You Can Do It! How to Crush That Interview and Get the Job

Recent college graduates are told too often to focus on optimizing their resumes and underscoring their most significant accomplishments (of which there a generally few). Sure, while a high GPA and attractive internships look good, they won’t get you an offer. The best advice for interviewees is to reverse what many people do and highlight your potential rather than your limited experience and resume.

Let’s examine the secrets for a successful interview that is guaranteed to help you obtain your dream job:

Conduct Proper Research

More often than not, employers will seek out the candidate who not only demonstrates a passion for their business but also someone who’s willing to take the time to research the company.

It’s in your best interest to do everything you can to learn about your prospective employer. In other words, read everything about the company in order to understand what they do and how they do it. Prior to going into the interview, ask yourself how prepared you are to discuss the company’s business.

Ask Questions

Thoughtful and relevant questions show real interest and give the company an idea of your analytical thought process. When preparing for the interview, consider how many questions you have and in what order you’ll be asking them. By posing a strategic mix of questions that reflect not only the company at large but also the nature of the interview, you’ll naturally show off your research and ability to strategically string thoughts together on the spot.

Show Your Value

You’ll want to show your prospective employer how you can leverage your knowledge to positively impact the job and company at large.

To show how you will bring the most value to the company, consider avoiding simply selling yourself on past job experiences. Quite frankly, that’s what most other candidates do. While talking about your knowledge and passion for the company’s business, demonstrate both how you fit into the business model and how you will bring value to the company. You might want to hone in on a particular challenge the company faces and ask if they’ve tried a specific approach that you’re familiar with.

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Sure, while every interview and candidate is unique, when recent graduates and prospective job seekers apply the aforementioned principles to their interview techniques, they have a high chance of receiving that job offer. The most important thing to remember, however, is that even if you have limited experience, showing curiosity and a persistent attitude shows that you have what’s needed to succeed in business.