Interview Success: Top Tips to Prepare for Your Interview
Interviewing at any level can be a daunting prospect. Whether it’s your first job or your fifteenth, nerves kick in, anxiety runs high and there are a million different questions and scenarios running through your mind.
Preparation is one of the most vital parts of the interview process, yet so many people neglect this due to time constraints, family/work/other commitments or quite simply – they just don’t understand how important it really is.
The investment of an hour over the weekend or during an evening before your interview can be the difference between nailing it or failing it, so we’ve put together a list of top tips to help you prepare!
1. Plan Your Route
This may sound like plasticine class stuff, but planning your route is pretty damn important! Make sure you leave enough time for traffic if you’re driving, or delays and cancellations on our ever-reliable public transport network.
ALWAYS have an alternative route in mind! This could be the difference between you being on time or not-so-fashionably late.
2. Dress the Part
It can be rather awkward if you turn up in a 3-piece suit dressed like The Penguin when the people interviewing you are wearing Metallica t-shirts and shorts.
On the flip-side, turning up to a suited and booted office wearing your freshest Air Force 1’s and a ripped jeans is going to make you stick out like a sore thumb.
If you’re not sure of the dress-code at your potential new employer, ASK!
3. Do Your Research
There’s nothing worse than an interviewer asking, “What do you know about our company?” and you giving the Ronseal answer (Exactly what it says on the tin).
They’ll want to see that you’ve researched their business, so look into their recent projects, clients they work with, big contract wins or at the very least something beyond the opening paragraph on their homepage which has been recited word for word by 90% of the candidates you’re up against!
4. Be a STAR!
For those of you who aren’t familiar; Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Particularly useful when being asked competency questions like “Tell me about a situation where…” or “Give an example of when you…”
You should prepare some examples in your head before you go into any interview so you can clearly and concisely answer them, rather than fumbling through and forgetting to mention key parts of projects that could be vital to the role you’re applying for.
Describe the Situation you were in; be specific, make it relevant to the role you’re applying for.
Explain the Task you needed to complete; what were your responsibilities?
Describe the Actions you took; what did YOU do to complete the task?
Conclude with the Results; what was the outcome, and how did this impact the project/business?
5. You’re Not A Chicken – Don’t Wing It!
Bumbling through a sub-par explanation of something you’re not too sure of can come off pretty badly, especially if you’re saying it with the confidence of someone who does know.
Interviews are there to gauge your skill level for the role, so if you don’t know – TELL THEM!
Not only will they appreciate your honesty, it will give them an idea of your areas for development if they were to hire you. In the long run, this will help you just as much as it helps them as you both know it’s an area of focus whilst you’re getting to grips with the job!
6. It’s A Two-Way Street
Many people go into an interview forgetting that it’s not just for you to sit and answer a barrage of questions in the hope of getting the job.
It’s an opportunity for you to get to know the people you’ll be spending an average of 8 hours a day with. To get to know the company culture, projects you’ll be involved in, opportunities for progression and how you can make an impact.
Always go into an interview with a list of pre-prepared questions. Chances are a fair few of them will be answered organically as the interview goes on, but a few killer questions at the end will demonstrate your enthusiasm and put you ahead of those who don’t ask.
As the old adage goes – Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
Be prepared, be confident and do yourself a favour! You’ll thank yourself for it later.
