How to Rock Your Interview

Your kickass resume has been received by that super cool company you applied to, and now they want to meet for an interview. Your dream job is right around the corner, but before you get there, you need to absolutely rock this interview. Easy enough, right? Unfortunately, for most people interviews can be intimidating at the best of times, and downright scary at the worst. Leaving a good impression on the people that ultimately decide whether or not to hire you is a feat that leaves most people a little shaken and prone to bungling their words. Take a deep breath in and out, then continue reading. We’ve outlined a few key points to keep in mind for the big day, which can help to cut down on stress, and ultimately help you in giving the best interview possible.

Research the company before you interview!

This is an extremely easy way to ensure you won’t be caught off guard at the start of your interview. We’ll assume that by applying to this company, that you already have some general idea what they do; but you can totally build upon this knowledge by researching the company’s history, including their past projects and client list. Doing so allows you to form a better understanding of what they do, and helps you to develop some talking points on how you will fit in at the company. Keep in mind, there is a fine line between knowing your stuff, and coming off a little creepy; so do your research, and recognize opportunities throughout the interview to share your knowledge.

Prepare some questions for the interviewers.

It’s safe to say that most every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you’ve got any questions for them. Assuming these details haven’t been discussed at length during the interview, this question presents an opportunity for you to learn more about the position, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of the company’s work culture. By doing so, this demonstrates your passion for the position, as well as an interest in the business itself.

Understand the benefits you bring to their company.

Be your own champion! By marketing the advantages that set you apart from other competitors, and stressing the unique benefits that you bring to their business, the interviewer gains a clear perspective on your personal passion for the position. An easy way to ensure you spotlight your best qualities is to prepare a list of answers to common interview questions; doing so will allow you to pre-plan ways to effortlessly highlight your best qualities, while keeping the interview on track. Another advantage to preparing responses is that doing so can help to establish confidence prior to the interview, and hopefully quell some nerves. Confidence is key, but it is equally as important to be honest about your own shortcomings; “what is your greatest flaw”, is a tried and true interview question, so make sure you have a sincere answer.

Remember to sit up straight!

It is widely theorized that more than half of communication between people is non-verbal, so with that in mind, it is valuable to not only invest time in speaking the part, but also by looking it. As mentioned previously, researching the workplace culture is a worthwhile endeavor, so take note of the attire, and arrive to the interview dressed your best. Maintaining a steady amount of eye contact with your interviewer throughout the meeting is advisable, but once again, overdoing this might end up causing more harm than good in the scheme of things. In short, the subtle, non-verbal cues you exude throughout the interview can help to sway the outcome in your favor, by demonstrating your natural self-confidence.

Don’t sweat the small stuff!

Interviewing can bring out the nerves in anyone, so it’s more than likely that you’re going to stumble over a word here and there. To help combat this, try speaking a little slower when answering a question, and don’t be afraid to pause to think when answering. Doing so will help you avoid filler words, such as “uh” or “um”. If the interviewer throws you a curveball, and you’re unsure how to respond, or just flat-out do not know the answer, do not make something up on the spot. As tempting as this might be to save face, at the end of the day the only person you’ll probably be fooling is yourself. Authenticity is key during an interview, so be honest with the interviewer, as well as yourself!

Finally, follow up.

After your interview concludes, consider following up with your interviewer through email; thanking them for their time, and mentioning that you’re looking forward to hearing back from them. Maintaining a line of contact within the company helps to keep you at the forefront of their mind, and should you not get the job, keeps you in their circle of potentials to fill a spot in the future.

Maybe we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves, and you haven’t quite yet found that awesome job-opening to apply for. Luckily you’ve come to the right place, as you’re only one click away from Canada’s best creative job offerings! So whatever creative career you’re searching for, we hope to have the job for you.