Interview Preparation and Advice
Congratulations! You're through to the first round of interviews! This is great news, but unfortunately your job-hunting journey doesn't end here. Job interviews are a notoriously challenging stage of the employment process, but with the right preparation and practice you can minimise your interview nerves and maximise your chances of landing the position.
Preparation and practice
Solid preparation and research is the key to a successful job interview. The more you know about the position advertised, the company, the skills required of the job and the general job interview process, the better equipped you will be to field questions, give focussed responses and make a positive and lasting impression on your interviewer.
- Research the position: find out what duties are expected and what skills are required of the role and consider how you can meet these needs. Read job descriptions of similar roles; find out how this role fits into the scheme of the organisation and what contribution the person in this role is expected to make within the company.
- Research the company: go to the company's website, identify their products, clients, key stakeholders and subsidiaries. What are the company's corporate goals? What projects are they undertaking that you have a particular interest in? Has the company undertaken any mergers or acquisitions you should know about?
- Anticipate interview questions: brainstorm some questions the interviewers are likely to ask you; find a list of standard questions on the internet and rehearse your responses with a friend. By practising your answers out loud you'll find it easier to recall the right words in the interview.
- Consider your salary: the question of salary is likely to come up in the interview and you need to be prepared to state your expectations. Research standard salaries for your industry/role by looking at job advertisements, contacting unions or industry authorities, or by talking to people in the industry.
- Visualise the interview: take the time to picture yourself walking into the interview room, shaking hands with the interviewers and answering their questions with confidence and clarity. It will make the real event feel like you've done it all before, and will help with calming your nerves.
- Prepare questions to ask: there will always be an opportunity in an interview to ask the recruiter/employer questions, so be sure to make the most of it! Asking for further details on the position or the company will show that you have a genuine interest in their business, direction and positioning in the industry.
- Know your CV: Identify points on your CV that might raise questions: is there a period where you weren't employed, or were only employed for a short time? Are your skills not quite suited to the position described? Be prepared to answer sensitive questions about your work history and experience.
On the day
Make sure you know well in advance where the interview will take place and how long it will take you to get there. Leave yourself plenty of time for commuting, and keep the interviewer's phone number handy so that if an unforeseen interruption occurs you can call them. Avoid arriving late at all costs. Other points to consider include:
- Presentation: wear conservative, smart clothing and ensure your hair/facial hair is well groomed; go easy on the makeup, perfume and jewellery as you don't want anything to draw attention away from the professional purpose of your meeting
- Body language: always stand to shake your interviewer's hand, and look them in the eye as you introduce yourself; if you don't know their name beforehand, make sure you remember it after this first greeting; in the interview, project a sense of enthusiasm, confidence and focus and remember to smile, make eye contact and look alert at all times
- Answering questions:
- The main thing to remember when answering questions is to emphasise how you meet the employer's needs, rather than how they meet yours
- Try to keep your responses less than 60 seconds long
- Stick to the point, be specific and answer the question; don't allow your response to go off the topic or you will lose the interviewer's attention
- Don't complain about a current or former employer; if you have been fired or have left a company by choice, explain the experience in terms what you learnt from them and how you would apply this knowledge in the future
- Talk about your achievements and results using quantifiable words
- Don't be self-effacing or down-play your achievements
- If you haven't understood a question ask them to repeat it
- Don't initiate discussions about salary, but be prepared to respond if they do so.
Once the interview is over, ask when a decision will be made and thank the interviewers by name. Remember that thorough preparation will give you the best chances of succeeding in your job interview. Now, all you have to do is wait!
