How to prepare for an interview (Part 1)

Start preparing as early as possible. Larger companies will contact you one month before the scheduled interview time. You can use this entire month to prepare, so that you can easily and confidently enter the interview.

Conduct a thorough investigation. Investigate the company you are interviewing for and its specific business departments or departments. Obtain as much background information as possible, so that when asked to say something about the company, you won't be asked to be speechless.

Meanwhile, search online for the person who will interview you (or someone you think may interview you). You can try LinkedIn: Linkedin. This is a website focused on workplace socializing that can help you establish professional corporate networks.

Seek help from others. You don't need to fight alone. Many people are willing to help you and may be of great help:

Identify experts. Find mentors or alumni who graduated from the same university as you and are currently working in the job you want to interview for. Talk to them and obtain some internal information. Request their advice. Business forums are a great website for you to connect with such people.

Prepare with peers. Find someone who is also preparing for a job interview. Interview each other so that you can easily handle both verbal and social interviews. You can also share with your peers the personal experiences and anecdotes you plan to share with the interviewer. Ask her/him which story portrays your image, and then based on their feedback, choose the interviewer who best represents you to present to you.

Prepare at least three questions to ask your interviewer. This is not too difficult, you can easily find it by searching online. Think about what you want to know about this company and how working in this company is different from other companies. Remember that interviews are twofold, and if you want them to feel that you really care about the job, you need to show them that you are interested in the company. List at least three questions you want to ask, including these key points:

Ask about the growth space of this company. Of course, you are applying for a specific position, but you can indicate your willingness to stay in this company for the long term.

Ask who will be your closest work partner. This can indicate your interest in the people you interact with in the company - if the facts indicate that you are going to work with one of the sharp interviewers you don't like in the interview, it will help you see if this job is suitable for you.

Ask for more information about a particular job in the job description to let them know that you have read the job description in detail and have thought about your daily work in the company.

Be prepared for some basic questions you may be asked. Although every interview may shock you, there are still a series of basic questions that you can easily encounter. So the best preparation is to answer them truthfully before you enter the interview, so that you don't seem caught off guard or don't spend any time preparing for the interview. Here are some key questions you may be asked:

What are your strengths? Can you give us an example to illustrate?

What are your weaknesses? (Don't say you have no flaws or that you have never made mistakes. This will make you look very arrogant.)

Why do you want to work here? Why do you think you are suitable for this job?

What are your long-term work goals?

What was the biggest professional challenge you faced before? How did you defeat it?

Are you suitable for team work? Can you give an example to illustrate your strong teamwork ability?

Why did you choose to leave your current company? If you are still an employee of another company, honestly answer why you want to leave, do not bring too much negative emotions or speak ill of your boss, and always maintain respect

Appear earlier. Make sure to dress appropriately and prepare all necessary documents. Ideally, you should bring a good briefcase containing loose leaf paper and additional photocopies of your resume. Also make sure there are two pens and pencils inside, so that you can jot down some key points and prepare a pen if requested by the other party.

It is also important to know what not to bring. Leave your computer and gum at home. If you really need to bring your phone, make sure it is completely turned off before entering the interview. Of course, you cannot bring anyone with you for the interview.

Don't bring your coffee cup or beverage bottle into the interview as well. This will make people feel that you are too casual.