Preparing for a Job Interview – an Essential Guide
Firstly, congratulations on getting to interview stage.
It can be a stressful time and quite overwhelming but preparation is key and researching and planning in advance will help you sell yourself to your potential future employer and show them that you are the right person for the job.
Our candidates often ask us what they need to consider when preparing for that important interview. In this blog, we cover some important ground rules and helpful tips to ensure you are as best prepared as you can be.
Research
Be organised. Ensure you have sufficient details about the role you are interviewing for and the company itself.
Research the company fully. Use their website and news stories to learn more about them, their products and services. Also look at social media – if they have a presence they will be talking about matters that are important to them as a business. Do they have reviews online – check out what their customers are saying about them.
Also use this research to plan out some questions about the company you can bring to the interview with you, for example:
- What are the company’s business objectives?
- Where is the company placed in the market against their competitors?
Consider interview questions and plan your response
Mostly at the start of an interview, there are a few warm-up questions to make the candidate feel at ease such as:
- “Tell me about yourself”
- “Talk about your experience to date”
Have a few sentences rehearsed and ready to do just that in a concise way. Write your responses down, read them out loud, get used to saying them. If you can do a mock interview then do so – it’s a great way to practice in advance of the real interview.
In our last blog, we spoke about developing a Personal Statement on your CV which summarises your skills and experience. Elaborate on that and really highlight the experience that matches to the role you are interviewing for. Keep it brief – 3 minutes maximum (and time yourself as we are all guilty of talking too much when we are nervous). If your CV is dotted with gaps in employment use this opportunity to also talk through what you were doing during this time.
Interviews tend to be “Competency-Based” questions which determine whether you are suitable for the role i.e. assessing your past experience, challenges you have faced and how you have achieved positive outcomes. They are descriptive questions where the candidate is asked to give a response that shows they have had experience in a certain situation, of a particular challenge or issue and how they influenced or their part in the execution of the outcome. Examples of these types of questions are:
- “Give me an example of when ….”
- “Describe a time …..”
Always have some prepared questions for the interviewer too. It will be natural that you are interested in the company, the position itself and personal development in the role.
- “Where does the company expect to be in five years?”
- “How will the role develop?”
- “What are the current challenges in this role?”
Before the interview day
It may seem obvious but…..
Consider and plan your interview outfit. Dressing smart and appropriate for the role can increase your confidence as well as showing the interviewer that you are well presented and professional.
Work out where you’re going, travelling times and transport options. Ensure that you can get there on time by travelling the route and timing yourself.
Have a copy of the job description and your CV with you. If you are early for the interview it gives you an opportunity to refresh your memory and read over your notes before it starts.
Bring details of the name and contact number of the interviewer in case you need them.
During the interview – the Dos and Don’ts
- Do be polite to reception and support staff that greet you. they can actually be very influential and will feedback any thoughts they had on you.
- Do make a good first impression – greet the interviewer by name, with a smile and a firm handshake.
- Do know your CV inside out and be ready to address any gaps in it, why you left previous employment and why you are interested in the role.
- Do clarify if you misunderstand a question.
- Do answer all questions concisely – Don’t ramble!
- Do remember to ask the questions you have prepared for the interviewer.
- Don’t be critical of any previous employer.
- Don’t be too laid back or over friendly.
- Don’t interrupt the interviewer.
- Don’t leave without thanking the interviewer for their time and clarifying when you expect to hear from them.
After the interview
After the interview, it is useful to find a quiet place and write down from memory as many of the questions that you were asked. This can be really useful to help you improve for any future interviews. If an agency put you forward for the role contact them as soon as you are out of interview so that you can update them with feedback on performance and they can ask the employer for feedback also.
And finally, Relax ….
You have done all your homework, have fully researched the company, know how to get there on time and believe that you are the right candidate for the role. Now it’s time to relax and know with confidence that you have done all you can to prepare and put yourself forward in the best light.
Good luck!
At Alexander Mae, we are focused on recruiting the highest calibre of candidates for our clients and working with our candidates to ensure each person is placed in the right role. If you are interested in any of our vacancies please email [email protected] or ph: 0117 9055035
