Career Advice Series Part 6: Preparing for Interview
So, your CV and covering letter have impressed your
potential employer, and they certainly haven’t been put off by your digital footprint – you’ve been
invited for interview, congratulations! But there’s no time to celebrate
because the hard work isn’t over just yet. Meeting your future employers face
to face is your chance to show them your worth, so preparation is key.
Preparing for Interview
Preparing
for your interview will not only impress your potential employer, but also help
to calm those pre-interview jitters and stop you going into your interview a nervous
wreck, so we’ve put together some advice to help you be your best and go into
your interview feeling confident and ready to go.
Do your research
Even though you will have (or should have!)
done your research on the company whilst writing your cover letter, the first
step of preparing for interview is to thoroughly research the company you’re
applying to. A lot of people make the mistake of focusing on themselves too
much when it comes to interview prep, but employers will expect you to demonstrate
more than just basic knowledge of the company.
By researching the employer’s website you’ll
be able to find information such as the company’s ethos and mission statement,
and by digging deeper on their blog, news pages and social media you’ll get a
good insight into the type of business they are.
Try looking for newspaper / online articles to
see if they have won any awards, sponsor any local sports teams or have been
involved with any community projects. Information is power, and the more you
know, the better prepared you’ll be when the interviewer inevitably asks a
question about your knowledge of the company.
Prepare
questions for your interviewer
Once you have done your research on the
company it’s time to prepare. Make notes of what you’ve learnt and use them to
understand your prospective employer. See how your own personality, objectives,
skills and knowledge match up with the company’s directive. You can use what
you’ve learnt to come up with some questions. There will always be an
opportunity given to you at the end of interview to ask questions, and having
questions prepared will demonstrate to your interviewer that you’ve done your
research. It’s advisable to ask questions about the company itself and also how
your role will progress, as it shows that you’re thinking of a long-term career
within the company.
Practise,
practise, practise
Of course, you don’t want your answers during
the interview to sound over-rehearsed, but it’s good to practise your own
responses so that you don’t stutter during interview. Prep some mock up
questions that will be likely to come up and get a friend or family member to
interview you. Having something written down for your answer means you can
practise and remember, making your speech more fluid in the actual interview
and can help you feel more confident with what you are saying.
Plan your drive
or commute and don’t be late!
It’s always a good idea to plan your journey
to your interview. Make sure you know where you need to be, how long it will
take to get there and what bus or train you need to get if you are using public
transport. Leave in good time and take into account any traffic or delays that
might prevent you from arriving on time. It’s always good to be a little early,
but not too early – 15 minutes before your interview is about right. If you are
prone to getting anxiety about being on time – maybe leave early and stop for a
coffee on the way. This will give you time to get your head together and will
mean you won’t be rushing.
Dress to
impress
Ensure that you have your smartest suit / work
wear clean, ironed and ready in advance. And don’t forget to smell as good as
you look, it may sound obvious but poor personal hygiene is a BIG turn off for
employers. Don’t go overboard with the perfume / aftershave though, an
overpowering scent (good or bad) will impact your chances of progressing.
So, what are you waiting for? Start preparing for
your interview now with the tips above to make sure you impress your
interviewer and clinch the job of your dreams!
Looking for more tips on how to act during
your interview? Check back next week as we cover which interview faux pas you
should avoid but – if you’ve just started your job search, make sure to read
our previous Career Advice Series instalments, where we uncovered the following:
- managing your digital footprint
- how to write a winning CV and cover letter
- utilising your LinkedIn profile properly
- how to find the perfect job for you.
For the latest
jobs, employment news and career advice, make sure to follow social media
channels:
- Twitter
- Facebook
Publish date: April 2018