Two Preparation Checklists To Reduce Interview Anxiety

No one wants to feel like the person at the left when they walk into their next interview. Many applicants and candidates get nervous and anxious as the prepare for an interview, right up to the last minute.

Use these preparation checklists to reduce your interview anxiety.

Barton Professional Placement Group suggests to candidates that it’s best to prepare for an interview by making two checklists to follow as you do early preparation and final readiness check as head out for your interview.

To be sure the importance of preparation is not understated, the first checklist below is the most important to reduce anxiety in general, so you can be at your best the day of the interview. Start early, several days early on in-depth research. This not hard to do, but should be interesting as you pursue the job and the opportunity with the new employer.

Early Preparation Checklist

1. Research the requirements of the position at similar companies and form an idea of what the best overall set of skills are required to excel in the position.
2. Review the company, try to find out their corporate goals. As the recruiter how the role you are interviewing for will support those goals. Or, read the company website, and print out the “ABOUT” page to read the day of the interview.
3. Prepare phrases and answers to potential questions. Write them down and practice saying them out loud so you are comfortable with the words that show you know the position, and how it support unique goals of the employer.
4. Talk with people in your network that might know what its like to work at that company, or for the people you will be working with.
5. Research the profiles of people who will be interviewing you. Use LinkedIn to read their profiles. Write down one or two things you might use to break the ice (where they went to school, hobbies, places they worked).
6. Print online directions to the interview location. Study the route and consider if there is construction. You don’t want to sweat getting to the interview late. Drive the route in traffic the day before so you know how long it will take.
7. Print several copies of your resume to bring to the interview. Print as many as people you expect to meet, then print 2 more, to have with you just in case.
8. Decide what you are going to wear for the interview ahead of time, and make sure it is clean and you have all your accessories ready.

Final Pre-Interview Checklist

Before you leave your home, do check the following items. If you have prepared already, this should only take 20 minutes or so.

1. Re-read your resume.
2. Re-read the Company About page you printed from their website.
3. Re-read the phrases and answers you wrote earlier.
4. Re-read the employer’s corporate goals
5. Re-read the key points you summarized on the people you will meet.
6. Double-check you have everything in your portfolio/briefcase (resumes, paper and pen to write notes)

Of course, you bathed, and practiced good hygiene and dressed for success the day of your interview. Eat something so you have energy to get through the interview. Then relax and go. You have done everything you can to prepare, and there’s nothing you have forgot, you are ready, so be confident as you go to your interview.

Barton Professional Placement Group spends time to work with its candidates so they are well matched to an employer’s requirements. Preparation for your first meeting (the interview) is critical to highlight your skills and abilities in the best way. Your Barton Professional Placement Group recruiter won’t be with you the day of the interview, so it’s important that you make it your best day.