5 Tips to be Well Prepared for a Job Interview

Since the economy took a downturn, many people have found themselves looking for a new job.  With so many people searching out these new jobs, competition has grown fierce over any openings that appear.  What can you do to make sure you are well prepared for a job interview, enough that you can land that new job?

Believe in Yourself

If you do not have confidence in yourself and your abilities to do the new job, it will show.  Your potential employer will be quickly turned off from your lack of belief in yourself and will simply consider the next applicant.

If you do not believe in your abilities, why should your employer?

Dress For Success

It may be a cliché, but the truth is, your appearance is a large part of your interview.  Dressing like a professional will help your potential employer see that you care enough about the job interview, and likely will about the job, as well.

If you go to the interview dressed in ripped jeans and tee shirt, what does that say about you?

Research the Company

The internet is the single largest source of information in the history of mankind, so put it to good use by researching the company you are applying for.

When an employer is interviewing a potential hire, they like to hear questions regarding the job and work environment.  If you have done research, you can intelligently ask questions that you already know the answer to, simply to appear as if you are interested.

For example, if you are applying for an insurance firm, asking questions about how they treat different situations that might come up will do wonders for making it appear that you hold an actual interest in working for them, instead of just being desperate for a job.

Don't Badmouth Your Former Employer

Nothing turns an employer off faster than to hear you bash your former employers.  Even if they were the worst company you have ever worked for, never badmouth them to the interviewer.

The reason is simple: if you are willing to trash-talk one employer, you are able to do it to them, too.

If you left the former company in bad circumstance, you can explain the situation, but do it in a tactful, intelligent and reasoned manner.  You do not have to make it a sob story or make it seem you are holding a grudge.

Have a Strong Resume

Your resume says a lot about you, and the more it says, the better.

It is a smart idea to tailor your resume to match what a potential employer is looking for.  Don't just have one that you copy for every job interview; take the extra time to create a new one for each one you are applying for.

If you lack job experience in the field you are applying for, you can “pad” previous experience to fit the job requirements a little better.

For example, if you are applying for a data entry job, but lack data entry work experience, but have worked as a waitress, you could put down in your resume that a part of your duties as a waitress was entering customer data into the menu-tracking system.

Even if you only wrote down the customer's order on a pad of paper, it appears that you have data entry experience.

Of course, some potential employers will ask questions about this type of thing, but most do not, and those that do usually find it quite humorous.

In the end, it all comes down to exuding confidence, making sure that you understand what the employer will need from you, and being professional.  Of all the things potential employers look for, these five will take you far in your search for your next job.