Career Directors

Global Membership Organization of Professional Resume Writers & Career Coaches

6-Figures. No Stress. Career Biz Success!

Author of Resume for Dummies
  • Dashboard
  • Store
  • Cart
  • Forum
  • Login
TwitterLinkedinFacebookGoogle +YouTube
  • Home
  • About CDI
    • About CDI
    • Superhero Origin Story
    • Career Pro Theme Song
    • The CDI Dream Team
    • Press Room
    • CDI Sponsored Events
    • B2B Service Providers
    • Blog
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Learn & Grow
    • Resume Writing Certification & Training
      • Resume Mastery Course with CARW Certification
      • Resume Writing Master Mentor Consulting Program
      • Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW) Credential
      • Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW) Credential
      • Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM) Credential
      • Certified Resume Specialist (CRS+X) Credential
    • Career Coaching Certification & Training
      • Master Career Director (MCD) Credential
      • Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC) Course
      • Certified Professional in Online Job Search and Reputation Management (OJSRM) Course
    • Business Success Programs & Coaching
      • Career Business Profit Rocket Consulting
      • Join the Fly Higher Tribe
      • Career Website Roadmap to Profits & Performance
      • Entrepreneurial Wisdom Course
      • Six Figure Flight Plan Program
      • COIN for Career Pros: Raise Prices with Ease
    • Awards & Competitions
      • Toast of the Resume Industry Awards (TORI)
        • Resume Award Winners (TORI & WBRW)
      • Career Innovator Awards
      • Pat Schuler Kick Butt Award
      • CDI Lifetime Achievement Award
      • President’s Choice Award
    • Member Forum
    • Expert Webinars & Teleseminars
    • Entrepreneurial Success Secrets Live: Conference
    • Renew Credentials
  • Join CDI
    • Why Join CDI
    • Member Success Stories
    • Become a Member
    • Affiliate Advertiser Membership
  • Find a Career Pro
    • Career Pro Directory
    • How to Select a Company
    • Blog
    • Free Expert Resources
    • Resume Award Winners (TORI & WBRW)
    • Innovator Award Winners
  • Blog
  • Contact
Home » For Job Seekers » Interviewing & Salary Negotiation

5 Ways to Ensure You’re Interview Ready

Posted on 02.16.16

Mature businessman standing in his office and giving thumbs up

You’ve had your resume and other career documentation ‘professionalised’ to highlight your most relevant strengths and achievements. Tick. You’ve promptly submitted your job application containing this career-selling documentation. Tick.

The next step is to both mentally and physically prepare yourself for when you hear back from the prospective employer. Adhering to the following five interview-prep stages will help ensure you appear as ‘professionalised’ in person as you do on paper.

#1 – Expect an initial phone interview

Even though email is well-used for business communications, a phone call is more likely to be the first channel used by the recruiter or prospective employer. This channel is often used to screen potential candidates, so be prepared as per the stages below, and keep the following close by: your resume, a notepad, the job ad.

#2 – Conduct further research

Putting in the effort to do some research about the company you want to work for is likely to shine through when you’re interviewed. Use this information to decipher what you’ll say if asked why you want to work there. Also align it with the job description, and consider what job- and company-specific questions you might be asked.

#3 – Come up with some of your own questions

The job interview is also your opportunity to assess whether you truly want that role, so don’t hold back on asking for further insights. For example, how does the company ensure its employees continue to professionally develop? Most employers prefer staff that are proactive and use their initiative – and aren’t afraid to ask – so keep this in mind.

#4 – Have you references list ready

Referees’ contact details are generally omitted from a professionally written resume, but you’ll need them for when you make it to interview stage. Ensure all referee details are up-to-date, and make contact with each of them to forewarn they may be contacted by recruiters.

#5 – Keep on believing in yourself

Always remember that you’re being interviewed because the employer believes in what you’re offering. There’s a reason why you’ve made it to this stage, and maintaining this self-belief while gaining confidence from the above preparation stages will further your employment potential. 

Investing in a professionally written resume (and LinkedIn profile, etc.) is no doubt beneficial to your professional advancement, but it will only get you so far. Using the above stages to ensure you’re interview prepared will guide you further towards the end goal. As a final tip, always send a follow-up thank-you email after you’ve been interviewed, to further stand out to the prospective employer.

Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on Google+
Google+
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
Share on Reddit
Reddit
Digg this
Digg

Filed Under: Interviewing & Salary Negotiation Tagged: career advancement, interview, job interview, job interviews; career advancement

About the Author

Jeanette Walton is a Degree and CARW qualified resume writer, with extensive experience in writing career development documentation across a range of roles and industries. She has been recognised as having a sixth sense for weaving all the necessary information together.

  • Subscribe below and receive new posts once a week.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

#26 Top 100 Career Blogs

Subscribe to the Blog

You are already subscribed.

Recent Posts

  • The Myth about Resume “Secrets”

    April 24, 2018
    You’ve probably seen at least one article with a title somewhat like this: “5 Resume Secrets You MUST Know for a Successful Job Search.” Those …
  • How to Hit Curveball Interview Questions Out of the Park

    April 16, 2018
    “If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?” Or how about, “What is your favorite song and can you perform it …
  • 6 Critical Reasons Hiring You Is a Corporate Risk

    February 28, 2018
    Facts about the executive hiring process that have an impact on the interview process and your candidacy.

Categories

  • For Career Industry Entrepreneurs (37)
    • Career Superhero Corner (14)
    • CDI Certifications & Courses (6)
    • CDI Competitions (8)
    • CDI Conference (13)
  • For Job Seekers (299)
    • Award-Winning Career Leaders (14)
    • Bio Writing (4)
    • Career Change (45)
    • Career Coaching (35)
    • Career Management (68)
    • CDI Certified Career Coaches (4)
    • CDI Certified Resume Writers (9)
    • CDI Trusted Bloggers (2)
    • Cover Letters & Communications (26)
    • Employment Trends (16)
    • Executive Insights (33)
    • Federal Employment (2)
    • International Job Search (11)
    • Interviewing & Salary Negotiation (52)
    • Job Search (138)
    • LinkedIn Profiles (36)
    • Military Transition (9)
    • Networking (56)
    • New Grad Campus (6)
    • Online Reputation (14)
    • Personal Branding (31)
    • Resume Writing (89)
    • Social Media (26)

Learn More About Training & Growth

  • Fly Higher Tribe for Career Biz Success
  • Resume Writing Certification & Training
  • Career Coaching Certification & Training
  • Business Development & Consulting
  • Awards & Competitions
  • Expert Webinars & Teleseminars
  • Member Forum

Learn More About Membership & CDI

  • Why Join CDI
  • Member Success Stories
  • Become a Member
  • CDI’s Superhero Origin Story
  • The CDI Dream Team
  • Press Room
  • Contact Us

Learn More About Everything Else

  • Find a Career Professional
  • Blog
  • B2B Service Providers
  • Free Job Seeker Resources
  • How to Select a Career Service Provider
  • Innovator Award Winners
  • Resume Award Winners (TORI & WBRW)

Copyright 2017 Career Directors, All Rights Reserved

Looking for something? Visit the Sitemap

Recommend this post

You can recommend this post to several users by putting 1 email on each line


Lost your Password

OR

  • Login with Twitter
  • Login with Facebook