Whether you're embarking on your first career or pursuing a career change, thorough preparation for the interview is essential. In today's competitive job market, a professionally crafted resume is a wise investment that can set you apart from other candidates. A well-written resume and cover letter greatly increase your chances of being called for an interview. Rather than viewing the interview as an intimidating process, consider it as a mutually beneficial discussion to determine if the role aligns with your aspirations and if the company is a good fit for you. Remember, adequate preparation is just as crucial as the interview itself.

​From the moment you make contact with a prospective employer, you are being evaluated as a potential employee. Your professionalism, language proficiency, interview attire, and genuine interest in the position will all contribute to this assessment.

During the interview itself, pay attention to the following aspects:

• Be specific and succinct when answering questions.
• Exude confidence through your body language and maintain eye contact.
• Fill out any application forms neatly and attentively.
• Offer a firm handshake and wait for an invitation to sit.
• Sit upright and avoid slouching.
• Address each interviewer by name and use appropriate titles.

After the interview, follow these steps to leave a lasting impression:

1. Express Gratitude: Thank everyone present for their time and express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview.
2. Send a Thank You Letter: Within 24 hours, send a concise thank you letter reiterating your interest in the position. Highlight no more than four of your strongest skills that align with the employer's needs. 
3. Maintain Professionalism: Your demeanor, confidence, posture, and knowledge during the interview will create an opening for further communication and potentially a follow-up interview. Stay professional and maintain a positive attitude as you await the employer's decision. By demonstrating your preparedness, enthusiasm, and alignment with the company's needs, you increase your chances of progressing to the next stage of the hiring process and ultimately securing the job. 

​If you haven't experienced numerous interviews, they can be quite anxiety-inducing. Personally, I enjoy attending interviews as I am intrigued by how managers assess and prioritize skills during the selection process.
 
Regardless of whether you aspire to become an air traffic controller or a gardener, it's likely that you will encounter interview inquiries regarding your stress management abilities. This is a significant aspect in almost any professional environment.
 
Gallup's most recent State of the Global Workplace survey reveals:

"Worldwide, 44% of employees said they experienced a lot of stress the previous day. This is the second year in a row worker stress reached record levels.
Employee stress rose in 2020, likely due to the pandemic. But employee stress has been rising for over a decade."

What's concerning is that a significant percentage of those surveyed admit to feeling so overwhelmed that they have thoughts of resorting to aggression towards their colleagues.
 
Understandably, employers are deeply troubled by this state of affairs. During the hiring process, managers might inquire about your ability to handle high workloads and dissatisfied customers. They might even explore the potential impact of your personal life on your behavior.
 
You’ll probably make a more favorable impression if you think about your answers in advance. Try these tips for talking about stress during a job interview.

• Tell stories. For any interview questions, you can make your responses more memorable and effective by giving specific examples. Consider the STAR Method interview questions. The STAR Method offers a great formula for storytelling when answering interview questions. Develop a collection of stories so you can pick something relevant to each situation.

• Be positive. Steer clear of any details that might prevent you from being hired. Talk about how you use stress to your advantage by letting it motivate you and open up opportunities for change.

 

• Focus on productivity. Remember that your employer is mostly interested in how stress might affect your ability to do your job. Finish your story by describing what you accomplished while under pressure. Speaking about it helps you to elaborate on your productivity at work.

 

• Gather information. As long as you’re already talking about stress, this can be a chance to find out more about what your future work conditions would be like. Ask the hiring manager what they think the major challenges are for their company and the position you’re considering.

 

• Share support. You may score bonus points if you show an interest in helping your coworkers deal with stress too. If you have helped others with managing stress, this will be a good opportunity to talk about it.

 ​

• Look calm. It’s ironic to be discussing stress while an interview is increasing your anxiety levels. Ensure that your body language matches your words. Relax your muscles and resist the urge to fidget.

• Take breaks. To be successful, it’s important to pay attention to what you do each day, as well as what you say during an interview. Start by pausing at least once each hour to keep stress from building up. Stretch your muscles or take deep breaths.
  

