It doesn’t matter how many of them you have done, an interview is always a challenging thing. How should you prepare best for a job interview, once you have secured one? There are some things that most experts in the field agree on and they are all fairly simple. Here are the five things that you must do when preparing for that important interview.

1. Research the Company

Research the employer (and industry, if possible). The question “What do you know about this company” may be asked during the interview, even if it seems casual and throwaway.  It is important to display interest and knowledge. Use the company’s website to find out information on the company’s history, mission and values. Look at a company’s blog and social media presence also

2. Practice and Prepare

Carefully review the job description and look up anything you don’t understand. Know exactly what the job is and what it entails. Make a list of the job’s requirements and match them to your experience. Check typical job interview questions and try to think of any that might be applicable to this particular role. Work out your answers to these questions. Strong answers will be specific but concise, drawing on real examples of your skills and experience, emphasising the things most relevant to the position.

Practice answering the questions. Use a mirror, a recording device, or ask friends or family to mock interview you. The trick is to get comfortable with talking about yourself without sounding too confident, or, perhaps even worse, too self-conscious.

4. Get Ready Before The Day of the Interview

Make sure you have an interview outfit ready the day before the interview. Whatever the position, ensure that you are smart, neat and tidy and appropriate for the firm where you are being interviewed. Always err on the side of being too smart. Prepare a folder, or Portfolio, with extra copies of your CV and a pen and paper for taking notes.

5. Be on Time

Being on time for the interview means being early i.e. at least five to ten minutes before your interview time. Drive to the interview location the day before, if this is required, but take account of the difference in traffic there may be on the actual day. Err on the side of being too early. You can always sit in your car in the car-park for a while if you have to. Give yourself time to calm your nerves if that’s required.

Some Bonus Dos and Don’ts

• Do know your own CV. Most interviewers will probably have it in front of them at the interview.
• Do quiz yourself in advance with practice questions.
• Do spend time researching the market and the industry that the company is part of.
• Do practice your interview skills with a friend or family-member.
• Do prepare answers to common interview questions.
• Do eat a healthy breakfast before going in.
• Don’t stress yourself out by dwelling on negative possibilities.
• Don’t be late because you get lost. Plan for delays.
• Don’t schedule for late in the week. Studies say that the ideal time for an interview is 10:30 on a Tuesday, so don’t choose a Thursday or Friday, if you have the choice.
• Don’t drink too much coffee or tea.

Next week, in the second part of this series, we will be looking at how to perform well when you get to the interview and how to ensure that you are successful.