The unemployment rate in America is currently around 3.6%, as of June 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That rate is fairly low, but it doesn’t necessarily consider people who are searching for a better career while working a job they don’t love.
You might fall into that category or be part of the 3.6% that is still seeking the perfect opportunity. Being the person who is looking for a job, you might worry that it will take a long time. It can, but you can perfect your interview skills to make it more likely for you to get a job.
Did you know that around 118 people apply for a single job on average? That number may go up if the job is particularly valuable or desirable. Additionally, it might be surprising, but around 76% of all resumes end up rejected, ending someone’s likelihood of getting hired before they ever interview (make sure yours doesn’t have any errors!)
On average, people complete around two to three interviews before getting hired, but you may apply to many more jobs than this. With just around seven seconds to make an excellent first impression in those interviews, you need to focus on what will help you stand out and show you’re the right choice for the job.
We’ve put together this article to help you plan for your interview and prepare to charm your interviewer into giving you the job.
Prepare for your interview with these resources to make the best impression right away.
The Interview Guys Blog is a free resource where Jeff and Mike, the creators, go over some of the best tops for the interview process.
Price: Free
More info: Check out the Interview Guys Blog.
The Personal Development Cafe has helpful tips for interviews, personal development, team building, and more. The blog is completely free, giving you insight into the latest industry news.
Price: Free
More info: Visit The Personal Development Cafe for more information.
Edureka helps you learn what you want to know. It has many different courses, and you can subscribe to the website to see the latest career options. Choose the training you want. For example, the Power BI Certification Training is $499 for the online course. Boost your experience for better interview results. Edureka! Also has an interview questions blog that helps you focus on career growth.
Price: Varies by course
More info: Learn more at Edureka!
Ask a Manager is a website and blog created by Alison Green. You can ask any questions you have about working or interviewing there and get responses from real managers.
Price: Free
More info: Visit the Ask a Manager blog.
InterviewFocus is a job preparation blog and website. You can ask questions there (you get one free), perform a self-evaluation, meet with a coach, and more. Access the blog for free at the bottom of the main page.
Price: The first question is free, then $49 to $175 per package. The blog is free to access.
More info: Visit InterviewFocus to read on.
The Interview Coaching and Job Search blog is run by Thea Kelly, who coaches clients throughout the United States (and specifically the San Francisco Bay area).
Price: Free
More info: Visit the Interview Coaching and Job Search blog on Feedspot.
Julia Penny runs this blog. She has over 20 years of experience working as a recruiter and interviewer, so she can give little tips and tricks to help you surpass expectations at your next interview.
Price: Free
More info: Visit Julia Penny’s blog at best-job-interview.com.
Get online and go social to start your interview preparations.
GeeksforGeeks is a programming app that has an astonishing number of possible questions (20,000+), thousands of articles, and information about what to expect when you interview at companies like Adobe, Microsoft, and Facebook.
Price: Free to download
More info: Download the GeeksforGeeks app here.
You may already know Glassdoor as an app that you can use to find job listings, but you can also use it to learn more about people’s interview experiences, salary reports, and more.
Price: Free to join
More info: Download the Glassdoor app.
You may not think that Dropbox is a great resource for you if you’re trying to get hired, but one of the best tips for interviews is getting organized. Having your files ready to transfer makes it easier for you to show an interviewer that you’re prepared for hiring.
Price: Free with the option of paid upgrades.
More info: Download Dropbox
This app comes with over 5,000 possible interview questions (including the answers), making it easier for you to prepare for interviews at beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels. It also gives you insight into the personality and aptitude tests.
Price: Free to download
More info: Check out Interview Questions and Answers.
LinkedIn isn’t just for networking. It also has excellent opportunities to learn more about interviews online and off. You can directly ask individuals about interviewing with the company they currently work for, or you can use tools like resume builder and news & updates to stay current.
Price: Free to join
More info: Download the LinkedIn app.
The Talview app is a helpful tool that gives you the opportunity to practice your interview skills. The app also lets you attend online video assessments with an employer if the employer invites you to the assessment. It’s user-friendly and convenient on the go.
