Interview Guide for 2023: Easy Preparation Tips for Your Next Interview

Congrats, you got an interview! Now let’s get you hired.  

While you may be excited to know that a potential employer selected your resume out of many who applied to interview, you may feel pressure to do well. And that’s normal. However, knowing how to interview and being prepared will help build confidence and give you the best chance at landing the job. 

Why Do I Need to Prepare for An Interview?

While no two interviewers are alike, often recruiters and hiring managers will ask similar questions targeted towards your level of experience. They might also ask non-role specific questions to understand your thought process in problem solving. It is also not uncommon for the interviewer to ask questions designed to learn more about how you applied technical and soft skills that are transferable to the role you applied. Taking time to polish your interview skills will help you make a great first impression, position you to stand out as a top candidate and ultimately help you land the job.

How Do I Prepare for An Interview?

Many interviews are taking place via virtual methods these days which allows you to stay in the comfort of your home. However, this does not mean that the first impression you set is any less important. Video conference etiquette is critical to master when interviewing remotely. Some etiquette actions to keep in mind are:

• Dress professionally similar to if you were meeting in person
• Become familiar with video meeting technology (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc)  controls and test your connection and camera prior to the interview to ensure it is operational
• Apply a professional looking background from the settings menu if your actual background is not camera-ready for interview purposes
• Outside of a bottle of water, a copy of your resume and a notepad no other food items or potential distractions should be within view of the camera
• Take note of where mute button is located to ensure interviewer can hear your response to questions when asked

Knowing the job description and articulating how your skills support the role is key. You were excited from the moment you saw the job and knew that you have what it takes if given the chance, right? Well, it’s important that the interviewer can imagine you performing in that role, too. Having some fresh examples of how your skills fit into the new role is ideal. SkillUp offers free career coaching sessions that can help you hone in on this skill.

 Being able to explain how your skills are transferable, especially if you are switching industries will help the interviewer envision you working for the company…and that is a great thing! Having positive energy and good body posture will go the distance in your interview. Your interviewer will see your enthusiasm shine through with every response when you display warmth, friendliness and relatability. In addition, conveying your ability to remain flexible with change and a willingness to learn and adapt is a highly sought after skill. Employers want to know that they can count on you to be all-in the myriad of changes they may face in the future. Describing to your interviewer how you’ve positively dealt with change in your current role or previous experiences will help them to feel confident that you will bring the same change management mentality and that you are indeed the right candidate for the job.