Six Steps to Prepare for Your Next Job Interview: Part 1 of 3

Peanuts Comic Strip by Charles SchultzRecently, I went through the job search and interview process. It was a little confusing at first as I didn’t know how I wanted to approach my preparation, but after a little research and some help from friends, the process became easier. With that said, I wanted to share some important steps in this 3-part interview preparation series to explain what it took for me to prepare and eventually land a new role. In part 1, I will talk about how to properly study the job description, why each section is important, and why it’s important to utilize your network during the job research process.

Study the Job Description (JD)

                Studying the JD is a great start to help you crush a job interview. JDs typically include roughly the following sections: Responsibilities, Qualifications, Experience.

Why it’s Important: Reading through the JD allows you to understand the primary objectives of the role, aids in tailoring your resume, and helps prepare for the actual interview. Here is a quick brief on why it’s good to understand each section.

Responsibilities:

  • As you review the ‘Responsibilities’ section, take note of where you have experience and any comments or questions that come to mind.
  • Pay careful attention to key buzzwords you can incorporate into your cover letter and resume as well.
  • This section should also start to trigger stories from your past experiences that will help you prepare for potential interview questions … more on that to come later!

 Qualifications:

  • The ‘Qualifications’ section focuses on big picture requirements for the position.
  • You can often identify any proficiencies that you will want to be prepared to answer questions on in the interview.
  • Look for Competency buzzwords to include skill-sets like communication, collaboration, strategic thinking, action-oriented, etc.

Experience:

  • The ‘Experience’ section is something you should pay attention to when contemplating if you should apply.
  • It typically includes the minimum level of education and experience required for the position.
  • If you think your qualifications are up to snuff but don’t meet the experience requirement, a strong cover letter and resume will be necessary to stand-out.
  • If they called for an interview, take that as a “you passed” and this section doesn’t matter.

For more tips on how to decode the job description – here is a great article that I found useful during my research: Study Job Listing To Get The Job

The next big thing that helped me was utilizing my network.

Why it’s Important:  Your network can often give you details on the company and its culture, the hiring manager and their management style, work-life balance, perceived glass ceilings and more. This information is priceless!

  • If you haven’t started building your network, get started by creating a LinkedIn account and connecting with people you know.
  • The best people to add are people you’ve worked with before and currently in addition to people from any professional courses or schools you’ve attended. Always write them a quick personal message to get started. (That’s the best way to show your intention right off the bat.)
  • Roles might be a perfect fit on paper, but some of the most important aspects of a position aren’t in the job description, so it’s always great to talk to someone who has done a same position within the company or outside
  • If you don’t have a professional network built up not to worry! There are websites like GlassDoor, Comparably, and Careerbliss can These can provide insight into company culture, compensation, reviews, without the network footwork. . Be careful though, the reviews can often trend toward the negative which may not be an accurate portrayal of the company or the people that work there, so it’s always great to have that personal touch of your own network.

Bonus Points:  Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn and provide recommendations in return. You can use these later as conversation points in an interview or as sentiments.

I have used these concepts in my own job search/ interview preparation with success and I wanted to pass them on to you! For more tips on how to use networks to your advantage read this article: How to Actually Use Your Network To Get Through A Job Search Even the Tough Parts

 

Look out for my article next week when I cover strategy to develop a deeper understanding of the role and preparing for interview questions you might receive. Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions by replying below to comment.  I look forward to hearing from you!