The Importance of Preparing for an Interview

You’re a top candidate in your field. Your experience is the perfect match for the job description. Your resume was a golden needle in a haystack of lifeless resumes, and the hiring manager for that hot new position you’ve been eyeing jumped at the chance to request an interview with you within minutes of reviewing your application.

It’s in the bag, right?

Not necessarily.

Anyone can blow it during the interview if they aren’t prepared regardless of how good they look on paper. Interviewing is a skill, an art, and it only gets stronger with practice and preparation. How many times have you set aside or spent less than two minutes skimming over that interview prep information your recruiter has sent to you? Sure, it probably contained information that you already know and have heard a thousand times before: show confidence, verbally express your high interest in not only the position but in the company as a whole, provide detailed responses to any questions asked, and other tidbits you have probably heard since you applied for your first job, whether or not it was at the local chip-n-putt.

Whether you’re looking for your next exciting contracting gig or a place to hang your hat for the next ten years, what’s an hour or less of your time? Whether or not you get the offer, it’s certainly time well spent. A phrase constantly heard here at EDI Specialists is, “Even if it’s information you already know, it always helps to refresh yourself before any interview.”

Check back over the next few weeks for my upcoming “Five Senses of Interviewing” series, where I will expand on the above with some helpful hints that many qualified candidates often overlook.