Ensuring interview success

You’ve done a lot of hard work to get yourself in front of a potential employer. Now you have the chance to shine and demonstrate why you are the right person for the job. However, remember that the interview isn’t just about getting you employment; it’s also your opportunity to find out more about the role and the company so that you can decide if they are right for you

Key issues to consider:

• Know yourself
• Know the company
• Know the role
• Know the industry
• Know how you will add value
• Rehearse in front of someone

Here are our top 10 tips to help you shine and get closer to winning your dream job.

1. Review your CV

Your CV has been good enough to get you an interview. Review it thoroughly before your interview and be prepared to talk about your career, education and personal interests. Your interviewer will ask you questions based on the information you have provided. Make sure you can talk through your experience and show how it can be of benefit to the company and the job you have applied for.

2. Researching the company

Carrying out research is a very powerful way to really improve your chances of getting a job. It will help you to understand more than just the number of offices and types of product an organisation sells. It’s finding out about the organisation and how your role can support the company’s goals. Be sure to review the company’s social pages such as blogs and LinkedIn as they can often provide deeper insight than the website alone. You can also find out if the company has been mentioned recently in the press or if there are any current news stories which could have an effect on their sector.

Explore the market place and show an in-depth understanding of the industry/sector, key players and competitors to show you understand the environment.

All this information will improve your confidence and give you topics to discuss.

3. Where you add value

Showing what you can give and how you can grow beyond the job description proves that you can add value. Use STAR (situation, task, action, result) examples to illustrate your achievements and how they can contribute to the role and to the company.

The job of an interviewer is to get the best out of you and to showcase their company. Thinking about how you can add value to them will help you shine at your interview.

4. Prepare answers to competency based questions

You will be asked to give detailed examples of situations you have experienced to demonstrate your skills. Often they relate to areas such as influencing, communication and management.

Typical questions include:

• Give me an example of a time when you’ve had to persuade people that your idea was the best
• Give me an example of when you felt that you were out of your depth? How did you handle this?
• Tell me about some risks you have taken in your working or professional life? How did you go about this? What was the outcome?
• Give me an example of when you had to work under a great deal of pressure? What was the outcome?
• How do you prioritise your workload?
• When you have had a good result, how have you communicated this?

5. Strengths-based interviews

Strengths-based interviews aim to find out what candidates enjoy and to be fresh, positive and engaging offering genuine insights into candidates’ innate aptitudes. Perhaps nothing is more revealing about who you are than what you enjoy.

The questions in a strengths-based interview will take a wide-ranging approach to assessing your personal attributes. Interviewers may seek to identify your abilities, such as working with others and analysing problems, or look for pride in what you do. They may also ask questions relatively quickly in order to get a genuine response.

Don’t be alarmed by the shift away from the competencebased interview. Most people are likely to come across at their best when talking about what they enjoy. Assessing what you most enjoy will help you to clarify what you want out of your career, as well as preparing you for contact with an interviewer who takes a strengths-based approach.

Typical questions include:

• What are you good at?
• How do you judge if you’ve had a good day?
• What gets done first on your ‘to do’ list? What never gets done?
• What comes easily to you?
• What do you learn quickly?
• What things give you energy?
• When did you achieve something you were really proud of? What made it significant and what did you learn from the experience
• When would your friends and family say you are happiest?
• What activities come naturally to you?
• What are your greatest strengths? When do you use them at their best?

6. Prepare to ask questions

You will always be asked if you have any questions at the end of an interview. For some interviewers it may simply be the final item on their checklist. However, for you it is a big opportunity. Preparing good questions will impress the recruiter. Avoid questions which reveal too much (asking what the social scene is like won’t show you in the best light) and avoid run of the mill questions which are likely to have been covered during the interview. Some good topics to explore include the company’s vision and values, training and development opportunities, the interviewer’s background and time spent with the company.

7. Expect the unexpected

Don’t be surprised if the interviewer tries to catch you offguard. How you react to a surprise question is often a good reflection of your personality and your ability to think on your feet. Treat whatever is thrown at you as a challenge and think things through in a methodical and confident manner. Take your time to answer unexpected questions. If necessary, repeat the question back to the interviewer to make sure you have understood and to buy some time to pull together your response.

8. Make a good first impression

You only get one chance to make a first impression so make the most of it.

When you meet someone face-to-face, over 90% of how you are judged is based on non-verbal information such as your appearance and your body language. A judgement is usually made within the first minute.

The clothes you wear should be appropriate to the job or organisation. Generally, you should dress smartly and make sure your outfit is comfortable and fits well. Don’t wear trainers and keep jewellery to a minimum. Look confident and enthusiastic - after being invited to sit down, sit upright and lean forward slightly to show interest in the conversation. It’s important to build a rapport with your interviewer so look him/her in the eye throughout the interview. Talk positively about results and benefits, profitability and productivity to show you are determined to succeed.

9. Avoid common pitfalls

If you are not familiar with interview protocol and etiquette, you could let yourself down. Whatever level of work you’re applying for; make sure you don’t make any basic mistakes such as:

• Visual communication: stand up straight, make good eye contact and listen to what is being said. Never slouch and make sure your handshake is firm and assured.
• Verbal communication: answer questions in a clear and precise tone. Take your time to make sure you are answering the right question. If you are at all unsure, it is best to ask for clarification before trying to second guess what is being asked. Always avoid slang, jargon or sexual innuendos. Whilst your aim is to sell yourself, don’t be aggressive.
• Not asking any questions: asking questions shows that you are interested and that you have been paying attention and have prepared for the interview. Importantly, the right questions will also help you decide whether it is the right job for you and whether you want to become part of the company.

10. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

It may seem like common sense but here are a few final checkpoints:

• Time of the interview
• Location and route to get you there
• Name and title of the person you are meeting
• Contact telephone number

Print off a map of the interview location and the route you will be taking, make sure your phone is fully charged and leave more than enough time to reach your destination. And, once at the venue, turn off your phone or switch it to silent.