TOP 5 INTERVIEW TIPS

Job interviews stress me out more than the actual job. The idea of someone having prejudged me based on the words on a piece of paper and then having about 15 minutes to show them that I am more than that piece of paper is a scary thing.

Here are 5 great tips to help ease your nerves for a job interview:

1.) Google yourself. If an employer wants to know the real you, it can happen with the click of a button. Make sure your social media accounts are private. (This does not mean that have zero access to it, but it will keep them from being able to know what you were doing 134 weeks ago.) Be wise with what you post on line.

I googled myself and luckily take pride in what appears: LinkedIn, The Echo, Kick Back With Cate, Dean's List at Regis University and California Lutheran University, and information regarding a Missions trip I took to Joplin, Missouri a few years ago.

If your search results aren't as eye worthy for a job interview, find a way to push these links to the bottom. It IS possible!

2.) Do your research. Look at the company's website, read their recent articles and blog posts, and know their mission inside and out. Incorporate their mission statement into an interview response. Also research your position in your company and in other companies. GlassDoor is a great resource for this. You can even find sample interview questions for the specific job. (I once went to an interview where the questions were word for word from the practice interview questions on GlassDoor!)

3.) Respond to interview questions with the SAR method. Situation. Action. Response. For example, the interviewer asks: "How do you handle stressful situations?" Respond with, "I take a deep breath, step back, and analyze the situation. For example, (situation) recently I had a customer getting upset with me regarding a return. I (action) took a deep breath to calm myself and explained our return policy to the customer. Afterwards (response) the customer and I came to agreement about the situation. If I had not taken a breath and analyzed the situation, I could have gotten frustrated with the customer."

4.) Arrive with questions for the interviewer. At the end of the interview, the interviewer usually asks if you have any questions for them. Having a couple shows a vested interest in the position and a desire to learn. A few great questions to ask are, "What is a typical day like in this position?" "What is your favorite part of working here?" "Is there room to grow in the company in the next 3-5 years?"

5.) Send a thank you note within 24 hours. This shows your respect and timeliness, as well as keeping their vision of your positive. It puts you on the top of the response pile when they plan a second interview or determine who is getting the job offer.

What are your job interview tips?