Interview Preparation: Make a Great Impression

You’ve been invited to interview for that job you are really interested in, as it is the perfect next step in your career. Great! Preparation is key to make sure you ace the interview, so I’ve outlined some tips I’ve picked up along the way to help.

Let’s assume you’ve dressed appropriately, have arrived early, and have introduced yourself. You’re sat down in the meeting room ready for the interview to commence (if you’re offered a glass of water – accept it!).

Make sure you have done your research; it is likely you are going to be asked what you know about the business you are hoping to join. This can be the first pitfall for candidates, simply explaining what they do and what sector they work in isn’t sufficient. Search for recent news articles or blog posts, are they undergoing an expansion, entering a new market, won a new contract.

Be specific with examples you use in your answers, especially with numbers and data. If you reduced spending, make sure you have the total value and some context against total budget, make a note of the timeframe this was achieved over. This is only one example but make sure any cost, productivity, or safety achievement that you would like the hiring manager to know about is backed up with real data. This takes us to the next tip.

Prepare notes to make sure you cover everything that you would like to talk about in your interview. Remember, interviews can make you nervous, so having notes prepared can ensure that ?if your mind suddenly goes blank, you can refer to your notes.

Ask for clarity if you don’t fully understand a question. I know from speaking to hiring managers that some will politely let you know after you answer if you have misunderstood and give you another opportunity to answer, some will not!

The interview is also your opportunity to find out anything else about the company or the role so that you can be confident when the offer comes through, the role is the right one for your career.