Interview tips

Going for an interview can be a nerve-wracking affair, but being well-prepared beforehand can make all the difference between getting the job and not.

Check out our interview tips on before, during and end of the interview to ensure you’re as prepared as you can be.

Before the interview

Make sure you:

• Know your CV inside and out
• Think through your career and try to anticipate questions they might ask
• Focus especially on any relevant project/work experience you’ve completed and review key documents to remind yourself of facts and figures
• Read up about the company (annual report, website, speak to existing/previous employees if possible)
• Rehearse questions and answers beforehand – if possible get someone else to ask you the questions and make sure you’re answers are as positive and concise as possible
• Prepare some general questions about the company (try to include some you’re fairly sure they won’t cover in the interview/introduction). You can write these down and take them into the interview if you like
• Don’t forget to dress smartly for the interview and leave early to make sure you arrive at the interview in plenty of time, even if there are traffic or other problems

During the interview

To do well you’ve got to convince the person interviewing you that you’re both technically qualified and sufficiently motivated to get the job done well. You’ve also got to convince them that you’ll fit in with the company’s structure, culture and the team in which you’ll work.

• Be polite to everyone you meet at the company – you never know if they might influence the decision on whether or not to hire you.
• When you meet your interviewer, smile and give a firm handshake
• During the interview be positive about what you’ve done and achieved, quantifying or giving examples to back up statements you make
• Deal with negative things or areas you’ve failed at positively - explain simply why something happened (e.g. I was ill during exams), offer an alternative example where you’ve achieved something similar or highlight what you learnt from the experience
sp;  Don’t put down previous employers – it’s not professional and the interviewer will wonder what you’ll say about them
• Be concise and don’t waffle
• Show you are giving the interviewer your full attention by sitting up straight or leaning forward slightly
• Try not to flap your hands too much - some hand movement is fine
• Smile and look your interviewer in the eye when listening and responding (avoiding someone’s gaze suggests you’re not telling the truth)
• Pause to consider questions before answering and talk at a good pace, not too fast
• Ask for clarification if you need it
• Be enthusiastic about the job you’re going for and show you’ve carefully thought through what it involves and how your attributes/experience fit
• Legally, interviewers aren’t allowed to discriminate on grounds of race, gender, age, religion or disability. If the interviewer asks personal questions you think are irrelevant to the job, politely refuse to answer them

Ending the interview

If you think the interview is coming to an end and you haven’t been offered the chance to ask questions about the company/job, politely ask if it’s a convenient time to do so.

Thank the interviewer for their time and reiterate your interest in the job. If it feels right, you can ask what the timescales are for hearing about the job or say “I look forward to hearing from you“.

 

Always end on a positive note.

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