Tools That Could Help Improve Your Interview Skills

Congratulations on making it to the interview portion of your job search! You’ve already been successful at standing out on paper, now, the real task is to stand out in person.

Chances are, you aren’t the only applicant in the pool being asked to interview for the position, so you will need to go above and beyond to ensure that the employer knows that you are, beyond a doubt, the best person for the job.

Before the big day, use the following tools to help improve your interview skills.

Research and knowledge

Knowledge from research is the most powerful tool that you have at your disposal. Before any interview you should always research the business or company.

Employers are always impressed with prospects that already have a basic knowledge of what the company stands for, what the position is responsible for, history of the company, names of CEOs and board members, and other vital information.

Almost all companies use some sort of technology as part of their structure and a candidate that already understands the programs and software used will have a leg up on the competition.

If you are applying for a position in HR, find out what their people management or payroll management software is. If you are working in property management, find out what software is being used for leasing and managing accounts. Retail managers should know something about the point of sales systems being used.

Don’t be afraid to ask for this information before the interview or do some something to find out. There are websites like TrustRadius that review software and technology for businesses where you can get real opinions on many of the programs that companies are using today.

Apps for practice

Practice really does make perfect and there are many apps on the market that can help you hone your interview skills and prepare you for tough questions. My Interview Simulator is a great tool to use for practicing face to face interviews. This app is able to ask over 100 questions with several interview formats.

Quizlet is another amazing app that is great for learning in general. Not only can you use Quizlet to answer interview questions, you can review flashcards on just about any subject. If you are applying for a job as a landscaping technician, there are flashcards about gardening, horticulture, and land architecture.

Check out the flashcards on classic cars if you are working at a car show, or flashcards on cardiology if you are trying to get a job as a receptionist in a Cardiology Office. These helpful apps can be what gets you hired and is akin to the knowledge and research portion of the steps you must take to be successful in a job interview.

If you are really interested in developing your interview skills, or helping others to, there are fee-based websites and programs that offer classes on interviewing and job skills. These sites have hundreds of mock interviews that you can filter through based on industry, experience, and position level.

Look the part

Having a wardrobe that reflects your job market is important. You won’t fare well in an interview for a paralegal if you walk into the office wearing an outfit that looks like you applied to be a lifeguard at the beach.

First impressions are the most important and dressing to impress doesn’t always mean suit and tie. Dress for the job you are applying for. Having confidence in your appearance is a tool that goes a long way to improve your interview and conversational skills.

Successful interviewing will land you the job of your dreams. Make sure to use these tools to score the position you want at the company you’d love to work for.

Inspiring Interns is a recruitment agency specialising in all the internships and graduate jobs London has to offer