Preparing for an Interview

Four prep tips that will help you shine during your interview.

1. Practice, practice, practice. Look at lists of potential questions and write out your answers. Know what case you want to make for yourself; be specific about what strengths, skills, and experience you have; and be prepared with examples of how you used them and how that relates to the position you are interviewing for.

2. Study. Read the job description and know your résumé. Find out about the company and about the field you are interested in entering. If you can, read up about the people you are going to interview with.

3. Prepare stories. Go through your résumé and prepare at least three or four stories that you can tell about your experience. These stories should illustrate how your background qualifies you for the job you are interviewing for.

4. Prepare to turn the negative into a positive. Everyone has something in their background they don’t want to address. Prepare to counter the negatives you may have to address with a positive outcome or interpretation.