There's nothing worse than sitting in an interview for a job you really want and feeling unbelievably unprepared. Here are 5 easy ways to better prepare yourself for your next big interview.
1. If you don't know what to wear, it's better to be overdressed.
Some job interviews don't tell you whether the interview is informal or formal. It can be stressful trying to come up with an outfit to wear when you're already nervous about the interview itself.
Rule of thumb: It's better to be overdressed than underdressed. Don't bring out your prom dress from three years ago, but if you're torn between nice jeans and those running shorts that you slept in last night, it's better to be more on the dressed up side.
2. Be aware of your nervous ticks.
Similar to how you would be during a presentation, be aware of what your body language is telling the interviewer. Is your knee bouncing involuntarily? Are you touching your hair too much? You might not think anything of this, but your interviewer might get distracted by this and it could take away from what you're saying.
Everyone has little ticks they pick up when they're nervous. Just try and be aware of what yours are so you can put your best self forward for this interview.
3. Research the company beforehand and have questions for them.
I'm not suggesting becoming a walking Wikipedia page on the company you're interviewing for. But I've been to a few interviews before where some general knowledge on the company and their background would've made me feel more prepared. Having questions in the back of your mind about either the position or the company will make you appear as though you put a lot of thought into this job and will make you stand out.
4. Make sure you have a bomb resume.
If you're like me, you might not have updated your resume in months. Now's the time to update it and make it as impressive as you possibly can. Maybe you have some more skills that you've learned that you would like to include. Maybe you got a new phone number. Big or small, make sure that your resume is updated. It's the opportunity to market yourself off to the company-so make yourself sound like the amazing candidate that you are!
5. Fake it til you make it
This is in terms of confidence— obviously you shouldn't be faking anything on your resume. But if you naturally are a bit more of an anxious person, it could be helpful to act like you are the most confident person in the room.
If you act like you are sure of yourself and act like you believe you would be an asset to that company, you'll make your interviewers believe it too.
