How to Prepare for an Interview

Being interviewed is a situation that nearly everyone faces at some time in life, whether for college or for a job. Most people face this ordeal with anxiety and even fear. However, people who prepare for an interview avoid much of this anxiety. Preparing for an interview involves doing advance research, choosing the right outfit, and planning appropriate communication with the interviewer.

Doing research before the actual interview will increase the chances for a successful interview. Find out the location of the interview site and decide how to travel there to arrive on time. Nothing makes as poor an impression on an interviewer as arriving late. In addition, learn about the company or institution where you are being interviewed. This will help you ask intelligent questions. If your interview is for admission to a school, find out what courses the school offers in your field of interest. For a job interview, find out about the kind of work the company does. If you already work at the company and are being interviewed for a promotion, research the duties of the job for which you are applying. Such research will show the interviewer that you are interested in obtaining the job or being admitted to the school.

Dressing appropriately for the interview is important because your appearance will be the first thing the interviewer notices about you. This means wearing clean, neatly pressed clothing and subdued color combinations such as brown or navy with white. You want to make a good impression, but at the same time you do not want to attract attention to your clothing. Also, you want to show that you can use good judgment. If you wear loud colors or overly noticeable clothes, the interviewer might question your judgment about what's acceptable behavior for a school or office setting.

Preparing what you might say to the interviewer will help you feel more in control of the situation. From your research, prepare a list of questions that you would like to ask the interviewer. As you prepare what you might say, remind yourself of what not to say. For instance, you won't want to ask questions that are too personal. Also, remind yourself not to talk too much. Make a mental note to let the interviewer guide and control the course, of the meeting. Also plan to answer the interviewer's questions fully, explaining your answers rather than replying by saying only yes or no. Remember, the interviewer is trying to form an impression of you and how you would fit in at the school or company.

By following these steps, you will be prepared for your interview and feel more confident about the results. You will also increase your chances of making the good impression that is important for getting accepted into the school of your choice or landing the job you want.