Have the best interview ever (and land the job!)

Summer is fast approaching, which means many of you have interviews coming up. You already know how to write a perfect cover letter and how to craft an awesome resume — but interviewing is a completely different animal. Being put on the spot can be super stressful and intimidating, but with enough preparation and practice, acing an interview can become second-nature.

We asked Martin Yate, the author of the award-winning Knock ’Em Dead job search book series, for his best interviewing tips for students. Follow this guide and you’ll be sure to nail the interview and land the job!

1. Do your research.

Sure, you might be able to give an impromptu speech in Public Speaking 101, but an interview is not the time to test your improvisation skills. No matter what, you need to be prepared. Most of that preparation comes in research. You’ll want to be knowledgeable about the company, the job you’re applying for and the interviewer.

First, to find out more about the company, you can do a quick search on Google, Facebook or Twitter to learn the basics. See if they have accounts on Pinterest, Tumblr or Instagram, too. To take it a step further, set up a Google media alert. Just type in the company’s name and Google will email you new stories, blogs, videos and more to give you up-to-the-minute news about the company.

Learn the basics about the company, like what it does, where it’s based, and who its clients are if applicable.

“It is so easy to find out about the company and what they are doing,” Yate said. “They want to know that you are interested in them. By showing that you understand what the company does, that demonstrates your interest.”

If you know their names, researching the interviewer(s) can also show your preparedness.

By searching them on Facebook and LinkedIn, you can find out a little bit about them. Yate suggests looking for connections — maybe you went to the same college or are the in the same sorority. Bringing up those connections can help you bond with the interviewer. And even if you don’t have anything in common, you’ll likely find out what the interviewer looks like, which might make you less nervous about meeting them for the first time.

If you don’t know who’s interviewing you, ask!

Ideally, you should ask this question when you set up the interview. However, if you didn’t find out already, calling to ask will show the interviewer that you’re doing your homework.

Finally, you need to know about the job you’re interviewing for.

“You can find out more about the position by reaching out to people you know who are doing this job or who have done this job,” Yate said.

Talk to people either at the specific company you’re applying for, or who hold a similar job in the field. Yate also suggests connecting with your college’s alumni association and joining special interests groups on LinkedIn that relate to your career field.

Having this base knowledge will show your interviewer that you took the time to do the research, which in turn shows that you’re serious about the job opportunity. 

Read more | usatodayeducate.com