Interview tips

Interview Tips & Guidance The secret to a successful interview lies in the preparation! Being prepared will help you feel confident and will allow you to stand out in front of an employer.

Don’t let any unexpected interview questions or skills-based tests faze you! If you stick to a few simple guidelines, you'll have no problem handling any questions that are thrown at you and you’ll breeze through your interview.

Before the interview

Tip 1: Research the company

• • • •

Employers will expect you to know about their company. Being able to show you have done your homework shows your enthusiasm for the job and indicates you are motivated to join their team.

Read their website, check out their Twitter and Instagram feeds and know the background of the person interviewing you. Take notes that you can reread the morning of your interview.

Identify what they do, make or sell? – try the ‘About us’ section of their website for details.

Who are their key customers? – Look for logos of companies they have done business with.

Read the job description thoroughly and be able to explain what you will be doing day to day.

Reflect on how you and your skills match both the job role and the company itself.

Check the invitation or interview format and try and identify who is interviewing you.

In an interview there are standard questions which nearly every employer will ask you, so prepare answers for these in advance.

"Tell me about yourself?"

Sell yourself: talk about your previous work experience, school accomplishments, sporting achievements or other extra-curricular activities. The interviewer will want to hear your story and what’s unique about you. Don’t be afraid to talk about achievements outside of school or work, but relate them to the job.

Tip 2: Prepare answers to common questions

"Why do you want this job?"

Talk about why you’re really interested in their business and what excites you about the position.

Explain why you think you are the best person suited for the role by linking your skills and relevant experience back to the job description.

"What do you know about us?"

Always research the business in advance – that makes this question very easy to answer. Read their website, google them for recent news and don’t be afraid to show-off your knowledge of their business.

"Where does this position fit in with your career plans?"

Be humble and demonstrate that you are ready to learn and work hard. But being ambitious is a good thing as long as your plan is realistic - there is no harm in aspiring to your boss’ job in 5 years time!

"What are your strengths?"

Be honest and describe 2 - 3 of your strengths. If you’re not sure what your strengths are, ask your friends and family. Make sure you relate your strengths back to the job description and give

examples that demonstrate why you're strong in these areas. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the employer and make yourself stand out from other candidates.

"What are your weaknesses?"

Don’t be worried – everyone finds this question difficult to answer! Be honest but choose something that isn’t core to the role. For example, if you’re applying for a role as an administrator, don’t tell the employer that a weakness is attention to detail. Describe what you are doing to improve on that weakness. This is important as the employer will see that you are not afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses but are working to fix them.

"What do you do outside of work?"

You want to appear active but not so busy that you could not get to work on time or stay late occasionally. Share some of your hobbies and interests – sporting ones are often good!

Some additional questions include: • • • • • •

“Give me an example of where you have had to use problem solving skills” “Give me an example of when you have worked in a team” “Give me an example of when you have had to work under pressure or to tight deadlines?”

"What's been your most significant success so far in life?"

"What is the greatest challenge you have ever faced?"

"How do you cope with difficult friends/colleagues?"

Tip 3: Ask the interviewer questions • • • • • • •

Always ask the interviewer questions at the end of the interview it demonstrates curiosity and a real interest in working for their organisation.

What's the best thing about working at your company?

What are the development opportunities within the company?

Does this role involve me being in a position where I can use my initiative?

If I am successful, where would you like to see me within the company in five years?

How does the job I am applying for fit into the team?

What is your management style like?

What is the working atmosphere like?

Always dress smartly for an interview - it will create a great first impression and will make you feel more confident. It is worth checking in advance whether they expect you to wear a suit.

Once you decide what to wear, get your clothes ready the day before. You don’t have to buy a new outfit, just aim for a neat, clean and tidy appearance.

Tip 5: Plan your journey & arrive early

Tip 4: Dress appropriately

Never, ever arrive late. It creates a bad impression immediately and can often cost you the job.

Make a note of the date, time and location of the interview. Make a plan of how you will get there and check how long the journey will take. You should plan another way of getting there in case something unexpected happens (such as an accident blocking the road, or if your train is cancelled). If you're going to be unavoidably delayed, make sure you let your interviewer know.

Preparing for a Phone Interview • Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed during the telephone call.

• Have your personal information and the job description ready in front of you.

• Answer the call professionally - ‘Hello, this is Charlie Brown’. You want to make a good first impression.

• Prepare your answers as carefully as you would for a face to face interview but don’t write them out in full or they will sound scripted.

Preparing for a Face to Face Interview You want to make a good impression in the first few minutes of the interview: • Arrive Early - Plan to get to your interview at least twenty minutes early.

• Switch off your phone • Be friendly and courteous to everyone you meet, from the receptionist onwards. You never know who might have a say in your appointment.

• Be positive - Use positive body language and make eye contact when answering questions.

• Do your research - Make the most of your research and quote it where appropriate.

• Sell yourself! Tell them about all your relevant skills, abilities, knowledge and experience which make you right for the job and link these to the job description.

• Panel interviews - If you face a panel interview, make sure you talk to everyone rather than directing your answers at one person.

• Ask questions - Find out as much as you can about the job. For example, who would you report to? Why is the job vacant? What are the promotion prospects?

• Salary - Never mention salary unless prompted to do so. Try not to agree on a specific number.

Ask if you can think about it overnight and get back to them.

• Don’t interrupt - Always let the interviewer finish speaking before answering.

• Next Steps - When the interview is over, remember to ask when you can expect to hear back and what the next stage will be.

After the Interview Sending a thank you email after an interview will really set you apart from other candidates.

It's always good to take stock of your overall performance, learn from the experience, and prepare for the next step.

• Try to remember the interview questions you were asked and how you answered them to see if you could improve in future.

• If you think it's appropriate, email the interviewer to say thank you but don't be too pushy for a response.

• Remember to use any criticism constructively.

Good luck with your interview - you’re going to crush it!