How to Use Memory Techniques to Nail Your Next Job Interview

If you’re preparing for an approaching job interview, it is possible there is some information you’d like to commit to memory. Perhaps you want to plan out answers to the top-asked interview questions or memorize information relevant to the company you’re looking to join or it’s industry. Let’s chat about how memory techniques may help!

How to Memorize Interview Materials

The top memory champions will tell you; memory is a PRACTICE! It’s something that will get sharper and better over time – not overnight. So, the most important thing you can do is get your information/materials ready early and then review them every day until the BIG day. To do that, here are three additional steps –

Set yourself up for success –

With a little bit of preparation, you can increase your likelihood to retain information. To get yourself in the right frame of mind to memorize you will want to consider your health, space, and distractions. Getting a good night of sleep each night you’re preparing for the impending interview is important – not just the night before the big day. Feeling rested prior to reviewing your materials each day will make you more alert and focused on the task at hand. If you’re feeling nervous, tense, or stressed; try exercising before your review sessions.

Different people absorb information better at different times. Think back to your school days to pinpoint when might be a good time for you to block off your calendar during the day to sit down with your materials. When you do so, make sure to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Find a quiet room, turn off your phone notifications, and tell yourself you’re only going to focus on one thing at a time until your allotted review time runs out.

Pick up pen and paper –

While you may use a device for most written communications these days, handwriting is a powerful tool when it comes to memory retention. As you’re brainstorming interview answers you want to memorize, consider writing them down the old-fashioned way. Same goes for the facts or information you want to commit to memory. Putting pen (or pencil) to paper requires more time, thinking, and physical movement. Therefore, the body-brain connection helps you to memorize. Hearing things out loud can also prove helpful, so feel free to recite words out loud as you write them down.

Choose a memory technique –

Finally, here are a few of my favorite memory techniques. Once you find one that works for you, it becomes easy to apply it to almost any situation in which you need to remember things!

·         Genuine interest – Think about your favorite hobby, tv show, or sports team. You probably know LOADS of random information pertaining to these things, right? Yet you weren’t poring over flash cards or pulling all-nighters to cram this stuff. That’s because we easily retain what we’re interested in. If you want to remember a bunch of facts about the company you’re interviewing for, focus on the ones you actually find fascinating. Bonus: You’ll sound so much more sincere in your interview because you’ll be covering what you genuinely care about.

·         Pair information with images – This memory technique is all about associating the information you want to recall by creating a relationship. A technique often used for this is called The Memory Palace; by changing information to images and then placing those images within your memory palace, you can later walk through your palace to see and recall that information.

·         Rephrase material into your own words – Whenever you need to know specific information, it always helps to rephrase or summarize it into your own words. This personalizes the material and makes it unique to you! If you’re researching great answers to common interview questions, this one is a MUST as you want your version of that answer to be honest and personal…and sound like you, too. If you want to memorize answers word for word (or if you need to give a speech or presentation at your interview), check out THIS VIDEO.

·         Mnemonic devices – Essentially, this is any pattern that facilitates memorization. This could be anything from setting facts to a tune or making things rhyme to creating anagrams or acronyms. For example, if you’ll be interviewing in front of a panel that consists of folks named Warren, Esther, Sarai, and Trayvon; you may use the word WEST to help you commit those four names to memory.

·         Color coding – This final technique is great for the visual learners out there and utilizes compartmentalization along with visual cues. You simply divide information into like groups by using different colors (for your pens, papers, sticky notes, etc.) to help differentiate the categories. This will not only help you remember the information itself, by using association, but also what information goes where and with what.

All of the above suggestions will not only help you prepare for your next big interview but will also hone your overall memory skills and increase your confidence. Practice and review early and often, set yourself up for success, and don’t be afraid to employ your favorite memory strategies to give yourself that competitive edge. Good luck!

Written by Beth Berger for Team Wintersoul.