6 Tips to Prepare for an Interview

Working freelance has its perks and drawbacks. I may earn up to a month's worth of a regular employee's salary for a single project but I'm not sure how many projects I'll get in a month or if I'll ever get any at all. Lately, being focused on my new baby, I haven't been able to accept projects and therefor have been a "pabigat" to my husband haha! Hindi man lang ako makapag contribute sa household expenses tapos ang mahalia pala ng bakuna! Kakaloka! 

To tell you honestly, hindi ako sanay nang walang sariling pera kasi I started working the day after my college graduation. For twelve years may sarili akong pera. We were raised by my mother not to ask for money unless it is absolutely necessary. Mahirap kasi kami noon, at ngayon ay nakaluwag-luwag na pero di naman kami mayaman, kaya kung luho at bisyo never yan ipinanghihingi lalo na ipinangungutang! Dyahe.

Having been tengga for a couple of months made me consider looking for a regular job once Pablo is big enough. Although marami pang kailangang i-consider and this is something that my husband and I have yet to discuss thoroughly. Sa ngayon kasama lang muna siya sa mga pagmumuni-muni ko.

Haba ng intro! Haha!

It's just that, these ruminations reminded me of all the things I have to prepare when the time comes that I have to apply for a job. Just thinking about them already exhausts me haha! That's why when my niece, Ikay, asked me a few days ago what she can do to "impress the HR" and basically deal with the pressure of looking and interviewing for a job, I thought of coming up with a list of basic tips. Here goes.

This is me going in for an interview. Charot!

1. Prepare an impressive resumé. Look for formats online and find the one that best suits you and the position you are applying for. All you need is a suitable font, an easy-to-read layout with an optimal place to showcase all your qualifications, and a good, I'm-the-best-person-for-the-job photo.

It is also pertinent that you are honest with everything you write on there, too. If you put in your resumé that you can speak five languages then you better be able to speak five languages!

2. Read up about the position you are applying for. Companies have webpages now where they list all the jobs they have available and  the qualifications needed. Peruse them and see which job fits your credentials. This is actuallky the cheat sheet to the question "what qualifications do you have for this job?" ;)

3. Read up about the company you are applying for. Interviewers get impressed at applicants who have done their research about the company, it just shows how much interest you have to be a part of them. 

Plus, it would also do you good to know a lot about the company that you might eventually belong in; do they treat employees right? Does it have a good mileage? Is it reputable?

4. Practice makes perfect. It might seem silly and funny but engaging in mock interviews with a friend helped me a great deal in my interviews before. I Googled for "Sample Interview Questions" and practiced on them with a friend. We were laughing at ourselves at first but eventually became comfortable with it. If you're too shy to do it then just make up answers by yourself and practice alone. Come the interview, when you're too nervous to think, those pre-cooked answers will be your lifesaver.

5. Power dress. Look up from Google or Pinterest what's the best outfit for an interview. Not only will it create an impression, it will help you feel good and confident about yourself. It need not be expensive, it just needs to be the best one for you and the best one suited for the company and position you are applying for.

6. Relax. I know it's very difficult to relax when you're pressured to the core but let me tell you, the worst interview I ever did was for the job I wanted so bad. I was under a lot of pressure that I couldn't focus! For the position I didn't want as much, I was very relaxed during the interview so I was able to think quickly and clearly and led me to get the job! 

The key is to be prepared. Be very prepared to the point that you can almost relax during the interview. Just think, "I got this!" haha!

We always get that advice "just be confident" but it's very difficult to be confident when you're unprepared. My advice is make all the necessary preparations and being confident will come easy.

Again, my six tips are PREPARE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUMÉ. READ UP ABOUT THE POSITION YOU ARE APPLYING FOR. READ UP ABOUT THE COMPANY YOU ARE APPLYING FOR. PRACTICE. POWER DRESS. And RELAX.

Enjoy your job hunting and don't let the pressure get to you. Have fun! Job hunting is stressful but it's an experience everyone goes through. Generations before you have gone through this experience and so will generations after you. Hindi ka nag-iisa! Prepare and impress that interviewer. Best of luck!