Being
prepared
is
the
key
to
acing
your
interview
and
boosting
your
chances
of
being
hired.
Keeping
in
mind
these
two
main
objectives
of
any
interview
can
help
you
to
focus
your
prep
time:
-
For
the
interviewer:
They
need
to
decide
on
hiring
you
for
the
position
they
are
seeking
to
fill.
They
might
ask
about
your
work
history,
prior
experience,
educational
background
and
training
but
the
interview
also
allows
them
to
get
a
brief
taste
of
who
you
are–your
motivation,
attitude,
and
personality–in
an
attempt
to
determine
whether
you’ll
fit
into
their
company's
environment.
-
For
the
candidate
or
job
seeker:
Your
objective
is
to
satisfy
the
prospective
employer's
requirements
as
well
as
to
learn
some
central
facts
about
the
company
you
hope
to
join.
Regardless
of
your
first
impressions,
the
goal
should
be
to
obtain
a
job
offer.
Whether
you
decide
for
or
against
the
position
is
unimportant
during
the
interview––your
main
goal
is
to
get
that
offer.

During
normal
times,
during
a
pandemic,
and
going
forward
in
what
will
likely
be
a
hybrid
future,
employer
requirements
can
shift.
But
some
core
expectations
will
remain.
Here
are
our
best
tips
and
pointers
to
make
the
most
of
your
interview:
-
Arrive
on
time.
This
holds
true
for
every
kind
of
interview.
-
Be
prepared.
Do
your
research
and
know
some
key
points
about
the
company,
along
with
keeping
brief
notes
on
hand.
Preparation
also
means
that
you’ve
tested
your
internet
connection,
reviewed
proper
use
of
the
internet
platform
being
used,
and
you
may
have
even
staged
test
meetings
with
family
and
friends.
Disconnect
other
devices
that
could
threaten
a
solid
connection
or
cause
distractions.
-
Greet
the
interviewer.
Whether
in
person,
with
a
firm
handshake,
or
a
confident
“hello”
over
an
internet
platform,
your
introduction
matters.
Use
the
person’s
name
and/or
title
when
appropriate.
Maintain
eye
contact,
smile,
and
aim
for
a
generally
friendly
demeanor
and
body
language.
-
Keep
It
Professional:
No
matter
the
job
you
always
want
to
dress
and
speak
in
a
way
that
shows
a
high
level
of
respect
for
the
company,
the
interviewer,
and
yourself.
Avoid
any
negative,
degrading,
or
vulgar
comments
and
allow
the
interviewer
to
be
the
first
to
mention
benefits
and
compensation.
Always
thank
the
interviewer
for
the
opportunity
and
for
their
time.
-
Be
an
active
participant.
Ask
questions
and
be
involved
when
possible,
neither
dominating
the
conversation
nor
conveying
an
overly
shy
demeanor.
The
interviewer
only
has
a
brief
chance
to
learn
more
about
you,
so
try
not
to
deliver
obviously
memorized
or
rehearsed
replies.
Demonstrate
your
excitement
and
eagerness
for
the
job,
and
don’t
be
afraid
to
express
your
interest
in
the
position.
When
interviewing
in
person,
visual
and
social
cues
are
easier
to
pick
up
on.
So
if
there
are
unavoidable
technical
difficulties
or
if
you
start
to
talk
over
each
other
accidentally
on
your
virtual
interview,
keep
things
light
and
cut
yourself
and
your
interviewer
some
slack.
Taking
a
balanced
approach
can
help
to
illustrate
your
adaptability,
sense
of
humor,
and
your
willingness
to
be
a
team
player.
Here
are
a
few
more
virtual
interview
recommendations:
-
Choose
an
Appropriate
Setting:
Assess
your
backdrop
for
simplicity
and
your
location
for
distractions
like
people,
pets,
background
noise
and
echoes.
-
Pay
Attention
to
Camera
Placement:
Too
far
away
and
uncomfortably
close
can
both
cause
friction,
so
aim
for
keeping
four
to
six
feet
between
you
and
your
camera
lens,
ensuring
that
it
is
situated
slightly
above
eye
level
to
capture
you
at
your
best
angle.
-
Keep
Your
Focus:
Eye
contact
conveys
confidence
and
honesty,
but
when
you’re
speaking
to
someone
virtually,
“eye
contact”
actually
means
looking
at
the
camera
lens.
Use
sticky
notes
to
remind
yourself.
-
Explain,
Don’t
Defend:
In
light
of
the
pandemic,
be
ready
to
calmly
explain
any
gaps
of
employment
or
reasons
for
leaving
past
positions.
Focus
on
your
positive
efforts
in
the
meantime
and
keep
a
positive
tone.
Digging
Deeper
These
days,
pandemic-related
questions
can
also
slip
into
the
conversation.
Questions
like
“How
are
you
adjusting?”
or
“How
did
the
pandemic
affect
your
career
goals?”
can
be
a
genuine
inquiry,
but
they
can
also
be
used
to
identify
key
traits
that
interviewers
are
looking
for––adaptability,
readiness
to
learn,
resilience,
self-motivation,
and
the
ability
to
work
under
pressure.
This
is
a
prime
opportunity
to
employ
the
STAR
interview
method
by
laying
out
these
four
steps:
-
Situation:
how
a
circumstance
changed
-
Task
at
hand:
challenges
you
needed
to
overcome
-
Action
taken:
what
you
did
to
make
the
situation
work
-
Result:
how
your
actions
led
to
a
favorable
outcome
Staying
focused
on
the
message
can
help
you
to
convey
the
right
information
in
any
interview.
Remember
that
as
an
interviewee
you
have
rights
too!
Don’t
hold
back
if
an
interviewer
invites
your
questions.
Consider
including
points
like
these:
-
What
safety
measures
will
be
in
place
to
ensure
that
employees
are
protected?
-
How
did
the
company
adjust
to
working
during
the
pandemic?
-
What
can
you
tell
me
about
the
company’s
workplace
culture?
-
What
is
your
sick
leave
policy
in
the
event
that
I
or
a
family
member
become
ill?
If
you
take
time
to
prepare
and
put
our
seasoned
advice
into
practice,
your
efforts
will
be
noticed.
For
more
personalized
help
or
to
inquire
about
current
open
positions
in
your
field,
get
in
touch
with
our
team.
We
are
ready
to
help
you
advance
your
career
and
reach
your
professional
goals.