Prepare and Practice Before the Interview

The interview is your opportunity to give the interviewer a clear picture of who you are and what you’re about. They may have contacted you for an interview, but do not assume the interviewer has actually spent much time reading, let alone studying, your resume. Chances are the person who first contacted you spent some time reviewing your resume, but it was probably less than two minutes and they may not have even looked at your cover letter to garner the background information you felt was so important. So start every interview with the assumption that the interviewer knows very little about you, your background, and your experience.

In every interview, it is your responsibility to educate the interviewer about your background and experience, and about why you are qualified for the job. You need to articulate your work history without sounding like you are reciting your resume. This takes preparation and practice because “interview talk” is very different from how you are used to speaking about yourself.

Prepare and practice—That’s right. You need to prepare and then practice talking about yourself, your career history, and your relevant personal background. The best thing to do is to take out a pen and paper and write an outline of your education and work history. This information can also serve as the basis for your resume, but the goal of this exercise is to get you prepared to speak about yourself.

For each position you’ve had, write down bullet points that describe the job’s duties, your accomplishments, and unique responsibilities that you had. Don’t write sentences. Just get to the point!

Now you are ready to take these “talking points” and turn them into your “presentation.” You should practice your presentation just as you would your role in a high school play. Go ahead, stand in front of the mirror and recite your lines. Or, even better, ask a friend to role-play with you. Keep in mind what the interviewer may be looking for. This will help you anticipate the questions they will ask in the real interview and lead to a more productive role-play scenario.

Remember, successful interviews are not one-way presentations. Rather, they are interactive, conversational in tone, and provide opportunities for both parties to ask questions. The purpose of practicing your “lines” is so the right words roll off your tongue at precisely the right moment. By being prepared, you will sound professional, confident, and self-aware. These are key qualities employers are looking for.

Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Practice and preparation lead to success!

Jonathan Broder is the author and founder of Strategic Professional Staffing www.stratpros.com and his blog is at www.stratprose.com