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• Use vacation days. Research shows that going on at least one vacation a year helps protect your mental and physical health. Use your time off to reconnect with your loved ones and explore new places.

 

• Avoid excess overtime. Productivity declines dramatically if you frequently work more than 50 hours a week. Prioritize your tasks and limit distractions. Start your day with your quitting time in mind.

 

• Limit multitasking. Try to focus on one activity at a time. Otherwise, you risk damaging your brain. Head scans show that switching between tasks for a prolonged period can lower your brain density, in addition to causing fatigue.

 

• Set realistic expectations. Are you trying to do too much? Calculate how long your main responsibilities take and budget enough time to complete them without rushing.

 

• Stay active. Regular exercise is one of the most constructive ways to relax. Make it part of an overall healthy lifestyle that will keep you strong and resilient.

​It’s helpful for you and your future employer to recognize the impact of job-related stress. Your interview could be a starting point for maintaining a healthy and supportive work environment.

TOP 50 MOST COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/top-50-most-common-interview-questions
 
INTERVIEW BRAG BOOK
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/interview-brag-book
 
GET MORE INTERVIEW INVITATIONS
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/get-more-interview-invitations
 
STAR METHOD INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/star-method-interview-questions
 
5 TIPS TO REDUCE STRESS BEFORE A JOB INTERVIEW
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/5-tips-to-reduce-stress-before-a-job-interview
 
DIGITAL INTERVIEWING
https://www.market-connections.net/blog/digital-interviewing

​While many people opt for interview coaching services to practice their interview skills, others prefer to prepare on their own. Here is a list of the 50 Most Common Interview Questions which serve as a foundation for many other interview inquiries. It's important to know how to sell yourself in an interview.

When crafting your responses, always consider how you can highlight your Key Selling Points.  It's also beneficial to come prepared with innovative ideas about how you would contribute to the role if hired, as this can impress employers. Make sure you are also familiar with the STAR method interview questions.
 
During the interview, remember to exercise tact and discretion. One tricky question that may arise is, "What other companies are you considering?" It's important to be honest without divulging too much or implying a preference for another job. Similarly, questions like "Why did you leave your last job?" and "What would you do differently if you were in charge of this company?" require diplomacy and minimal negativity.
 
Keep in mind that your interviewer's questions may not always extract the specific information they seek. Ultimately, it's your responsibility as the interviewee to provide sufficient details about your background and experiences to answer the crucial question: "Why should we hire you?"

Why not show and tell in job interviews? A picture is worth 1,000 words. A portfolio, leave-behind, or interview presentation binder - also known as a "brag book" - is a great way for job seekers to prepare and showcase their skills and accomplishments.
 
While portfolios are expected in certain “creative” professions, jobseekers in many more “traditional” fields could benefit from preparing a brag book to use in an interview.
 
Putting together a brag book is also an excellent way to prepare for a job interview, as it can be used to reflect on what knowledge, skills, and abilities will be most relevant for the targeted position.
 
A brag book is also an excellent confidence booster. There’s just something about seeing all of your accomplishments in print that boosts your confidence and self-esteem.
 
A brag book is useful in a job search to:

• Tangibly showcase your accomplishments
• Document the breadth/depth of your educational credentials, training, and professional development
• Set you apart from other candidates who are interviewed for the job
• Give you a “prop” to make you more comfortable answering questions in the interview
• Allow you to provide greater depth and detail about your qualifications than you can on the résumé alone

 
Posting a portfolio online can help set you apart from other candidates in a competitive job market. You can link to your digital portfolio on your LinkedIn profile as well as provide a link to the portfolio on your résumé.
 
The brag book is primarily designed to be used in the job interview — both to illustrate your qualifications and (possibly) as a leave-behind piece. Developing a customized brag book for use as a leave-behind can be a very effective strategy. It shows you prepared for the interview.
 
A brag book can also be used in your current job — for example, in a performance evaluation meeting or when requesting a raise and/or promotion.
 
