Tips to Prepare for the Last Minute Interview: The Cheat Sheet

It’s 5’o clock in the evening and you thought the day is going to end in few hours while you can relax and enjoy music sitting on your favorite couch. Suddenly your phone rings and the person on the other side says, “Hello, You have been shortlisted. Can you come tomorrow morning for an interview?” Excited, but worried….it’s late and you have just a few hours to prepare for the interview.

For several days, you have been sending your CV for various job openings. And finally, you have got an interview call from a company. Now what? You start getting all the nightmares about how will you prepare for the interview in such a short notice. What should you prepare and what can be left unattended at this moment? Ahh…wait, there’s no need to panic.

Since there is less time to do an in-depth research, here’s the cheat sheet that can help you to ace the last minute job interview.

Check ‘About Us’- This Can Help A Lot

Nowadays, we all keep our mobile phones handy. This is the best time to leverage the technology and immediately check the company’s official site to read its 'About Us' page. This saves a lot of time and gives a quick and crisp information about the company you are going to appear for an interview. Read to get a fair idea of the company’s businesses, products, and people. Nothing can be more dissatisfactory for a recruiter than to interview a candidate who has no information about the company or role he is applying for.

Also Read: 7 Things You Should Know about Ensuring Success in a Job Interview

What’s the Latest News - About the Company & Industry

Every organization is nowadays more active on social media profiles such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, where they keep on sharing their latest updates such as new CSR initiatives, awards, employee learning & development workshops, etc. This gives a great opportunity to job seekers to stay abreast with the company information. Whenever suitable, talking about any key information about the company during an interview makes the hiring manager think that you are a dedicated person who keeps himself/herself well informed about the new developments.

Similarly, one can easily search for industry specific information to prepare for a job interview. Needless to say, if you are not aware of the latest changes in your area of work, you already know how it will impact your job offer! For instance, if there are any latest changes in banking laws and regulations, scoring a banking job would not be easy unless you have at least basic awareness about the industry standards you wish to seek a career in.

Prepare For Some Basic Questions

There are a few things that are always expected in a job interview such as common interview questions. Therefore, prepare for some important questions that every employer asks, such as about yourself, achievements, etc. Whenever mentioning your achievements at work, avoid using mundane phrases like you are honest or hard-working. Instead, quantify your achievements. For example, under your supervision, your sales team performed and increased sales volume by 55 percent. The simple idea is to practice how you can convert your stories into a compelling sales pitch.

Also Read: 10 Interview Mistakes You Should Avoid at Any Cost

Reach on Time

To understand other important things that you might have missed about the company, reaching before time helps you to gather such information. There are various options to do so. Interact with other employees about the company, its culture, and its people. Moreover, reaching on or before time saves the last minute hassles.

Understand the Dress Code to Fit in the Culture

Before going for the interview dressed in a way which doesn’t match with the company’s culture, it is advised that you ask the HR manager about the specific dress code that the company follows. Many companies share the pictures and updates about their events and celebrations on social network also. This can give a sneak peek into its culture and how people dress. If you still have doubt, go for the safe option- shirt & trousers for boys, and suit or a business suit for girls.

Also Read: Dressing for an Interview: Right Things to Follow

Research Salaries to Know Your Worth

This is one of the important things that you should be completely prepared for. After all, accepting a job offer without salary consideration can prove to be a wrong decision later. Therefore, it is better that you do your salary analysis accurately.

Even if you missed or messed up anything due to the last minute interview notification from the HR manager, don’ worry. Leverage the last opportunity of writing a “Thank You Note” as a professional gesture of leaving a lasting impression on the interviewer.

Good Luck!