Interview Preparation Checklist
Before heading to your interview, go through this checklist to ensure you are prepared. Once you are confident with each item, you are ready. Good luck!
| Interview Preparation Checklist |
| Know About the Company |
 Mission, Philosophy, Values |
| Industry information |
| Leadership position in the industry |
| Organization’s history |
| Executive / Management Team |
| Flagship products & services |
| Competitors |
| Markets (including opportunities and constraints) |
| Any particular challenges / issues / accomplishments |
| Any recent newsworthy items |
| Hint: Use any contacts inside the company you can develop to get pertinent information |
| Know About the Job |
| Job Title and Description |
| Knowledge, Skills, Abilities required |
| Experience required |
| Qualities required to be successful |
| Ballpark compensation range (do your research!) |
| Know your subject matter and terminology |
| Any other details you can get through a contact inside the company, or others, including whether or not this is a new job, filling a vacant position, amount of travel, etc. – to avoid surprises and be able to tailor your points and responses accordingly |
| Know Yourself |
| Your strengths |
| Your weaknesses |
| Your nature (“qualities”) |
| How you will improve in areas of challenge |
| Your career goals |
| The kind of organization you would thrive in |
| Amount of travel, overtime, stress, public contact, etc., that “fits” for you |
| Make Sure to Practice |
| Basic questions |
| Tricky and Off-the-Wall questions |
| Turning negatives into positives |
| Being brief! |
| Your 5-minute life story |
| Attention to both content and body language |
| Discussing items on your resume |
| Make Sure to Have |
| Interview time, date, location, directions – in writing |
| Interviewer name(s), job title(s), role/responsibilities (if possible) |
| Estimate of amount of time interview will last |
| Extra resumes, work product samples |
| Breath mints! |
| Paper and pen for notes |
| Briefcase or portfolio to hold your resumes and other papers in a neat and professional manner |
| Agenda or other calendar device to note dates pertaining to “next action’” items (such as when to call back, when you are available for another interview) |
| Extra time to get to your interview so you aren’t late! |
| Contingency plans if things run long (transportation, child care, etc.) |
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