Plan Ahead
- Interview location – Where is the office based? How long does it take to get there? Is there parking available? You need your focus to be 100% on the interview, so take the stress out of the things you can control by planning ahead and leaving plenty of time for all eventualities.
- The Company – Do your due diligence. Look at every area of their website, read press releases, any thought-leadership pieces by management, do a deep dive on their social media, review their competitors… get to grips with WHO they are as a company.
- The Interviewer – Intel is power. Know who you will be sitting across from so you can build a rapport with them in the interview. Do some background research to understand their career path, their position(s) within the company, their responsibilities and their drive.
- Top Tip: Don’t forget about interview attire and what will be appropriate. If in doubt, ASK.
Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
- Read The Job Description – If provided, read what is going to be required of you to get a feel for what they are looking for. Pay attention to the keywords used and any specific terminologies so you can reference them in your answers.
- Prepare Clear, Structured Examples – The last thing the interviewer wants to do is have to dig around in your portfolio to understand your previous experience and accomplishments. They are busy people, so make it easy for them to say YES to you.
- Top Tip: Be articulate and concise. Don’t waffle or go off topic. Practice the flow ahead of time and don’t rush through it.
Getting To Know You, Getting To Know All About Me
- Your Attitude & Personality Are Key – Experience may get your foot in the door, but attitude is the reason you will be hired. Be energetic, passionate and enthusiastic about why you’re sitting there. Also be authentic and approachable, aka the ideal team player.
- Drive Home Your ‘Value Add’ – You’ve talked through your processes and where you were most effective, but now you need to highlight how you can add value to the role in question and company overall.
- Answering The Tough Questions – Never an easy thing to prepare for, but try and put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes for a moment: What are their likely concerns? Try and think of where there is a gap in your CV or skill set and practice how you will address this.
- Top Tip: Whether the interview is in person or online, make sure you retain eye contact and keep gestures to a minimum. You’re not conducting an orchestra after all.
Closing Off The Interview
- Remember, It’s A Two-Way Street – It may seem like they hold all the cards, but you should use this stage of the interview to find out whether they are a good fit for you too.
- Ask Them Relevant Questions – Try and steer clear of the usual end of interview questions and instead tailor your queries to the person sitting in front of you.
- Thank Them! Such a basic thing, yet crucial in cementing a positive relationship with the interviewer. Thank them and reinforce your interest by asking about the next steps of the process.
And here endeth the lesson! See, it’s easy when you know how 😉 Follow us @ for more top tips and insights.
