5 Super Simple Ways to Prepare for a Job Interview!
Posted on March 15, 2025 by Zehra Baran, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
PART 1 / Before the Job Interview! *
Interviews can be exhausting and often cause anxiety, but it’s important to remember that you share responsibility with the interviewer to create a positive atmosphere and a great experience for both of you! Think of it as a business meeting where you need to contribute, rather than just a test.
- This content is for those who aren’t applying to hundreds of job openings without a strategy, but for those who believe they have applied for the right job according to their background, skills, and what they believe fits the position. You should feel highly motivated and focused to secure it!
Read carefully and never underestimate the importance of simplicity!
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1. Buy a New Notebook and a Beautiful Pen
Buy a fresh, small notebook for yourself, along with a beautiful pen that makes you feel comfortable while writing. Carry them with you every day leading up to the interview. Write your name with the title you want to have, along with the date, location, and any other details you wish to add to help you visualize yourself in that position. When you see yourself in that role, it will be easier to convince others.
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2. Write Responses to These Questions
• Why do you want this job?
• What unique contribution can YOU make, not just anyone with the same qualifications as you?
• Why is there a perfect match between you and this company in terms of values, culture, and commitments?
• How do you envision your first six months? What kind of expectations do you have from your leader to support you in shining with your presence and strengths?
• What kind of image do you want to project to the interviewers? Cheerful, professional, visionary? Focus on powerful positive words, and write them in BIG LETTERS in your notebook. Use colors that you love! Express yourself.
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3. Review and reflect the Competency Profile / Job ad
Read the competency profile / job ad that the company published at least three times. Match it with your own profile and try to identify any unwritten expectations. Write down the skills you possess that can create value based on the expectations they have. Always try to see the BIG PICTURE—understand the company’s vision, mission, and long-term strategy, and gather any public information you can find about them online. Prepare proactive questions, like: “Does the company live these values in everyday leadership?”
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4. Take 7 Days to Focus on the Interview
Dedicate 7 days to focus on preparing for the interview. Spend 20-30 minutes each day focusing on the interview process. Find a comfortable environment that you enjoy, perhaps with a cup of coffee or tea, but make sure you are in a professional setting—not in your pajamas on your bed! Close your eyes and mentally imagine yourself having a fantastic interview, where everything goes even better than expected. Picture yourself showing professionalism and creating a great impression. Try to experience the feelings you would have in celebration mode after receiving positive feedback from the interview.
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5. Focus on the Positive
Having a job interview means you are already ahead of many candidates, so focus on the positive outcome. Avoid negative conversations with peers who are job hunting or engage in discussions that bring negative emotions, even if you don’t know the exact reason. Trust your intuition. Only speak with people who make you feel happy, confident, and supported.
A job interview is the first step in a great career that can impact your entire life. Being conscious of this and entering the interview with confidence can position you at the level you desire and positively impact the outcome. This is not just about your technical background or qualifications; it’s about your presence and the energy you bring to the environment.
These are all things you can control within your circle of influence.
While this doesn’t guarantee that you will get the job, you’ve done your best and left the rest to the decision-makers!
About Zehra Baran
Zehra Baran is a coach and mentor works with professionals to enhance their leadership skills and executive presence, accelerate their professional growth, discover their dream careers, develop strategic and actionable plans to get there with vision and purpose.