Career Advice - Preparing for the interview - ICErecruit

So your application has been successful and you have been invited for an interview.

Preparing for the interview is one of the most import parts of the interview as many interviews are decided within the first few moments by factors beyond the interviewees control: his or her appearance, accent, a chance remark, how many people the interviewers have already seen, whether they have already seen the person they want, and so on. That said, by effectively preparing for the interview you can help avoid some simple errors and tilt the balance your way.

Remember that an interview is a two-way process: it is an opportunity for the employer to get to know more about you and your achievements and is an excellent chance for you to find out more about them and their culture. Make the most of the experience by ensuring you are fully prepared.

Effort put into preparing for an interview will increase your confidence and your ability to deal effectively with the questions asked.

The following points will be helpful when preparing for the interview.

• Learn as much as you can about the company.
  Read the employer's literature, look at their website. You should know roughly the number of employees and turnover, the main locations and products and services.

• Don't be afraid to ask.
  If you know people who work in this field, particularly within the business area for which you are interviewing, don't be afraid to contact them and ask them questions.

• Prepare
  Why does this job exist? What problems will it solve? What are the Key Result Areas?

• Second guess
  Try to second-guess the employer's "shopping list" from the job details - what skills / qualities / experience do you have to match?

• Compare your application
  form with the employer's job description, ask yourself what additional points you need to make at interview and find evidence which would persuade the interviewer that you meet the requirements. Make a list.

• Prepare for routine queries
  concerning your motivation or your decision-making process, but also consider awkward questions. Particularly, think how to explain apparent time gaps in your life history.

• List some questions to ask the interviewer.
  Three or four thoughtful questions will be enough.

• Read the national/local press regularly and be prepared to discuss topical issues.

• Know yourself
  Think about why a career in this area is of interest to you. What skills do you have that would help you to succeed? Be prepared to use examples from all aspects of your life. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are you looking for in a career?

• Prepare possible responses to questions in advance.
  Some interviews are competency based, so think about your answers and supporting examples. If you have not had much interview experience, attending practice sessions at your university careers service can be beneficial. Remember - however prepared you are you will still need to show that you can think on your feet on the day.

On the day

• Dress to impress
  Wear appropriate business dress and act professionally at all times. Work out what is appropriate in terms of everything you present, including yourself. Look the part, and you will feel it. Dress as if you are already doing the job.

• Make sure you know the names of the people who will be interviewing you. Practice saying them if they are difficult to pronounce.

• Don't be late
  Allow plenty of time to travel to your interview and plan your route the evening before. Arriving too early or late is an unfortunate way to start your interview.

• Arriving early
  If you do arrive early find somewhere to relax and re-read your application form. It will give you time to check your appearance as well. While it is useful to have your application/CV with you it is not a good idea to have it in front of you at the interview. It may give the impression that you do not remember what you have said about yourself

• Watch your body language
  Posture, handshake, eye contact, smile. Be upbeat. Employers latch on to negative messages, so don't give them any.

• Structure your thoughts, have confidence and be honest. Think about each question carefully and answer as best you can.

• Be yourself
  and don't be too nervous; your interviewer is only human. Demonstrate your interest by having some questions for them. This is your chance to learn more about them.

• Answer the question asked rather than the one that you have practiced. Never give 'parrot fashion' answers.

• Turn your mobile off
  Make sure your mobile is switched off. This will remind your interviewer to do the same!

And finally…

• Prepare for rejection.
  On balance you will be rejected more times than accepted. Even if you don't get the job, you can learn a huge amount about your perceived market value. Remember - there's a job out there for you somewhere - more people are working in the UK than ever before.

Useful Links

• Some great interview resources from the BBC

• Questions for consideration from worksmart.com

• Job-interview.net is a great site for answers to tricky questions