You’ve scheduled a job interview—congratulations! A little preparation can go a long way toward helping you feel comfortable and confident in your interview.
Here, you’ll find resources to help you prepare and practice for your interview. We’ll also talk about the tricky business of salary negotiations, whether you’re going through the hiring process or you’re interested in asking for a raise at your current job.
When you get a job offer, you may want to consider negotiating for salary and benefits. Or, perhaps you’ve been at your job for some time and are interested in asking your employer for a raise or increased benefits. Here are some resources to help you navigate the negotiation process.
Negotiating Your Job Offer with Christine DiDonato
Asking for a Raise with Lisa Gates
How to Confidently Negotiate Your Salary with Kwame Christian
Understanding Your Compensation and Benefits with Barbara Bruno
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The Art of Negotiation with Dr. Roy Naraine
* Log into Udemy with your CLP Library card number and Google/Microsoft account, then search for the class title.
Robert Half: How to Negotiate Salary After You Get A Job Offer
The Muse: How to Negotiate Salary
Indeed: How to Negotiate Your Salary
Glassdoor: How to Negotiate Your Salary
Check out these bonus resources for Salary Negotiations:
Tips from Glassdoor about how to navigate salary negotiations.
Resources from Ask A Manager about different aspects of salary negotiations.
Review the Job Description
A job description might feel like a laundry list of requirements, but you can actually use it as a guide to decide what skills and experience you should highlight in your interview. Most descriptions will list the qualifications that are most important to the employer first, with lesser duties listed toward the end of the description.
Review the job description and think about examples from your past experience that can show the employer you are qualified for the position. You can even make a small list of accomplishments or examples in a notebook to refer to during your interview.
Here are some resources on how to read a job description.
The Muse: How to Read a Job Description the Right Way
Research the Company or Organization
Learning about the company or organization where you are interviewing can show potential employers that you are invested and interested in the position, and can help you have confidence as you meet your interviewers.
A good first step is to visit the website of the company or organization where you will be interviewing. Most websites will offer information about the company’s values, mission, and goals. You can also learn about how they conduct business, what products or services they provide, and how their organization is structured.
You can also review a company’s social media accounts, press releases, or recent news articles to get an idea of their current activity.
If you’d like to dig deeper, here are some resources on how to research a company before an interview.
Indeed: The Complete Guide to Researching a Company
Practice Your Answers to Common Interview Questions
While you can’t know exactly what potential employers will ask during an interview, you can still practice your answers to common interview questions to feel confident and prepared. Most employers will use a mix of behavioral questions, performance-based questions, and situational questions to learn about your experience, skills, and abilities. Below are some resources to help you practice.
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Indeed: 125 Common Interview Questions and Answers (With Tips)
Using the STAR Method
The STAR method can help you tell a meaningful story about your previous experience. STAR stands for:
Situation
Task
Action
Result
Start with the situation: set the scene and give necessary details about your example. Then, describe what your responsibility, or task, was in that situation. Explain what action you took to address it. Finally, share the result of the steps you took and what outcomes your actions achieved.
Practicing this method can help you provide focused examples of your experience during your interview. Learn more about the STAR method below.
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The Muse: The STAR Method: The Secret to Acing Your Next Job Interview
The Balance Careers: How to Use the STAR Interview Response Method
Prepare Questions for Your Interviewers
Near the end of an interview, your interviewers are likely to ask if you have any questions for them. You may be tempted to end things here, but remember: you are also interviewing these potential employers to make sure they are the right fit for you. This is a great time to put all of your preparation and research to good use!
You can use this time to clarify the details of the position you’re interviewing for and find out what the next steps in the hiring process will be. You can also ask questions about workplace culture, how success will be measured, and what the employer hopes the new hire will accomplish first.
Don’t talk about salary expectations during this part of the interview—if they haven’t been clear about salary or asked about your expectations, you can discuss these options later if they make you an offer. (Learn more about negotiating salary here). Below are some resources to help you choose questions that will help you learn about your potential employer.
The Cut: 10 Best Questions To Ask in a Job Interview
Try a Mock Interview
After you’ve prepared some answers for common questions and explored questions to ask the employer during the interview, you may want to practice with a friend or librarian. You can schedule a mock interview with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh by calling 412-622-3114 or emailing info@carnegielibrary.org.
Arrange for a partner to ask you common interview questions so you can practice giving your answers aloud. Dress for your mock interview the same way you would dress for the actual interview, and remember to practice eye contact and body language.
At the end of your mock interview, discuss your performance with your interview partner. What do they think you could have done better? Make notes of your strengths and weaknesses, and continue practicing until you feel confident and ready.
What to Bring with You
An interview might feel like a test, but you can bring notes and other materials with you to make sure you present your most important accomplishments and experience. When you enter an interview, you should bring:
You can gather all your items in a professional looking bag, briefcase, or portfolio.
Make a Good Impression
On the day of your interview, you should arrive on time, dress appropriately, and thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. Introduce yourself to the receptionist and treat everyone you meet on your way to the interview with respect.
Once the interview starts, remember to:
As the interview closes, thank the employer again for the opportunity, and express that you look forward to hearing from them.
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Indeed: Everything You Need to Know About Job Interview Etiquette
The Balance Careers: 10 Easy-To-Make Job Interview Mistakes
The Balance Careers: Signs Your Job Interview Went Well
Monster: Interview Tips: 10 Ways to Improve Interview Performance
Send a Thank-You Note
Always follow up with a thank-you note or email reiterating your interest in the position. You can refer to a topic you discussed in the interview and include any small details you may have forgotten to mention. Send your note within 24 hours of your interview.
The Muse: The Perfect Template to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview (Plus Samples!)
The Balance Careers: How to Write an Interview Thank-You Letter
What To Do If You Make a Mistake or Don’t Get a Call Back
Sometimes, an interview just doesn’t go as planned. Here are some resources to help you bounce back and learn what you can do better next time.
Zippia: How to recover from a bad interview
The Balance Careers: Reasons Why You’re Not Getting a Second Interview