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Written by Contributor Writer Kirstyn Shiner

The idea of trading your crop tops and short skirts for dress pants and a blazer is one that can make any girl a little nervous. Most of us are getting to the point in our lives were internships have been completed, job postings have become something we live and breathe, and plenty of time is spent scouring through resume templates to check everything on ours is up to standard. Knowing how to seem confident when your head is doing a 360 is all part of the very exciting process of starting your career. For those that still feel they aren’t ready to take on their dream job interview with the confidence and poise that is sure to secure you the position, follow these five steps to becoming prepared to land it.

  1. Do your research: How can you expect to come off as confident and educated if you don’t know anything about the job and the company you are interviewing for? Know anything and everything there is to know. Have an idea of what the company does as a whole as well as what you will be doing in your future position if you were to work there. Any statistic you can list or knowledge you can show about the company will impress your potential future boss.
  2. Update that resume: You never want to walk into an interview without fully showing off your skills. For example, if someone spent a lot of time checking out sites like Upskilled, in the hopes of making a decision as to whether to do a vocational course and actually went through with it, the number of skills this person could have learned over time could be very useful to the job they’re interviewing for. So why wouldn’t you add this to the resume? Make sure every work experience and club you are involved in that relates to that job is listed on your resume and that you have a freshly printed copy ready to go when you walk in. Your interviewer may not need it, especially if they’ve utilized the services provided within these Vermont background checks, (or a more local one to you) to accurately verify all of the details on your resume. But having a hard copy and being prepared is always impressive.
  3. Iron that suit: They always say dress for success and a nicely pressed suit, though it may seem conservative, screams success. You may have a more creative major and think that a suit will make you seem out of place and you want to fit in at the company. Land the gig before trying to fit in, your future employer would prefer to see you dressed professionally and you will feel much more confident. It’s a win-win.
  4. Be ready to answer those tough questions: When have you ever walked into an interview and not been asked your strengths and weaknesses as well as those awful situational questions that make everyone’s stomach turn. You are guaranteed to have to do it, so have some answers! Think of three strengths, three weaknesses and have reasons why those are the case. Also think of times you have had to solve a problem, or manage a group of people, or were presented with a problem in the workplace and have stories. That way, when you are asked those sticky situational questions, you won’t hesitate to answer.
  5. Smile and mind your manners: This one may seem like it can go unsaid, and for most, it probably can, but the best way to get on someone’s good side is to smile and ask them how their day is. Make this the first thing you do when meeting your potential future employer.

These steps won’t guarantee you the job of your dreams on the first try and can’t promise you won’t get butterflies walking into your interview, but with the practice of these five steps, you are one step closer to your dreams and much more confident about getting there! Good luck!