You Got The Interview! What Next?

The best part of your day was finding out you got a job interview! Instead of immediately starting to fret about what they might ask during the interview, leap ahead to the preparation stage.

Since you don’t know exactly what they’re going to ask do some general research to cover as many bases as possible.

Make friends with their social media accounts

If you haven’t already done so, look the company up on all social media platforms. Acquaint yourself with what they’re talking about and reposting on twitter. Read the company blogs. Check out their Facebook page. Get an idea of what’s important to them.

You should be able to get an idea of whether they’re napping chair types like Google or more serious, everyone’s expected to wear a suit everyday types. Pick out points of interest that you could talk about during the interview.

Acquaint yourself with the interviewer

If you don’t already know the name of the person interviewing you see if you can find out. Feel free to call ahead and ask! Once you know who you’ll be talking to, find that person on LinkedIn or Google. Get to know them a little virtually before you meet them in person. Maybe you’ll find out they have a particular passion for poodles or that they volunteer at a soup kitchen on Wednesdays. Be prepared to bring what you find out into the conversation

Study and services and products

Does this company provide a service like cable? Does it manufacture widgets? Don’t narrow your research to what you will specifically be doing for the company. Come with an overall big picture so you can talk intelligently outside of your own small box. Discuss what intrigues you about the company. If you think there are things that could be improved you could even mention those if the opportunity comes up.

Blow your own horn

People respond positively to passion. You don’t want to come off as a blowhard, but you do want your passion for the position and/or the industry to infect the interviewer with a professional passion for you. Don’t expect to go in there and wing it. Write out all the reasons you would love this job and why you would be good at it then go in there and wow them with it!