Brag books support your qualifications as a candidate. The purpose of the brag book is to substantiate the information contained in your résumé and on your LinkedIn profile. Thus, your résumé and LinkedIn profile are the best place to start when compiling your brag book.

How do you decide what to include in your brag book?

• Review your résumé and identify any portfolio pieces that could substantiate your education, experience, training, or other qualifications.
• Think about the responsibilities of the position you are seeking. Are there any skills that the position requires that you want to showcase your experience with — for example, writing, photography, social media, or leadership?

 
Here are some of the kinds of things you can put in your brag book:
 
Education/Training:

• A copy of your college or university transcript
• Copies of the certificates or diplomas for trainings/workshops/degrees listed on your résumé
• Example of major class assignments — report, presentation, or project (for recent graduates)
• Documentation of knowledge of a foreign language (certificate, grade, or test result)
• Licenses

 
Work-Related Documentation:

• Performance evaluations (or excerpts of evaluations) from supervisors or managers
• Work samples (projects, newsletters, photographs, case studies, proposals, surveys)
• Papers/reports/publications you’ve authored
• Samples of communication/writing skills (writing samples)
• Evidence of computer/multimedia skills
• Logs/lists/charts that document your performance
• Sales information — but make sure you are not disclosing confidential information
• 30-60-90 Day Plan — what you plan to do in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job in your new position

 
Awards and Honors:

• If you mentioned an award on the résumé, include a copy of the certificate or photo of the trophy
• Photos of individual or team participation in an event or award
• Scholarships received

 
Feedback/Testimonials/Endorsements:

• Include copies of any thank you letters you’ve received, including letters and emails from customers and/or co-workers
• Letters of recommendation from previous supervisors and managers
• List of references
• LinkedIn Recommendations — you can either select a few and put one on each page, or put together a page of Recommendation excerpts

 
Community or Organizational Involvement:

• List of professional affiliations, including leadership roles
• Clubs or activities you’re involved with
• Photos of events you helped organize
• Newspaper clippings featuring you at work or your involvement in charity work or with a nonprofit organization

 
Other Documentation to Include:

• Personal statement or philosophy
• Résumé
• LinkedIn summary
• Career overview (bio or list of positions/dates)
• Photographs of you in action (on the job, or involved in volunteer activities)
• Photo of you delivering a presentation

You can make an excellent hard copy (physical) brag book for under $30 — but you may decide to invest more, depending on how many pages/sections you include.
 
First, assemble any and all materials you are considering including in your brag book. Start a file of all of the documents that you may possibly want to include.
 
Some tips:

• If you don’t already have them, contact previous supervisors and request letters of recommendation.
• Call your college or university and request a copy of your transcript. Or check the school’s website — some allow you to order transcripts online. If you have to, pay for a certified copy of your transcript rather than logging into an online account and simply printing out a list of classes.

 
Next, review your materials to prioritize what to include.
 
Create a logical order and structure for your brag book. This can be reverse chronological or by section. Start with your most recent accomplishment and work backwards.
 
Your brag book should be 10-25 pages in length.
 
If it’s more than 20 pages, it should include a table of contents, listing the documents that are included (although you do not have to number the pages).
 
Consider creating sections to make it easy to navigate. If dividing the brag book into sections, use professional divider tabs. You can purchase these in an office supply store. Generally, a 5-tab or 8-tab configuration is sufficient.
 
You can purchase a view binder from an office supply store. Choose the most durable (heavy-duty) option they sell — and opt for the “D” ring style instead of the standard “O” ring. (This makes it easier to turn the pages.) A 1” or 1-1/2” size is sufficient to start.
 
Have a cover made for your portfolio. Title it “Professional Portfolio of [Your Name].”
 
This is easily done on Fiverr.com (www.fiverr.com). For $5, you can have a flat image designed. Search for an eBook cover designer. 

For a few extra dollars, you can get both a front and back cover, plus a spine design.
 
Purchase clear sheet protectors — the kind you can slip sheets of paper into. Either top-loading or side-loading sleeves will work. Purchase the heaviest (strongest) ones they have — and make sure they will hold 4-5 sheets of paper. (You will include multiple copies of each page in one sheet protector, so you can give a copy to the interviewer — at their request.)
 
