Interview Tips

INTERVIEW TIPS

Preparation is the Key!!!

. Do you know where the interview is being held and how long it takes to get there? Do a dummy run beforehand so you are not rushing or get lost on the day.!

. What to wear? If the job is of a responsible nature wear a suit if not a shirt and tie is acceptable. Ensure your shoes are clean!!

. Body language, ensure you are sat straight and maintain eye contact (although don’t stare!!)

. If you wear perfume or aftershave ensure you haven’t used the whole bottle, you don’t want to give the interviewer a headache!

. Make sure you keep a copy of the completed application form and the job advert from the start

. Read the Job Description & Person Specification ( if provided), know this well, it can help with preparing your end questions and with helping to answer questions during the interview

. Take along a file or clipboard, with your questions for the end of the interview, also the Job Description & Person Specification, a copy of your completed application form and job advert.

. It is a good idea to also take a few copies of your CV to hand to the Interviewers.

. Research the company, look at websites or ask around, find out at least a brief outline of what the company does, how long they have been going for, have they recently had any developments, i.e. a takeover or won a new contract, etc.

. Also if they have any accolades i.e. Investors in People or Disability Matters, show that you understand what this means to the organisation and how important it is to work for a company with such accreditations. Research these if you don’t already know them.

. By researching the company it may help you to form your end interview questions, for example if there is anything you are unsure about or if you wish the company to elaborate on anything. This also shows the interviewer that you have spent some time preparing and researching which also shows how important getting the job would be to you.

. It is also a good idea to ask the company about the training they offer, this will also show you how much they value their staff and how much they are willing to invest in them to provide a good service. . When preparing for the interview itself, think of the types of questions they are likely to ask, things such as : Why would you be the right person for the job? What do you see as your strengths & weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in x number of years? How do you handle working under pressure or dealing with an irate customer?

. If you prepare rough answers before the interview you are more prepared with answers should they come up. Think about how you would answer these, use the person specification to see what attributes the company are looking for within the successful candidate, such as patience, communication skills, good organisational skills, etc. Then think of examples where you might have been in a similar situation, either within home or work life.

. For example, if a company asks you how you would deal with organising a staff meeting. You might have organised a party or holiday before with friends and can say that although you have never organised a staff meeting you do have good organisational skills as you recently organised a party/holiday for whoever and talk about what that involved and how you managed it successfully.

. Examples do not always have to be from previous work experiences, the employer is just looking to see if you possess the skills they are looking for that are necessary to do the job. This is why this will need lots of time to prepare and start getting in Interview mode and practice as these things do not always come naturally. Not all of us are natural when it comes to selling ourselves, and often sell our self’s short when trying!

. Remember it is quite acceptable to ask the interviewer to repeat a question or to rephrase it if you didn’t understand, also if you need a few seconds to think about the answer then again it is acceptable to ask for this. The interviewer is just a person the same as you and will understand that everyone gets nervous and flustered during interviews, you are not judged on this just how you handle the situation may help! If you do find yourself repeating yourself (common mistake!!) or stuttering, etc just take a deep breath and ask if it’s ok to start that answer again!

. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions to ask them, NEVER SAY NO!! You can say however that they have covered what you wanted to know, but do give examples. This is why it is a good idea to take in a file with your questions already written down, this will help with your confidence as well and you will feel more professional and organised which will show through.

. Also if the interviewers have answered all your questions (which can happen) then you can refer to your questions, almost as proof you had prepared them. For example you could say I was going to ask about your training opportunities but you have already covered by ……… (You could rephrase what you were told to show you were listening) obviously you don’t have to do this! . Before you leave make sure you know what the next step is, i.e. when you are likely to hear from the company regarding whether you were successful and also whether you will hear if you are not. Make sure you do not leave the interview with unanswered questions or still unsure about anything.

. If you like the sound of the job then tell the interviewer before you leave. Thank them for their time and let them know you would really like this job. If you don’t tell them then they won’t know and it could be a deciding factor when they are selecting the right candidate.

REMEMBER YOU ARE INTERVIEWING THE COMPANY AS MUCH AS THEY ARE INTERVIEWING YOU!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!