7 Things You Should Know Before Your First Job Interview

If you're just starting your first job search, you might be full of excitement and nerves. You may also be feeling a little overwhelmed by all the advice out there telling you how to prepare for an interview. From what to wear to what questions to ask, it can sometimes feel as though there are more rules that don't apply than ones that do! So here's some good news: There aren't actually any rules when it comes to interviewing (unless of course you're interviewing for one of our jobs). What we can tell you is what matters most in this first meeting with potential employers: being yourself and finding out whether this role is right for both sides.

1. Preparing what you're going to wear

If you want to nail your job interview, it's important that your appearance reflects the position and company that you're interviewing with. There are a few things to keep in mind while figuring out what clothes to wear:

• Dress for the position you want (if possible). If the position requires formal attire and yours doesn't, go ahead and wear something nice anyway - it could help set yourself apart from other candidates who didn't dress up enough (or at all). It also shows that even though this isn't their standard business attire, they still care about doing their best on a professional level.
• Dress for the company's culture or environment. You can sometimes find this information online by looking up "dress code examples" or checking out reviews about companies online by former employees who've been there before (but don't post anything negative about them!). This way it's safe for everyone involved because this person might not even get hired anyways if these things come up during interviews later down

2. Getting there early, even if you have to wait around a bit

If you're early, you can take advantage of the waiting time to:

• Relax and do some stretching. This is a good way to stay loose, especially if you're feeling nervous about meeting with your interviewer.
• Prepare for the interview. You can go over your resume/CV or other materials that will help you answer questions during the interview.
• Look around so that when it's time for your interview, you know exactly where it will be taking place (and what kind of building it is).

3. Having some prepared questions to ask them at the end

• Having some prepared questions to ask them at the end of your interview

This is another one that can make or break your chances of getting a job. You want to be ready for any question they might have for you, but don't get too caught up in preparing for every possible scenario. If you do, it will feel like an interrogation and not a conversation - and that won't help you relax and be yourself. That said, there are certain questions they're likely to ask no matter what: Tell me about yourself? What's something unique about yourself? Why do you want this job? Where do see yourself in five years? Instead of just rattling off answers from memory (which shows lack of preparation), take time before each interview to think about the role itself and what it would mean for your career goals overall; then come up with one or two points that illustrate why these things are important enough for them to spend their money on training someone like me!

4. Being honest about things, but also framing things in a positive way

Being honest is a good thing. If you're asked a question, answer it honestly. However, being too negative can hurt your chances of getting the job. If you don't think someone is going to like you because of something silly like your love for cats (and by silly I mean entirely valid), then keep that to yourself. Similarly, if there's something about yourself that makes it seem like you're not very good at working with others, or that makes it look like people might not want to work around you on a daily basis (for example: "I'm really messy and leave my dishes lying around all over"), try not bringing this up in conversation during an interview unless specifically asked about it or tasked with offering up some sort of solution for addressing this issue (like hiring someone else).

Your tone should be positive without being overly positive - in other words, don't lie just because lying seems like what everyone else does. It's okay to talk about how excited/happy/excited-and-happy-and-proud-of-yourself/etc., but don't overdo it by pretending things weren't hard sometimes or by minimizing any difficulties along the way - it's important both for your personal growth and development as well as building trust within teams when people are honest about their experiences!

5. Knowing what your salary range is based on the role and your experience level

Knowing what your salary range is based on the role and your experience level is crucial. After all, you have to be able to justify why someone should hire you for that salary and position.

You're likely going to be asked how much money you want at some point during an interview. Be prepared with a range, but also think about how much value your skills are worth in relation to the company itself - and who knows this better than the people working there?

6. Having an idea of how many years or months you might want to stay at a company before moving on

You may be thinking, "Not sure? What do you mean?" Well, in reality, it's impossible to know when the right time will be to leave a company. However, it is possible to have an idea of how many years or months you might want to stay at a company before moving on. This way, if asked why you're looking for your next job after only being there for three years, you can explain that this job was great but now it's time for another adventure.

If you aren't sure how long exactly would be ideal for your career path, I recommend asking the interviewer this question: "Do interviews usually last longer than five minutes?" If so (and by default they should), use as much time as needed to tell them about yourself and what type of person they'll get if they hire you!

7. Being genuinely excited about the opportunity and the company's work, rather than just being desperate for a job

Now for the big one: it's important to be genuinely excited about the opportunity and the company's work, rather than just being desperate for a job.

This is an important point because it can really help make you stand out among other candidates. You don't have to have all of your life's goals mapped out before you start working at a new company, but if there are areas that are important or interesting to you (and which align with what your prospective employer does), mention those as well. For example, if you're applying for an engineering position at a tech startup and want to learn more about coding in Python or Ruby on Rails, mention that as something that would excite you about this role. Or if you've been dreaming of working in investment banking ever since college (as many people do), tell them that working at their firm will be an excellent way for both parties to realize their goals!

It pays off to be prepared for this first big moment in your career journey.

It pays off to be prepared for this first big moment in your career journey. Here are 7 things you should know before your first job interview:

• Be on time.
• Practice beforehand, and don't just know the answer; know why it's right or wrong (or both). Think about how to address any concerns that come up during an interview, even if it's not directly related to the question asked of you. If there is something that doesn't seem right or doesn't make sense, ask questions! Make sure they're upfront with their answers so that when they say "no" to something important like salary expectations or vacation time off work schedule policies at other companies like Google or Apple then there won't be any surprises down the line after accepting this position full-time at Amazon."

Conclusion

We hope these tips help you ace your first job interview!

PS: Hi! I am a freelance writer with a passion for writing. I am open to most genres, but my primary expertise is in content and blog writing. If you would like to discuss any upcoming projects please feel free to contact me by email at [email protected]