Interview Preparation (Re-entering The Workplace)

One of the most important factors to interviewing is being prepared. I can not stress enough how important this simple but commonly overlooked part of the interview is. Just taking a little time before your scheduled interview to practice answering interview questions will not only help you with having an arsenal of prepared answers to the interview questions but it will also give you a sense of confidence during the interview.
If you don’t have the resources to work with a professional interview coach, find a friend, or relative. Give them a list of questions that are usually asked in an interview and have them act like the interviewer. If you can, I would recommend recording your answers so you can play them back after the practice interview is over.

Listen to the way you answered the questions and critique yourself.

Did your answers make sense?
Did your answers stay on point or did you have a tendency to ramble on?
Did you answer the questions with ease?
Did you cover everything you wanted to get across to the interviewer?
Did you come across as having confidence in your abilities?
Did you sell yourself the way you wanted?
Did you solve their problem? (remember you are the solution)
Did you keep the interviewer engaged?
Did you ask the appropriate questions at the end of your practice interview?

If you were not comfortable with the way you answered the practice interviewers questions, then keep practicing until you feel good about the way you handled yourself.
By recording your practice interview you will be able to hear how you are coming across to the interviewer. If you are not confident in the way you answered the questions neither will your interviewer. It is all about perception. How did the interviewer perceive you?

If you want to instill a sense of confidence with your interviewer, you need to be confident in yourself during the interview.

So Practice, Practice, Practice!