At Fuse 3, we give our best efforts to help you get an interview with a company or companies you would like to work for. After we successfully match your skills and qualifications with a prospective employer’s job requirements…then comes the interview!
While we can’t go in the room with you, we can share some insight to help you prepare for the opportunity, build your confidence and put your best self forward.
1. Research the company you are interviewing.
- Do a Google search on the company
- Go to their website and learn about their business, their products, and their team
- Look for press releases from the company
- Read over the company’s blogs
- Know about the company’s competitors
- Use your network of contacts or talk to anyone you know in the company to get information about their culture, what it’s like to work there, etc.
2. Try to find out who will be interviewing you.
- Check out their LinkedIn pages and look for them on the company’s website to learn about their backgrounds and interests.
- Show interest in them and what they do in the company.
3. Research the questions you might be asked and prepare concise and clear answers.
Here are some examples of general interview questions
- Can you tell me about yourself?
- What do you know about our company?
- Why are thinking about leaving your current job?
- What interests you about this job?
- Can you describe your work style?
- What do you consider to be your greatest strength?
- What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- What are your salary requirements?
- Is there anything we didn’t cover that you want to add?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- Be prepared to answer questions about gaps in your employment or frequent job changes.
There are many online resources out there, including 40 of the Most Frequently Asked Job Interview Questions.
4. Practice Interviewing to build confidence.
Ask friends, family members or anyone you know who has experience interviewing employees to hold a mock interview with you. Ask for feedback on your answers, your body language, and your preparedness. Have them ask the questions you have prepared as well as unexpected ones to see how well you can think on the spot.
5. Try out the company’s products or services or talk to someone who has used them.
Regardless of what job you are applying for, this will help you prepare for any questions about their products or services. Your interviewer will see that you went the extra mile to prepare for the interview.
6. Look at your Social Media and Facebook from the prospective employer’s viewpoint.
While you’re researching a company that you’re going to interview with, they are most likely researching you too. Review your social media and online postings and pictures and remove anything that is embarrassing or would not look good to a prospective employer.
Consider making your facebook profile 100% private while in the midst of your job search. Different managers have different perspectives on what is offensive and you might leave something on your profile that unintentionally offends. Also, Google yourself to see what comes up if they did a search on you.
7. Dress appropriately and professionally for your interview
- Dress more formally for your interview than you would on the job.
- Be sure to be neat and well-groomed.
- Don’t wear strong perfume or aftershave. It is offensive to some people and others can be allergic to the chemicals in it.
8. Arrive 5-10 minutes early for your interview.
- Download the directions in advance; drive by to see how long it takes.
- Anticipate traffic delays
- Turn off your cell phone so it doesn’t ring or buzz during the interview.
9. Don’t forget important documents and bring several copies of them with you for multiple interviews. Include:
- Your resume
- References with a name, title, company and their phones or emails
- Letters of recommendation complimenting your abilities, attitude achievements or other positive comments
- Appropriate samples of your work
- Your questions to ask the interviewer
- Contact your professional references to let them know that your prospective employer might be contacting them. Tell them what job you are interviewing for.
You can add your own research to this more general approach to cover anything we might have missed, especially if you are applying for a highly specialized job in a specific market or industry. Just remember, the better prepared you are, the better the interview will go and the better your chances will be of getting the job!
Feeling ready? Let us get you in front of a good, prospective employer asap!