It is no secret that an interview can make you nervous.  So nervous, in fact, that many candidates forget what they want to say to showcase their talents, and may lose their opportunity because of it.  While there is plenty of information available on how to combat your nerves during an interview, nothing is better than being prepared.

As you prepare, research, and gather your information, there is one thing you must do to help you in your interview – a cheat sheet.  Yes, creating a cheat sheet is a great idea to help you, just in case you get a case of the nerves.  Here is what you should include:

  • The typical order of your cheat sheet should be in relation to information you will need. For example, information you research about the company, the interviewer, and the current employees, should be near the top.  This will make it easy to refer to during the interview.
  • Make sure you use bold headings on your cheat sheet so it will be easy to find the information you need during your meeting.
  • Here are a few of the items you should include:
    • Research on the company (their mission, values, etc.)
    • Research on the job duties
    • Research on the current employees
    • Research on the interviewer
    • List of your skills (based on the job posting)
    • List of your work history, with stories
    • List of your achievements and challenges overcome
  • Make sure that you include the questions you want to ask the interviewer.

Even if you usually do not suffer from nerves during a job interview, it is still a great idea to have a cheat sheet.  This one page sheet will give you a great way to review your research and information as you wait for your interviewer.  Consider adding a cheat sheet to your interview arsenal.

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