Have color laser prints/copies made of your photos and documents — or, if you print them yourself, make sure you choose the highest quality setting on your printer. Color prints are preferable to black-and-white.
 
Do not, under any circumstance, include original documents in your brag book (except for your résumé). This way, if you are asked for your transcript, for example, you’re giving the interviewer a copy (one of several you’ve made), not your only copy (your original).
 
Take the time to “polish” the materials. For example, type a key phrase or phrase from a performance evaluation on a single sheet, listing the name of the supervisor who wrote it and the date of the review. This makes your brag book more “scannable.”
 
Design your pages. Don’t just include a photo — to be sure to put a description of what’s going on in the photo, who is in the photo (identify the scene/setting/participants), and your role. Use captions to explain/highlight the specific skills or experience you are emphasizing (if the item is not self-explanatory).
 
Proofread and edit carefully. Review all the materials in your brag book for typos, spelling, grammar, and formatting issues. Have a friend or family member proofread it too.
 
When possible, tailor your brag book specifically for a desired job. If you use a 3-ring binder with page protector sheets, you can simply insert the pages you want to include for a particular job interview. For example, if the position requires public speaking skills, include a photo of you delivering a presentation to a large crowd. If the position does not require presentation skills, then you could leave that page out.
 
For maximum results, personalize the portfolio — especially if it’s a leave-behind piece.
 
The first page should include some or all of the following information:

• Full contact information — your name, address, cell phone, email
• Your LinkedIn URL
• Job title and company name for the position being sought
• Your photo (either a professional photo or a photo of you at work)

 
A few more tips:

• Choose only the best examples of your work to include.
• Carefully cultivate items to include that provide concrete evidence of your skills.
• When in doubt, leave it out. If you are not sure if you should include a particular item, don’t put it in your portfolio.

​An article published recently by BusinessNewsDaily.com warns: “   Make sure your social media profiles are safe for work, because employers are screening candidates' presence online.”  The same article further explains: “In a ​2020 survey by The Harris Poll, 70% of the employers who responded said they believe every company should screen candidates’ social media profiles during the hiring process. Moreover, 78% of employers believe that current employees should maintain a work-appropriate social media profile.”
 
A digital portfolio is one way to highlight what hiring managers will find about you online.
 
A digital or online version of a brag book has several advantages. Creating duplicate physical brag books is time intensive and can get expensive. Digital brag books can be copied and customized very easily. They are also easily shared with prospective employers. A digital brag book is also easier to keep updated.
 
Another advantage of a digital brag book is the multimedia capabilities — you can include video, audio files, photos, and document files.
 
One new, innovative way to create a brag book online is to use Pinterest (www.pinterest.com). Because Pinterest is a visual medium, search out images to represent career milestones — for example, a photo of you in a cap and gown with your diploma, and then a close-up of your diploma. Or a photo of you receiving a sales award, and then a scan of the award certificate. Pinterest also allows you to pin videos, so you can include a video of you making a presentation, for example.
 
Do you work with recognizable client companies? Assemble their logos in a collage labeled “Key Clients” or “Strategic Account Management.”
 
You can also create a PowerPoint presentation and save it as a PDF file that you can bring up on an iPad or other tablet device in a job interview. Here’s a PowerPoint presentation example:

You can download free, pre-built document templates with useful and creative themes from Office when you click File > New in your Office app.

​Before using a brag book in an interview, you will need to practice. Incorporate your brag book as part of your natural conversation. Role-play an interview with a friend, colleague, or family member, and practice referring to your brag book to answer questions.
 
At the beginning of the job interview, let the interviewer know you’ve prepared a “portfolio” that illustrates your qualifications and accomplishments. Offer to let him/her review it. If the interviewer declines, set it aside until you need it to illustrate a point or answer a question in the interview.
 
You can offer the brag book again at the conclusion of the interview. In general, you will not want to leave your brag book with the interviewer, unless you are specifically asked to do so. Being asked to leave it is a great sign that the interview went well.
 
