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I get it, job interviews can be nerve wrecking. Whether it’s your first or fifth time, a bout of the jitters is totally common. After all, having a great interview would substantially boost your chances of landing the job. More often than not, you only get one shot at impressing your future employers – time to nail it.

Research on the company and job beforehand

You’d be surprised by the number of people who don’t actually do this, at least not sufficiently. When preparing for an interview, it’s better to be over prepared than under prepared. To have a decent understanding of the company, read up on their website and have a good idea of the company’s various products/services. It’s also important to know what their mission and values are, it will help you evaluate if you are potentially a good fit for the company. Keep your eyes peeled for any news and latest updates, it’s something that can come up during the interview.

Prepare for common interview questions

During interviews, there are common questions that the interviewer asks to get a better understanding of the job applicant. They can be phrased differently but at the core, they’re essentially finding out if you’re the right person for the job. Prepare well for them.

Bear in mind that you can be well prepared but still get stumped by an interview question. If that happens, don’t stutter or say that you don’t know the answer – you also can’t choose to “skip” the question. Just pause and give it some thought before answering, try your best to answer the question although you may not have the “correct” answer. Sometimes, it can be obvious when you don’t know the answer so then the interviewer is just looking at how you handle the situation. Stay calm, keep the flow going by redirecting it to something you’re able to elaborate further on.

Be on time and dress appropriately

This goes without saying, it’s really just basic etiquette. Precisely because it’s the bare minimum of what the company will expect of you, if you mess this up, you can easily be written off. Wear a fitting outfit that adheres to the dress code they’ve set for the interview and remember to plan extra time to get to the interview venue. First impressions matter and you do not want to appear sloppy – or tardy.

Be confident

Adding on to how first impressions matter, the way you carry yourself speaks volumes. Over 90% of communication is non-verbal so it is important to be mindful of your body language. Remember to smile, sounds easy enough but can be tricky when you’re feeling nervous. Give a firm handshake, it gives off a confident and trustworthy vibe. Maintain eye contact, a good posture and nod appropriately during the interview. Unless you’re really confident, it’s a good idea to practice this with a friend/family member prior to the actual interview day.

Ask questions

When the interviewer asks, “any questions?” your answer is YES. Be sure to prepare a couple of good questions beforehand, it shows the interviewer that you’ve done your homework.

Now go out there and smash it!