Eight Steps to job interview preparation

By Rodney Lee (USA, Ret) Employment Analyst with PVA Veterans Career Program

Securing an interview is a big deal. You have demonstrated that you might be the right person for the job, and to receive an invitation from an organization to explore more about you, is not an easy achievement. You only have one shot during an initial interview to impress, address and confirm your value. The eight preparation steps below are recommendations to assist in giving you a competitive advantage:

Research the organization – Knowing and understanding the company is important. Most organizations have websites you can review. The intelligence you receive from research can set you apart by conveying and acknowledging your understanding of the organization, your desire to contribute and how you can help.

Research the job announcement – Read, dissect, and make notes on the announcement or duty description for clarity and to help you prepare responses on possible questions. Do this with the qualification section as well. Make sure that you can articulate your experience as it relates to all the information with the position.

Prepare your elevator pitch – In many cases, the very first interview question is “Tell me about yourself.” This is where your elevator pitch comes in. Think of the ABC series “Shark Tank.” The entrepreneur shares a one-minute sales pitch of their product or service: what it is, how it works and why it matters. The same is true with your pitch, but instead of selling a product or a service, you are selling yourself.

Prepare for the basic interview questions – There are approximately 20 basic questions asked on interviews. These basic questions can be accessed on any internet search engine by typing in “Basic interview questions”. Study them and prepare responses.

Prepare for the behavioral/scenario-based questions – Think of four or five professional experiences, projects, or stories you were involved in and write them down. These experiences should have information that can address issues such as: conflicts, analytical thinking, customer service, relationship building, communications, meeting suspense, failures, falling short, leadership, competence,

(Continued next page) etc. Applying and practicing the STAR method – Situation, Task, Action, and Results – will help you to stay on task in your response. When the scenario question is asked, respond with the situation: In 2018, I received a call about an issue with… Then the task: my assignment was to… The action: I did xyz… The result: The issues was corrected and improved which helped Prepare questions for the interviewer – Prepare three to four questions about the company or position to see if the organization is a good fit for you

Prepare for a face to face interview – Arrive early and dress to impress. At a minimum, consider wearing a solid color button down shirt or suitable blouse, slacks or dress or skirt and business dress shoes. Traffic can be unpredictable, so leave for the interview earlier than the normal expected commute time. Use the extra time after arriving to review your notes. You are marketing yourself and want to leave an impression that you are serious about earning the position. Prepare for a virtual interview – It is important that when the virtual link is sent to you, that you test the system’s functionality, compatibility and connection prior to the interview. Ensure that necessary downloads or updates are completed the day prior. Check your camera and get a feel of the virtual forum set-up for familiarity – and wear appropriate attire.

The goal of your preparation is to answer the most important question employers want to know: “Why should we hire you”? You were invited to the interview because they found you to be qualified; now it’s your turn to demonstrate why you should be their selection. So, prepare for the interview, bring your best self, smile and win the opportunity!

If you, your spouse, or caregiver, are interested in career support including paid employment, education, or volunteer opportunities please visit pva.org/Veteranscareerprogram or email Veteranscareerprogram@pva.org for more information.