Interview Prep - What you can do

Congrats! You’ve landed an interview for that dream job and now you’re wondering how you can prepare to give you the best chance at landing the role.

Interviews are often seen as those dreaded meetings to test subject knowledge, skills and suitability for the company.

So how should you approach the pre interview prep to avoid stage fright and make the most of what should be a two way, ‘getting to know you’ meeting?

Preparing for an interview has never been easier. Information is so accessible online, with a simple few clicks you can access a wealth of information about your prospective employer.

From company websites to social media feeds and news articles, you can gain an excellent understanding of the brand and organisation you’re applying to work with.

Go the extra mile

Ideally, you will have done much of this initial investigation ahead of submitting your application but it’s always worth a refresh as information can change rapidly.

In addition to a standard Google search you should also:

• Use the job spec to help you think of questions you’d like answered at the interview.
• Think outside the box search for company mentions on blogs, customer forums and other third party updates for less corporate information.
• Reach out to your network to find any existing employees or those who may be able to provide insider knowledge on the position you’re applying for.
• Always research competitors and the market/industry in general.
• Just as important as knowing about your potential employer, is making sure you’re clear on your experience and the facts you have presented to them.

It’s the CV stupid

You’ve got to know your CV inside out. It’s worth practising how you will present your skills and experience to the interviewer. Think about what stories and examples can you use to back up your experience Who will you be mentioning as references? Is there anything that didn’t make it onto your CV but could support the skills they need?

Really get to grips with your CV – it’s strengths and weaknesses – so you can feel confident.

Keep Calm

Being prepared for an interview helps keep nerves at bay, allowing you to present yourself in the best way possible. Regardless of who your interviewer is, Senior Exec, Hiring Manager or HR, companies are looking for three things: skills & experience, knowledge of the role, company, industry and personality fit.

Your goal is to present yourself as the most qualified candidate, so be sure to use every opportunity to showcase how well you fit the job. Ask questions throughout the process to show your enthusiasm for the company and its culture. Do your best to build rapport, smile & engage in conversation.

Where possible you should aim to have your answers ready. Often interviews combine traditional, CV and competency-based questions so we would advise giving some thought to how you would answer each.

In the next top tips, we will look at the types of questions asked and the tips that will help you in answering effectively.

Want to know more about preparing for an interview? Contact me on [email protected]

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