4 Elements of a Great Job Interview & How to Prepare

Effective interviews require preparation and attention to detail—don’t “wing it”. Below are concrete steps you can take to ensure you're feeling confident when the day comes. 

Dress

Generally, the go-to standard for interviews is to dress with professional sensibility. In most offices, that could mean a dress, suit, blazer, or a button-down. Appearance isn’t everything, but what you wear communicates a message. Proper dress shows that you understand the basic expectations of an office environment. It shows you care enough to put effort into the first impression. 

Not all workplaces require business attire, but the same idea applies even in these cases. How you dress demonstrates you understand the role and what is appropriate for that job. Wearing a suit to mow the grass wouldn’t make any sense, for example. However, some companies may need you to wear a suit to a sales job. The point is to express your unique style consistent with the professional setting.

If you’re not sure, dress a step above what you think. Consider this example. You are interviewing for a cashier job at a local barbeque restaurant you like. When you go, you notice the servers usually wear t-shirts and longer shorts in the summer. You might be able to get away with shorts and a t-shirt. It depends on the person interviewing you.  A safer bet is to wear something like a polo and jeans, which is a bit more professional.

It’s usually best to be a little too professional than not professional enough. 

Attitude

What pairs better with a fresh look than a sunny attitude? A positive and uplifting attitude is contagious, and it is a great way to start your interview. If you don’t feel positive about the company or position at your interview, that won’t change once you start. We get it: it may not be your dream job or position. But the goal is to find something you feel excited about and make that the focus of your interview. 

Think about the times when you worked with teams or in group projects. It’s hard to want to work with people who have a bad attitude toward what they’re doing. Show excitement about at least some parts of the role. Focusing on the positive will help you in any job. Whether it is your dream job or not, every job will include elements you like and others you don’t. Changing your attitude will go a long way, and it can start with the interview!

Questions

The next element? Asking relevant and insightful questions. Asking good questions shows you care. It shows you know something about the role. It shows you understand the company. Sometimes interviews start with the manager asking what you know about the company. If you didn’t do your research ahead of time, it will be easy for them to tell.

Consider it from their perspective. Imagine you come into the interview for a specific job at a specific company. They see you don't know much about the job or the company. It would be hard for you to convince them you're the right fit if you're not even sure!

On top of that, they can't be sure if you truly know what they are asking you to do.

In an interview, you must convince them that you:

-  Understand the position

- Are familiar with the company

- And that your skills, personality and experiences match what they're looking for.

Asking questions can help. For example, consider the difference between asking two questions.

“So, what do you all do here?”

OR

“I noticed your company expanded the menu to include more vegetarian options a few months ago. I was curious about how that’s affected business."

As you can see, these two questions are very different. You don’t need to be an expert. Take time to think through some key questions ahead of your interview. This will help you make the most of the opportunity.

Answers 

Like questions, answers are also critical. Your answers are one of the only ways interviewers can assess whether you are right for the role. They don’t know your background, your activities, or your day-to-day. All they know is what is on your resume, what you tell them and sometimes, what you post online. (But that’s a topic for another post!). The interview is where they can get an idea of how you interact with others. That is where they decide whether they could see you working alongside them and their team. Be effective in answering questions. This will make it easier for them to see you as a natural fit for the role. 

When you think of interview answers, be specific. Concrete examples are much better than vague and general statements. Consider the difference between these two statements:

“I am a very hard-working person. I put in a lot of effort.” 

“I work very hard. I will give an example. I worked on a group project last semester. My group partner and I realized we needed to make changes to our presentation. We stayed up until 11:00pm rehearsing and making new slides to be sure we were ready for the next morning.”

One answer tells the interviewer what to expect, and the other answer shows them in a practical way. It demonstrates what you understand to be hard work. Here is a tip to practice before your interview. First, write out qualities you think you would bring to your job. Second, write sentences about concrete, specific examples of when you demonstrated those qualities. If you’re not sure, ask a friend, a parent or an advisor to help. 

Summary

Interviewing is a key skill, and it takes practice. Prepare your attire, your attitude, your questions and your answers. Even if you don’t get the first job you interview for, you’ll learn about how to better communicate. Practice, practice, practice!