However, don’t plan on getting a leave-behind brag book returned. If you don’t get offered the job, you can follow up and request the book back, but don’t be surprised if the interviewer can’t locate it, or says it’s been discarded. This happens. Instead, consider creating a specific leave-behind version of your brag book. You can have a bound book made at your local office supply store. Have your customized cover printed on cardstock, and have the book wire-bound or spiral-bound.
 
If you have not created a specific leave-behind portfolio and you are asked to leave a brag book with the interviewer, immediately start working on creating a replacement book. If you get the original book back, you’ll have a spare. This is also why it’s important not to include original photos or documents in your brag book.
 
Be Ready
Building your brag book from scratch will take some time, but you can start small and improve it over time. Keep it updated and when an opportunity presents itself, you’ll be ready to respond.

• FOCUS ON QUALITY. It’s usually more effective to target your efforts towards the opportunities that match your qualifications and goals most closely. You may want to figure out or hire a certified resume writer who knows how to make your resume stand out. Be clear about your purpose and then learn  how to customize your resume and cover letter.

• DEMONSTRATE YOUR VALUE. Show potential employers how you can contribute to their team. Do you know how to sell yourself in an interview? Consider reviewing instructions that will show you how to quanify your accomplishments on your resume and how to quantify results on your resume when your job ins't big on numbers. Also, research companies. This way, you can discuss their unique needs.

 

• PROOFREAD CAREFULLY. Details count. You’ll look more professional if you avoid typos and misspellings. Try online editing tools like Grammarly and ask someone else to double check your materials.

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• CREATE A WEBSITE. Use a personal website in your job search. Many hiring managers care about your online presence. Provide links where they can learn more about you and see samples of your work. Make sure your social media pages make a positive impression too.

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• CONSULT A RECRUITER. Work with a recruiter to diversify your job search. Take advantage of professional expertise. Consider the culture of the staffing industry and be ready when the recruiter calls - dos and don'ts do matter and knowing the right etiquette always makes a difference.. Ask a recruiter to give you feedback on your strengths as a candidate and how to present them. Recruiters may also suggest additional resources and show you how to access the hidden job market.

 

• USE KEYWORDS. Remember the basics. Your materials may have to pass an initial screening by an ATS resume checker (applicant tracking system). Study the job description for what language to use. Customize your resume.

​

• ACT QUICKLY. Moving your resume onto the interview pile sometimes comes down to timing. If companies receive a high volume of qualified applications, they may suspend the process. Completing your submission as soon as possible may give you an advantage. If and when you receive an interview invitation for a specific time, make yourself available. But if you are given an option, consider the advice on the best time to schedule a job interview.

​When is the best time to schedule your interview? The easy answer is whenever it works for the interviewer! After all, that’s the goal — to get the interview, and then the job offer.
 
But what if you are offered a choice of dates and/or times for the interview? When should you choose?
 
Is it better to be the first person interviewed? Or to be one of the final candidates considered? Should you schedule your interview for the morning? Or the afternoon?
 
And, if you’re offered the option of a virtual interview, or meeting in-person, which should you choose?
 
Here are the pros and cons of being towards the front of the pack, one of the last, or somewhere in the middle.

Don’t be the first interview of the morning if you can help it. Your interviewer might be running late if he or she runs into traffic (for an in-person interview) or if the interviewer encounters an unexpected situation when beginning the workday. An early-morning interview could be derailed by family/home issues — if you’ve ever walked out the door to a flat tire in the morning, you get it.
 
You also don’t want to be the last thing on the interviewer’s schedule before they get to leave for the day, or they might be impatient to wrap things up. You don’t want to have a great conversation cut short by, “Sorry, I have to leave here by 5 p.m.” Of course, a premature ending to the interview can also happen when the interviewer has another candidate to see, or another task that needs completed. You can ask when scheduling the interview how long you should block out for the interview.
 
