7 Things To Do Before Going for a Job Interview

You checked your inbox and you received that delightful email: We received your application for the position of XYZ in our company and are pleased to invite you for interview. See details below.

Happy you definitely are. But your heartbeat doubles. How will I ace this? I desperately need to change my job this year and this is a golden opportunity I must not miss.

Or perhaps, you are a freshie: I have subscribed to Jobberman and other other job search engines, applied for more than 50 job openings, but never got to interview stage.

Or even: I have flunked many interviews in the past, and my confidence level is badly hit, how do I ace this?

Thoughts and thoughts and thoughts.

But I have prepared this based on my experience in particular and experience of friends and colleagues, and even top recruiters I have related with.

1, Know about the company: First thing to do is know about the company. Naturally, their website is your first port of call, but to be ahead of competition, you need to know more. Google their name to get latest news about the company. If you want to wow in an interview, find a way to systematically smuggle into the interview what you read about them that morning in the newspaper, if any. If none, no problem.

2, Speak with someone that works in the company: It is always good to speak with someone that works in the company you are interviewing with. If you don’t know anyone there, no problem, it is easy, this is how you will do it: you are invited for  interview with Addax Petroleum for example, but you don’t know anyone there, chances are you will know anyone that works/worked in the oil and gas industry, say Oando or Total, speak with him to ask whether he knows anyone that works in Addax. If he doesn’t know, tell him to help you speak with any of his colleagues that knows anyone in Addax. It continues like that. Before the third-level communication, I am very sure you will get to speak, or get someone speaking on your behalf , with someone that works in the company you want to interview with. This formula has never failed me!

3, Check out Linkedin:  I changed job some years back and Linkedin was helpful to me, even as it was not this popular then. Search for the company’s name on Linkedin, you will get someone that works there. Connect, or simply scan their profiles. The bits you get there will be useful. Some companies have official Linkedin pages, check it out too. Linkedin can also be helpful in achieving number 2 up there. If the invite gives you the name to ask for when you reach there, peep into that person’s personality and interest through his Linkedin profile, if public, and have an idea about him, perhaps he is part of the interview panel. The HR Manager of that company as well as the Head of the department you are being shortlisted for, are also most likely to be part of the interview panel. Check them out on Linkedin, or even Google. Perhaps, he likes football, perhaps he is from your village. If you know a thing or two before-hand about the person that is going to interview you, it helps you in tailoring your response to some questions (e.g things you know he likes, etc). All these info can mentally prepare you for the interview.

[GOT AN INTERVIEW? WE WILL PREPARE YOU: JARUSHUB INTERVIEW PREPARATION SERVICE]

4, Check your CV to anticipate questions: In Jarushub Premium Services, we do this for our enrollees, i.e, checking their CV to anticipate what questions they are most likely going to be asked at the interview, based on their CV. For example a career gap on your CV, your academic and experience background being different from the role they are interviewing you for, the company you’re leaving having more recognition than the new one that wants to interview you, and other things on your CV that will generate questions. Scrutinize your CV to anticipate those questions and prepare your answers before-hand so that you wont be caught off-guard.

5, Do mock interview/rehearse: Most times, when I’m going for interview, the night before, I prepare questions on a sheet of paper, hand it over to my brother or friend, or whoever is at home with me, to ask me, while we do a mock interview session. We go like two or three rounds, and correct ourselves.  If you don’t have anyone to help with it, do it yourself, either in front of a mirror or sitting in your dining set. I also do this for official presentations at work.  I have done this for people I prepared for interview too. This works wonder, and I have built it into Jarushub Career Coaching and Graduate Finishing Service for our enrollees. This makes you think less before answering some questions

6, Read about the industry: If you follow the news, you don’t need to spend much hours to know what is going on in that industry. But if you don’t, you have to read up  the trending topics in the industry. Is it Oil & Gas industry (PIB, local content, deregulation if downstream, etc), or banking (change of CBN leadership etc) or FMCG? Know some few things about the industry so that you wont look like a fool if the interview discussion spills to that.

7, Work on your mind: Most times you receive interview invite days, if not weeks, ahead. Use the intervening days to do all of the above. But equally importantly, mentally prepare your mind. Preparing very well is your best confidence booster. But in addition, not seeing it as get-or-die can also work wonder (it works for me at least, giving me confidence), but for some people, seeing it as get-or-die makes them go for broke and improve their performance. Whichever works for you, work on your mind. Print out relevant materials (like articles about the company or industry or tips to acing interview or answers to common interview questions) and read them in relaxed mood (not the serious mood of preparing for exams), and get the information at high level (not necessarily every minor detail). You don’t need to spend the whole 7 intervening days to put your mind on the forthcoming interview, forget about it for some hours in some days, and do other things, like watching football, or whatever tickles your fancy. Even on the interview morning, joke with a couple of people around you, just to keep you in right mental shape, and not just shaking and shivering around.

THE ROAD TO VICTORIA ISLAND

A Career Guide by Jarus

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See also

CV Review

Interview Preparation

Career Guide

Career School

Career Networking

Professional Networking

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