Sandra Patel
16th August 2016
Discover our tips on job interview preparation, doing your research and polishing your technique.
If you are called for a job interview, this means that the company has read your CV and decided that you might be a good fit for the role. To get this far, you’ve already made an excellent first impression.
Nine out of ten employers already know that a candidate can do the job from their application materials. Interviews provide a forum to talk more about your career aspirations, your general working style, and how you would fit into the team. It pays to be prepared; however, nothing can beat genuine enthusiasm and a strong desire to succeed!
The following tips should help you achieve your best in an interview situation.
Before the interview
Interviews require planning and research. Generally, you should do the following when preparing for interview:
- Read the company’s website, social media accounts, press releases and news items, ensuring that you’re up to date on key trends.
- Research key facts about the company and the industry such as major clients, competitors and the company culture, and be prepared to share your ideas.
- Fully research the role that you’re applying for by reviewing the job description and identifying the core skills and experiences the employer is looking for.
- Prepare concise and specific answers to the ten most popular interview questions using practical examples. You may find it helpful to script answers according the S.T.A.R technique:
- Situation: Describe the situation you were in
- Task: Explain the task you were set
- Action: Outline the action you took and the skills you used
- Result: Describe the outcome in relation to your actions.
- Review your CV and application materials, and be prepared to clarify problematic aspects such as periods of unemployment.
- Prepare several questions to ask the interviewer.
- Select smart and professional clothing. A recent CareerBuilder survey suggests that black, blue, grey and brown-coloured clothing conveys the greatest sense of professionalism.
- Research your interview location and parking restrictions to avoid being late.
On arrival
- Be on time or five minutes early.
- Be friendly to everyone you meet including the security personnel, the receptionist and the people you pass in the lobby.
- Take everything the employer has asked you to bring which might include photo identification, work samples, proof of qualifications and your CV.
In the interview
Everything you do and say from the moment you enter the interview room is about reassuring the interviewer that you can do the job and the interviewer will not look foolish for hiring you. Generally, you should:
- Greet your interviewer with a firm and assured handshake – research suggests that it’s correlated with getting a job offer.
- Engage in regular eye contact. People who consistently make eye contact while speaking are perceived to be more intelligent than those who do not.
- Smile to convey that you are friendly and likeable.
- Copy the interviewer’s body language since mirroring can make a candidate appear more open and trustworthy.
- Give plenty of S.T.A.R examples of your achievements.
- Place extra emphasis on your professionalism, enthusiasm, self motivation, problem solving and other skills you have identified as being relevant to the role, as well as your technical skills.
- Speak clearly and concisely; try not to waffle or veer off topic.
- Ask relevant questions at appropriate moments to show that you are listening and are genuinely interested in the role.
- Relax and let your personality shine.
After the interview
- Call your consultant to tell them how the interview went and get feedback from them.
The bottom line is, if you want to succeed at your interview you must be confident, enthusiastic and prepared. Do you research, be on time, and make sure you give plenty of specific examples about your past achievements. Good luck!