If offered a choice of the time of day, consider your natural preferences too. If you are a morning person, try to schedule your interview between 10-11 a.m. Too close to noon and it is possible that you, the interviewer — or both of you — will be getting hungry. If you’re a night owl, it might be difficult for you to be at your best for a morning interview. In that case, consider an interview time in the mid-afternoon. But don’t select a time that is too close to lunchtime, or you — and the interviewer — might be a bit more tired, especially after a carb-heavy lunch.

According to HireVue’s 2022 Global Trends Report, 37 percent of more than 1,600 hiring leaders surveyed said they have moved to a combination of both in-person and virtual interviews.
 
Both types of interviews have their pros and cons.
 
If offered the choice, consider these factors:

• Virtual interviews are more common for screening and first-round interviews, while in-person interviews are more likely for final interviews.
• Take the cue from your interviewer — if they seem to be leaning towards one or the other, consider deferring to that option.
• If the position is a work-from-home or hybrid position, a virtual interview may be the best choice to showcase you have the skills to work remotely.
• If technology may be a barrier (for example, your Internet connection isn’t always reliable or your interview environment has a lot of background noise or distractions), eliminate any potential glitches by interviewing in person.
• How difficult will it be for you to get to the interview in person? If you’re taking time off from your job to interview, consider the time it will take you to get to and from the interview (in addition to the time the interview itself takes). And what about what to wear to a job interview. You may have to change clothes if what you wear for your daily job is substantially different than how you would dress for the interview. Factor in that time as well.
• If you will be relocating for an in-person role, an in-person final interview is important. You want the opportunity to see where you will be working — and living — for yourself.  You may also want to take a look at the relocation cover letter examples.

The most important factor for success in a job interview isn’t the time of day or day of the week -- it’s your qualifications for the role, your preparation for the interview, and the connection you make about your suitability for the position.
 
The ideal situation, of course, is that you interview when there are few distractions, after a couple of weaker candidates, you and the interviewer both have high energy levels, and you are the best applicant in the bunch. But you can only control a few of those factors, so take the best time, date, placement, and format and make the most of it!

Source: ​https://www.market-connections.net/blog/best-time-to-schedule-a-job-interview

There are four components to the STAR formula:
(S) – Situation
(T) – Task
(A) – Action
(R) – Result
 
You can also add an optional section at the end of your STAR story: Reflection. What were the lessons learned from the situation? If the result was failure, you can talk about what you learned from the experience or changed as a result.

STAR STORY: Collaborated With Others & Had a Conflict With an Employee
 
SITUATION: In my role as manager at GATE Corporation, I added three new team members when we acquired LoneStar Productions. My team of five had all worked together for more than two years at this point, so integrating new staff was a big deal — both for me and the team. Unfortunately, the new employees were used to different processes and methods for project management, which led to problems on the first project we worked on after the acquisition.
 
TASK: As the direct supervisor of the team, it was my job to make sure that the onboarding of the new team members went smoothly. Both my existing team members and my new team members recognized right away that there was a problem, and they looked to me for a solution.
 
ACTION: The first thing I did was sit down with the new team members to get a better understanding of how they were used to tackling projects. I also shared with them the standard operating processes that our team used for project management. Next, I organized a team-building challenge that had nothing to do with the current project — a way for the whole team to get to know each other, without the pressure of the project that was hanging over our heads.
 
RESULT: As a result of the team-building challenge, the employees got to know each other better. The specific team-building exercise focused on communication styles, which had been at the root of the project problems. As the team members interacted more, they were able to communicate more effectively to address some of the differences in project management processes. We ended up blending some of our existing methods with ideas from the new team members, which made the whole process more effective. Even though we had gotten off to a rough start, I ended up bringing the project in on time and on budget, and that team of eight has now been together for the past year.
 
REFLECTION: I always knew the importance of bringing diverse project management workstyles together, but this situation reinforced that. Now, whenever we bring in someone from the “outside” to work on a project, we sit down and make sure we’re on the same page before we dive in.
 
Exercise: Choose a prompt from the list and fill in information for each part of the STAR formula. Then, write a STAR story based on the information. Repeat the process until you have 3-5 STAR stories to draw from.​