The job interview

Essential preparation advice

Well done! Your CV has got you an opportunity to meet with the company in person, but at this stage you still have a lot more to do.

You now have to become an effective detective to discover EXACTLY who you will be meeting with and company details.

ResearchGo on the company's website and read every page you can. How many employees, year founded, history, who is in charge? What type of business do they appear to be? Think of it as getting to meet a new person who you need to make happy. Remember to take notes!

At the interview it’s really important that they feel your passion and enthusiasm for joining them (try and make them feel theirs is the only opportunity you are looking at, rather than making them feel they “are one of a number of things you are looking at” or “it’s just another job with any old company”). Remember the more time you invest in your interview preparation, the greater your chances of success.

Interview questionsYou will have to research into interview questions that could be asked on the day.

Carry out a web search and type into the search bar…

‘Interview questions for insert the job title here’

Select 5 of the most popular interview questions and create a short script for each answer. The following page will help…

Interview questions cont…For how to answer a competency / structured interview questions, remember the S T A R acronym:

S ituation (when, where, who)T ask (what was the challenge)A ction (what did I do and how did I do it)R esult (what was the end result of my actions)

S T A R is a way of giving a “beginning, middle and end” to your answer and keeps it structured so that you don’t waffle or leave key bits of information out. It will also ensure you go into suitable detail in your answer.

Interview questions cont…Come up with a number of examples for each of the following competency questions and ensure you answer them in the first person “I did this...” and “I did that...”.

Keep the examples as specific as possible and as relevant to the role you are being considered for. Two of the most critical things to include in your answers are:

Incorporate commercial information Qualify your answers with specific examples

Make a plan and checklistPlan well in advance…..

National Insurance number? Valid identification? Passport / Birth CertificateCopies of any documents? CV / Work examplesHow you going to get there? How long will it take? (arrive at least 10 minutes early)What clothes / shoes do I need?Personal hygiene and appearance, haircut?Professional looking bag with pens and notepadUmbrella if its going to rainHandkerchiefs or tissuesAddress, directions or a mapInterviewers name and contact numberThe companies research information you discovered

Your appearanceDress smartly! This may sound like telling you to suck eggs, but it is important. Always a suit and a tie for the chaps and smart office wear for the ladies.

Make sure your personal hygiene is at its best and you take some pocket handkerchiefs just in case!

Body languageWhen you get there; a firm handshake and a smile is brilliant. It says so much about a person. A soft one is not so good, and an overly strong one implies arrogance.

The way you sit can tell a recruiter a lot about your enthusiasm and attitude at work. Don’t cross your arms or sit to far back in your chair.

Confidence and attitudeBe confident but not arrogant. This is hard, but you will need to come across that you know what you are talking about without thinking that the questions are all to easy and you are great at everything.

Don’t be cocky! If you know it all, it’s better to be humble and give constructive answers following the

S.T.A.R. process.

QuestionsAt the end of the interview, they will usually ask if you have any questions. This is where your prep can come in handy.

Think of the research you did before you came here – were there any questions that popped into your head? Talk and ask about all of these things.

Interview without the interview

Many recruiters are looking to new technology to reduce costs and increase quality of sourcing candidates. If you include a video, or a link to a video, in your CV this will make you stand out from others who apply, just make sure you follow the mycvspace.com video advice.

Many employers will call a candidate just to get an idea about their personality. It is your personality that needs to shine through.

Prepare and practice answering questions in front of the camera! It’s free and you will improve every time you try!

Good luck!Be yourself, relax, take notes and get to know as much as you can about the company. After all you could be working for them soon, so you will want to know if they are also good match for what you are looking for!