Sometimes opportunities seem to fall into our laps, and if this is the case with a job interview, it should be embraced as an opportunity - not an obstacle to overcome. Granted, a last-minute job interview is particularly stressful as you haven't had time to prepare as adequately as you might like, but you should never turn down an interview if the position is of interest to you. You've got the interview you want; now you just have to rush to be ready for it. The Standard Attire When starting a career search, you should have at least one outfit in your closet that is ready for a short-notice interview. A dark pants suit, or a blazer and tie are good choices for almost any situation, but you must always be sure they are clean and presentable. Don't allow these items to sit in the laundry or dry cleaning pile as they should be ready when you need them. Company Research You might not have time to talk to current or former employees of a particular company, but you can scan the company's webpage looking at the mission statement, the services the company provides, the information about the company's background and information about products. Don't allow yourself to get bogged down in details. Quickly review the job advertisement, if possible, to remind yourself what attributes were listed for the ideal job candidate and the company goals and services. This is enough to get you started, you gain glean more insight during the interview. Rehearse Standard Responses If you aren't sure what sort of interview you'll be having, you should rehearse some of the standard questions as well as reviewing stories of past successes and failures to have on hand in the event of behavioral interview questions. The most pressing areas to have covered mentally before sitting down for the interview are: "Tell me about yourself." - Give a general response with highlights of your career and items of interest to the interviewer. You do not have to mention family, former careers or anything else that could become a deterrent to a solid interview. Strengths and Weaknesses - Know both strengths and weaknesses. Never tell an interviewer you don't have any weaknesses. Find one and state how you've overcome it. Goals - Short-time and long-term goals in your career and possibly your life outside of work. Successes - Stories where you've succeeded in any area. Failures - Stories where you learned a valuable lesson or things simply didn't go your way. Challenges You Overcame - This is a big question in behavioral interviews. Why you want the current position with this particular company - Show you know something unique about the company, it's products and it's culture. Most other interview questions stem from similar topics, so knowing these will give you a head start in virtually any direction. Final Details Finally, comb your hair, print a few copies of your resume, stick it in your portfolio along with a pen and be on your way. Practice breathing techniques and mock interview questions on the way to the interview so you arrive warmed up and calm - or at least outwardly calm.
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