5 Quick Tips to Improve Your Interviewing Skills

Nancy Anderson
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You have a two-sided challenge during a job interview. Not only do you have to convince the hiring manager that you're the perfect person for the job, but you must also prove that your skills are better than the other candidates. Discover five quick tips for to improve your interviewing skills ahead of your next opportunity.

1. Talk to an Interview Coach

An experienced interview coach can offer suggestions to improve your job interview skills. A coach may take you through mock interviews where you practice what it's like to do a real interview. The coach can ask difficult questions, note your behavior and make suggestions to avoid saying the wrong things. Good interview coaches do not need very long to work with you, and some need five hours or less to improve your skills in an interview.

2. Research the Company

Recognize that a job interview is a two-way conversation. Research the company fully by looking at its mission statement, leadership structure, recent company news and the products or services it provides. There is plenty of information on the internet, such as the company website, social media pages and Glassdoor reviews. Perform a thorough search to make sure that this company aligns with your ideals.

3. Find Out More About Your Interviewers

Go to LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites to discover more information about the people who are interviewing you. The goal here is find out something you have in common with your interviewers, such as attending the same university, being a fan of the same sports teams or having similar family dynamics. Having a common connection with interviewers helps you develop rapport with them during a job interview. This rapport makes you more memorable and gives you an edge over other candidates.

4. Prepare Your SARB Stories

SARB stands for situation, action, result and benefit. Think of this as the STAR method, or situation, task, action and result. During a job interview, chances are good that your interviewers are going to ask questions about how you handled some previous scenario in your professional life. Explain how you came across a challenging situation, the action you took to solve the problem, the result of your action and then the benefit to the company. Doing so shows how you can use the same methodology and apply it to your new position.

5. Make Sure the Company Aligns with Your Goals

The interview lets you gauge whether the company aligns with your goals, so use this time to ask relevant questions to the interviewers. Consider asking about professional development, the path to advancement and what working there is really like. Evaluate the compensation and benefits package, and see if they align with your goals. If something doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to politely decline an offer.

A job interview represents the final step before a company hires you. These five tips can make that job search adventure more successful. What tips do you have for winning the interview game?


Photo courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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