Congratulations! Your resume went all the way and you are booked for an interview. Now it’s time to nail that interview and the music from one of the most popular Disney movies can show you the way. Remember these song titles from the movie The Lion King and Simba and his friends will help you succeed in the interview!

1. Be prepared

It doesn’t matter if you are trying to take over the lion kingdom or make a good impression in an interview. Preparations are everything. Try to find out as much as possible about the company you are soon to visit. Is it a small or a large company? What is the company hero products or services? Do you have any experience in using their products or services? Read the company’s financial reports. How do they make their money? In what direction are they moving? Study the position that you are applying for and know what’s in it. Where does your knowledge fit in? If you know anyone at the company, give them a call and tell them that you have been asked for an interview. Who knows, maybe they will be part of the process of hiring you. Besides, any information from the inside is valuable.

When you got yourself a good view of the company and its story, it’s time to prepare your story. Prepare your success stories from your resume. When did you perform at your best? What did you do to get there? What do you do to stay there? Tell the story as you would talk about yourself when you’re going on a date. Rehearse over and over again, until you know your stories by heart. You will be able to use these stories throughout the entire interview. For example, you can blend them in when you answer the most common interview questions, like:

”Tell me a little about yourself.”

”What are your biggest weaknesses/strengths?”

 ”Where do you see yourself in five years?”

You can answer all these three questions at the same time just by telling your story. Besides, the interview will become a conversation instead of just a questionnaire. Hopefully, the interviewer will remember your conversation.

Prepare questions to ask the interviewer related to what you find out about the company and the position you’re applying for. And always prepare one question for the end to use when you get the final question from the interviewer: “Do you have any questions to me?” This is a great opportunity to show that you are truly interested in the position and the company. Don’t miss it! If my interviewer is not a recruiter, but someone who is working at the company, this is my favorite question to ask at the end: 

“Can you tell me how you got started at the company and why you stayed?”

The answer to this question will probably give you more understanding of the company culture and the company’s history. You will also build a closer relationship between you and the interviewer and give the interviewer a special memory of you, especially if the interviewer is your future boss.

Do you have more suggestions for preparations? Let me know in a comment below!

2. This land

Simba knows his land and his surroundings and he loves it. Know your land, your CV by heart. You wrote it and now it’s time to present it. That’s why you need to know what’s in it. You should be able to present your CV in chronological order, from the latest position and backward or jump between your different assignments depending on the interview situation. Stand in front of the mirror and study yourself when presenting yourself. Do you like what you see? Talk through your CV in the shower, when you’re out walking, in the car, etc. Your CV is your land, make sure you know it by heart so that you can tell your story.

3. Hakuna Matata

“It means no worries…” Take a deep breath before entering the interview and try not to be nervous. Remember, it’s fun to talk about yourself and that’s exactly what you will be doing for the next hour. This is your moment!

You will probably be offered something to drink. Always accept this invite. You might give a rude impression otherwise. Besides, it’s easy to get a dry throat when talking a lot, so you need something to drink. Standing next to the coffee machine, waiting for the coffee also opens up an opportunity for you to small talk with the interviewer before the interview starts. Coffee in combination with a nervous stomach might create gases that make your stomach feel funny. Go with water instead and take the coffee another time if your stomach is not with you today.

If you get the opportunity to choose between listening to the company presentation or present yourself first, start with the company presentation. This gives you time to relax and understand what the company is looking for. When it’s time for your presentation it’s easier to navigate and know what part of your CV that might capture the interest of the interviewer and what is interesting for the company.

Stay relaxed, but not too relaxed. Show your interest by interrupting and asking questions. Remember, an interview is a conversation between you and the interviewer to find out if it will be a good match or not. It’s sort of like dating before the marriage. You increase your chances of a happy marriage if you spend some time getting to know the person you’re dating before you pop the question about marriage. It’s the same thing when you meet a company that might be your future employer.

4. I just can’t wait to be king…

…at the interview and show how great I am! It’s time for you to enter the stage and show why you are perfect for this position. During the company presentation, you have decided to either start talking about yourself in chronological order, start with your latest position first or just pick the most interesting parts and let the interviewer ask questions about the rest. What do you think the interviewer would like to listen to first? If the job you have applied for is similar to a job you had a couple of years ago, start talking about your experiences from your old job and connect it with the one you are applying for now. This is probably interesting for the interviewer to listen to. If you are more senior than junior, it might be difficult to remember details from your junior days and it might also be boring to listen to. Start with your present or latest job instead. Either way, you choose, always try to connect your skills and knowledge to the company presentation you have just heard. 

If you feel that the position is not really what you expected, you have to decide if you still think there’s a chance for you to do a great job in your role or if there are too many missing parts for you to succeed. Be frank with your thoughts during the interview, it will save both you and the interviewer time. Bring your thoughts to the table. Maybe you can work out another role that will suit you and the company better. Remember, whatever happens during the interview, always end the interview in a nice and polite way. Who knows, maybe you will return to the company when applying for another job. Then you want the company to have a good memory of you. Before leaving the interview make sure you know whom to call for additional questions and when the company is expecting to contact you with their decision.

5. King of Pride Rock

Be proud of your performance in the interview. If it’s a match you will meet again on a second date. And if you feel it wasn’t right, there will be other opportunities. If the company doesn’t want to go ahead with you, you need to ask why. Find out what you did great and what you need to improve. In the circle of life, we want to be better today than we were yesterday. But we also want to be better tomorrow than we are today.

6. Can you feel the love…

…and passion for the job and the company? Did you get a good impression of the company, the people you met and the job? Most importantly, do you think you can succeed? Remember, in an interview, it’s equally important for the company to get to know you as it is for you to get to know the company and to find out if this is your future employer.

Good Luck!

Now it’s your turn. How do you prepare for a job interview? Please tell me your interview tips in the comments section below, and please share this post with your network to help them prepare for their next interview!