Interview Advice

First Things First

All interviews are different for everyone; depending on the role you’re applying for, the personalities within the business and the approach of the industry or business.

In all cases it is important to research the job, the employer and the business thoroughly as this will help you to better understand what the interviewer will be looking for.

Preparing for an Interview

1. Check the place and time of the interview. Ensure that you know how long it’ll take you to get there and aim to be early – remember to make allowances for any delays. If you are unavoidably delayed let your interviewers know immediately – it may be that you will need to reschedule.

2. Make sure that you know who you are meeting and their background within the company

3. You should know your current CV inside out and have copies with you.

4. Be prepared to talk interviewers through your CV and career path – it’s a good idea to practise this at home. Make sure that you can explain any gaps in employment – perhaps by highlighting new skills or further training carried out.

5. Find out about the tone of the interview – will it be formal or casual? This may also relate to any dress code the business has – you should always look presentable regardless of this though.

Obviuos things not to do

1. Don’t be late. Always allow extra time for your journey and aim to be early. Better to arrive relaxed, you can always sit down somewhere before your interview to prepare yourself.

2. Don’t forget to pay attention to your body language. Non-verbal communication and behaviour influence the impression you make on others – and how they react to you.

3. Try not to do anything that will make you smell (smoking, drinking alcohol or too much coffee for example.)

4. Don’t be negative about any of your past experiences – turn them into a positive by saying what you have learned from any challenging experiences.

5. Keep your language professional – don’t use colloquialisms, slang or text speak and also beware of using too many buzzwords.

What do Interviewers Look For

1. Attention to detail. Check your spelling and grammar in all of your communications.

2. Be prepared. Ensure that you know who you’re meeting, what the job role is and what the business is about. Research this in advance.

3. Think about eye contact and body language. Try to make a reasonable amount of eye contact when you communicate. Try to be open with your gestures as it will make you seem more confident.

4. Personality – they will be looking for someone who will work well with their current team. Smile and be friendly, polite and professional.

5. Good answers to their questions. Think about the questions that they might ask and practise answering them. Listen to what the interviewer is asking and talk about your experiences that are relevant.

6. Appearance. First impressions matter so make sure that you look professional. Knowing that you look good will also have an impact on how you feel which will make a difference to how you come across. Also think about carrying some breath mints to make sure that you smell good too.

7. Enthusiasm – the interviewer wants to know that you are interested and excited about your potential career or job role. They need to feel this so that they know that you are the right person for the job.

Interview Questions

Here are some of the top questions that interviewers might ask.

Skills

1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

2. What can you offer us that other candidates can’t?

3. What would your colleagues consider as your best qualities?

4. Why should we hire you?

Employer

1. Why do you want to work here?

2. What do you know about our company?

The Job

1. What do you think the main challenges will be?

2. What would you do in the first day/week/month/year here?

3. What do you think the main tasks and responsibilities will be in this job?

Ambitions

1. What are your goals?

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

Work History

1. Why did you leave your last job?

2. Tell me about a typical day in your current/last job.

3. What experience do you have from previous jobs?

Motivation

1. What motivates you?

2. What jobs do you get the most satisfaction from?

About the Product or Service

1. What do you think about our product/services?

2. Can you think of any improvements to our products/services?

Team Working

1. What makes a good team?

2. What makes a good team member?

3. What makes a good team leader?

Personality and Interests

1. What do you like to .do in your spare time?

2. How would you describe yourself?

3. How would your friends describe you?

Unusual Questions/Requests

1. Draw me a flying elephant.

Occasionally an employer will give an unusual question or request – these are often designed to assess how you deal with the out-of-the-ordinary, how you think on your feet and your ability to think creatively.

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