Preparing for a Job Interview
How to guide

Preparing for a job interview can be a stressful experience. Mockmate is here to help. Here are our top general tips to prepare for your next interview.

Know your audience

Learn about the company. Be sure to read their website. It’s basic but you still have to do it.
Nothing takes the energy out of a first conversation then when it becomes clear that the person doesn’t understand the basics of the company. So be prepared at least to explain the company you want to work for, what they do, and maybe even why they do it.

Recent company social media, blogs, or speeches, can give an updated insight into the latest news. Secondary sources like the Wikipedia page, news articles and podcasts that may mention them, can also provide insights.

Ask for the names of the people you’ll be interviewing with and learn about them – check their LinkedIn pages, and contributions to the company so you can understand their perspective.

Prepare for the questions

Don’t memorize

An interview is a conversation. With practice, you’ll get better at replying, but you shouldn’t come across as scripted and uncomfortable (if you can help it!). You should be prepared but it shouldn’t feel forced. Don’t panic if you can’t remember exactly what you want to say.

Ask them questions

When it’s your turn, you want to demonstrate that you know the audience and relate to the interviewer by asking an intelligent question at the right time (normally at the end of the interview). Before your interview, you should prepare a few sensible questions you’d like to learn. You can find some examples here.

Remember that interviews are two-way conversations so they are also your chance to learn if you want to work at the company.

Prepare yourself

Ideally, we’d all be judged based on what we say and not how we look. Until that future comes, you’ll still need to prepare your clothes (wrinkle-free) and wear the appropriate shoes (not flip flops), brush your teeth (if you meet in person), and do whatever it is you would normally do when you are trying to make a good first impression (an interview can feel like a date!). When you put some effort into your appearance, you usually feel more confident.

Mental and physical readiness

Do what you can to make sure you are mentally and physically ready for a moderately intense conversation.

That means: Get a good night of sleep. If drinking coffee makes you feel wired and overly chatty, then skip that morning cup. If you’re irritable when hungry, eat before and consider packing a snack. If you feel better after meditating or going for a walk, then build that into your day-of schedule. Do what you can to bring your best self!