HERE ARE OUR TOP 10 INTERVIEW TIPS

Once you know who you are meeting make sure you research them. You may be able to find out things that could be of use during the interview, such as previous jobs or employers. LinkedIn is a particularly useful resource for this type of research. Also, research the organisation you are meeting, in particular the specific area you are interviewing with. If it is a new industry for you, research the industry too – who are the market leaders and new entrants, what are the market trends, how is the industry changing? You should be sufficiently familiar with it to illustrate this familiarity during the interview itself. Speak to any contacts you have that work there or have worked there to build up a picture of corporate culture and values. What’s important and what’s not?

Appearance is incredibly important. It’s a cliche but it’s also true – you only get one opportunity to make a first impression.  Make sure your clothing is appropriate for the organisation you are meeting – check beforehand what the dress code is. 

Body language is also a primary area to focus on. Effective communication comprises 55% body language, 38% voice and just 7% words. Firm handshakes and eye contact are givens, but be aware of your body language during the interview. Try not to ‘close’ during questioning by crossing your arms as it makes you appear defensive. Posture is also important – assess whether you are prone to slouching or reclining too far and be aware of it during the interview.

Make sure you are appropriately enthusiastic and energetic – convey the impression that there is nowhere you would rather be, no one you would rather be talking to.

Prepare a list of questions and memorise them. Some will be answered during the interview, but you will always be asked if you have any questions at the end of the meeting. Most employers will place significant emphasis on the quality of questions they get asked and this is the opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate their awareness of the organisation and the role.

Make sure you are intimately familiar with the job specification and the competencies they are looking for. Think of specific examples that evidence your suitability against these criteria.

On a related note, make sure you know exactly what it is that you are actually looking for from the job and prepare questions accordingly. Establish what it is that you really need to know about the job on offer in order to compare it to what you are looking for.

Review your CV and prepare for likely questions. There are likely to be difficult questions and potentially some that you hope won’t be asked – prepare for the worst!  If you have set out your achievements, be prepared to expand on all and any of them. It may be some time since you have had to discuss some of these, so give it some thought beforehand.  Don’t try to memorise verbatim responses as you will appear unnatural and over-rehearsed, but be familiar with the subject matter.

If there is a technical testing element to the interview process, ensure your knowledge of the required area is comprehensive, up-to-date and will bear scrutiny.

Don’t be afraid to write things down and to refer to them, either beforehand or during the interview. Removing the need to remember everything may help you to remain calm in a stressful situation as well as ensuring that you actually cover everything that you need to cover.