Price: Free to Download
More info: Get the Talview Candidate app.
CV Engineer is a resume-building app that helps you build a PDF resume for your job applications. A strong resume can help get you a job before you even interview for the role, so making sure you have one that impresses employers matters.
Price: Free to download. In-app purchases between $2.49 and $5.99 per item.
More info: Build your perfect CV with CV Engineer.
Some say that it takes only 60 seconds for an interviewer to decide if they will hire a candidate. The book covers details about how to get what you want, how to sell yourself in 60 seconds, and how to avoid pitfalls that could be holding you back.
Price: Starting at $9.19.
More info: Learn more about interviewing with 60 Seconds and You’re Hired.
There is no such thing as a perfect answer during an interview…or is there? This book goes over common questions and answers, interview tips, resume tips, and more.
Price: Free on Audible with a 3-month trial. Starts at $19.38 for a paperback.
More info: Read The Art of the Interview to prepare for your next job interview.
Success in Interview is an interesting book that explains the techniques that are used during the interview process. It is precise and goes over what you should or should not do when appearing for an interview.
Price: $1.99 on Kindle, $14.99 paperback.
More info: Read how to become successful in your interview with Success in Interview.
Questions and Solutions
If you will be interviewing for a role in IT or programming, this is an excellent book to read. IT targets engineering information technology and provides guidance on what to expect during this type of interview. There are over 150 questions included, and you’ll also learn about common mistakes that lead to problems during interviews.
Price: Starting at $40 used.
More info: Read Cracking the Coding Interview.
Basic Interviewing Skills goes over what should happen during an interview from the interviewer’s point of view. This can help if you’ve been failing interviews since you can learn what the interviewers are really looking for.
Price: Starting at $7.83 on Kindle and $18.03 for a paperback.
More info: Read Basic Interviewing Skills to shore up your skills.
Among one of the most popular books on the market in this genre, How to Win Friends and Influence People goes over how you need to act to sell yourself. It was written in 1937, but with current-day revisions, it is still applicable. It highlights opening up, reading other people’s expressions, and how to increase your own influence.
Price: Get a free audiobook trial on Audible, or download it for Kindle for $0.99. Buy the book starting at $27.94.
More info: Read How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Interviewing is a book that goes over a few key points, such as 37 ways to handle your confidence level, how to take a phone interview, what questions to ask before you accept an offer, and how to appear when you go to an interview.
Price: Starting at $12.97
More info: Buy Interviewing to learn more.
Interview Like a Boss is an interesting book that tells you things like how to act when you appear for an interview, how to prepare for an interview, and how to give yourself an edge with your negotiating skills. Everything from resume drafting to mistakes to avoid with an interview panel is included.
Price: Starting at $14.95
More info: Read Interview Like a Boss.
Skip the line and get help with a membership that gets you in touch with professionals.
PrepLounge prepares you to land your dream job in just six weeks. It gives you the resources you need, interviews with top candidates, and video tutorials to review.
Price: A membership at PrepLounge is $49 for one week, $89 for six weeks, and $199 for 20 weeks.
More info: Premium Prep access starts here.
The Chatty Lad is a comprehensive service that takes people from screening through interview preparation to salary negotiation. The team works with people until they land their dream job or for 12 months, whichever comes first.
The nice thing about this program is that you don’t pay until you succeed. There is a job placement guarantee.
Price: Don’t pay until you land the job. Contact The Chatty Lad for cost information.
More info: Chat with The Chatty Lad to find out more.
Score your dream job and start earning big.
If you have been applying for jobs but just haven’t been able to land one yet, don’t feel discouraged. Many people apply to hundreds of jobs without a bite. All it takes, though, is for one recruiter or employer to look at your resume or cover letter and decide that you’re the right employee for them.
To make things a little easier for you, we have collected this list of 20 tips to help you impress your interviewer so they decide to move forward with hiring you instead of your competition.
All of these interview resources and tips can give you an edge during your next interview. With just a little practice and good luck, you’ll soon find yourself in the position you’ve been wanting.
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