once you are in there and you show that you have done your planning, this will help you relax and flow with the interview process.
Additionally, preparing for the interview properly by looking at interview guides found here can do wonders in making you feel more confident. If you’re well-prepared and ready for the interview, you’re less likely to feel anxious. So take some deep breaths, run through what you’ve learnt, and you’ll be fine.
How Long Are Interviews?
There are different types of interviews that need to be taken into account. It depends on what industry you are interviewing for and at what level. Here I will break down the most common ones so job seekers can prepare themselves for what they may need to do.
In person Interviews
These types of interviews are face-to-face interviews, you may have applied online (more than likely nowadays) and they may call you up or send you an email to invite you to an interview at their office/building. They may send you or ask you a few questions beforehand to gather some information such as if you have any special requirements (wheelchair access), or discuss what time may be best.
You are looking at a time of around 30-90 minutes if it is a basic interview process, but that can be extended beyond that if they are asking you to complete a task or ask you to demonstrate your skills to see if you will be a good fit.
Higher positions may take longer. This will apply to management positions and internal positions. Just because you have been working there for a time doesn’t mean they’ll push you through, they need to know that you can adapt within your sector and will add to the company culture in a management position.
Preparing for this sort of interview involves more than just knowing your resume and brushing up on your professional skills and jargon. Since you’re going to be meeting your potential employers in person, it’s important that you make a good and lasting impression. Dressing presentably and grooming yourself well before the interview is imperative to being perceived positively. You could even look up something like “facial spa near me” earlier in the day to give your face a natural glow. This could also benefit you by giving you some much needed self-care before your interview, so that you can feel more confident and at ease during the process.
The company will focus its interview questions on things like –
- How do you make important and necessary decisions?
- How would you calm down a conflict?
- How would you reward success/punish insubordination?
- Speak about a project you oversaw recently
There is a chance that you may be invited back for another round of interviews depending on the position and if you made a good impression as well as other several factors that may apply, this will be made clear to you during the hiring process. In person interviews are also good for hiring managers to check out people’s communication skills and how they act face-to-face.
Phone Interviews
Going through the phone interview process can be very quick as there is no interview location to go to. Phone interviews can be used as a pre-screening or for a full interview.
They will ask about your resume and may ask you to complete a questionnaire as you talk to them, so this would be a good time to make sure you have information about the position in front of you. They will do this to see if you have the right skills and crucial pieces that make you a prime candidate to move on to the next interview.
You may be from a huge pool of other candidates, so you do not want to make a bad impression from the get-go. Just because they can’t see you, you still need to have an air of professionalism about you when speaking. Sitting somewhere comfortable but has support will be good, so a dining room table or a desk if you have one in your home.
Phone interview questions that may be asked could be –
- What are your strengths and weaknesses with your work?
- Why do you want this position?
- What are your responsibilities at your current job?
- Tell me about yourself
Once again, this will vary on what position you are applying for. Phone and video interviews may run with the same questioning technique, but the interviewer will decide on how they set out their questioning, as phones are unable to provide visual questions that may be needed with a video interview.
These interviews last up to 30 minutes or so, as they may only be used as a screening method, which was previously mentioned. So you shouldn’t expect to be on too long. They, more than likely, are scripted, so preparing beforehand will be easier as you could guess what they are going to ask you.
Making sure that you state how well you work and how you may fit into the company’s culture will help you build a connection and potentially get you a job offer. Personality is important, you want to come across as interesting and open, not closed off. Some people may prefer a phone interview to an in person interview as they are able to be more relaxed when not being physically viewed.
Video Interviews
Whilst most interviews are normally done in person, there has been a shift over the years with jobs moving more towards the video interview process to speak to candidates. This can help with positions that are remote/hybrid for anyone to work from wherever their location is.
Job interviews that incorporate a video portion (or a video for all of it) can be very beneficial as through this call the interviewee, just like in person interviews, will be able to physically show off their skills, whether they have a presentation set up which they can show through a shared screen, or demonstrate what they do. It can be used in place of an in person interview.
They will typically last the same amount of time as an in person interview process and will have similar questions, unless there is a need for part of it to be a ‘show and tell’. That average length will be adjusted if they want to ask you more or if there are multiple people on the video call.
Before you start your video interview, you will need to run some checks to ensure that you will be able to do it from start to finish. This includes actions such as –
- Ensuring your wifi is connected and strong
- Checking the video software you use for a working picture and sound
- Check the lighting to make sure you are visible but not washed out
- If the camera is a wide angle, you need to make sure your home is clean and tidy
You must carry out these actions as soon as you receive a date and time for your interview. This is because, while technology works effectively for the most part, there is a possibility that it can play up when you need it most. And the last thing you want to happen is for your video stream to buffer or cut out due to your internet.
So, if you haven’t done so already, looking for Colorado internet providers, or similar companies in your area, and upgrading your internet is one of the best ways to ensure that your interview goes as smoothly as possible.
Also, bear in mind that if they send you a link to the interview instead of calling you at a certain time, you may want to click the link a few minutes early, so that when they join, you are ready to start the interview. Video interviews may be a bit more stressful than those conducted on the phone as you will be physically seen. However, it would not be as tense as you won’t need to travel to a specific location.
Group Interviews
A potential employer may invite you to a group interview, which is not the typical interview type, however, in certain circumstances, they can prove to be advantageous to see how you react in a group and how you handle yourself.
Careersherpa.net says that there are two types of group interviews to be aware of. The first is where you will join a handful of other candidates to meet the hiring manager and go through the process. Whereas the other will be just you meeting a panel of interviewers who will ask you different questions each. These types of interviews will delve into a general discussion where your answers and reactions will be looked into.
Job interviews such as these will last at least an hour since there are a few people involved instead of just one-on-one. This group interview may be the first stage and the next could be just you and one other person if you are moved forward in the process. These can be long job interviews and have the potential to run over the allotted time, especially if free discussion is involved.
The interview preparation for this varies depending on the job position. Multiple people involved can make knowing exactly what will be asked hard to determine, so just prepare for common interview questions that an interviewer will typically ask and open yourself up to the possibility of additional questioning.
Technical Interviews
A technical interview is more for the information technology industry where jobs such as software development, tech, cyber security, and so on will be required to have interviews like these. Showing off what skills you have is more for technical sectors.
You could be put in a real working environment and show them what skills you have and how you would apply them to scenarios that they are putting forward. The number of tasks they may ask you to complete will vary on the position you are going for. So anything of a higher status may require more input from you. It is important to bear that in mind.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has been able to provide you with that all-important interview preparation so you are ready to take on your next interview. Remember to arrive at your interview early and focus on the task at hand. They can be uncomfortable, but with the right tools, you will be able to give your best effort and hopefully land that job.