Interview Tips

Applying for a job and being called in for an interview can be an overwhelming experience in both scenarios of having applied to 20 jobs and only be invited to one, as equally as having applied to 20 jobs and having two back-to-back interviews for the next 4-5 consecutive days.

Whether you are invited to one interview or more, change the narrative for yourself if you feel nervous. Usually you feel nervous because you care and you want the opportunity, however, for the next few hours, change the narrative and see it as though a door has been opened for you to give you an opportunity to go there, have a refreshment, take a look at the environment, learn about the company and

see if they are also right for you, your values, ethics and beliefs.

Below are some top tips which have helped me in interviews:

1)?????Know what role you have applied for as well as the company you have applied to

It surprises me how many people do not know the role they have applied for or the company they have applied to.

print out the job advert and make a note of the company name, address, date and time of the interview and the person you request to meet on arrival at reception.

This way, you will be organised and prepared.

2)?????Plan your journey

I would always prefer to be half an hour early than a second late. But that is just me.

Take a look on Google maps to plan your journey in advance from where you will be leaving from, and where you will be going so you can allow you plenty of time to get there.

If you are getting a bus or train, look at the schedule and purchase your tickets in advance too. I personally always leave a whole hour early to places I have never been before in case I get lost or there is traffic, an accident, etc. If you are early, you can just find a nearby café and grab a drink or some food, (nothing worse than a rumbling tummy in an interview).

3)?????Take a notebook

Always take a notebook to your interview along with a copy of your CV as well as the job advert. Think about what questions you would like to ask the interviewer about the company, culture and role. You could ask questions that would give more insight on the role than the advert portrays.

For example, if the job advert says, “processing invoices”, you could ask how many invoices a day and week on average it amounts to. You could also ask what the most challenging part of the role is. If the job advert says, “dealing with customer complaints”, you could ask if this is via email or telephone, etc.

Remember, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

4)?????Know 4-6 key facts about the company

Always make sure you make four to six bullet points about the business.

When were they established? How did they come about? What do they do? What charity work have they done? What is their latest news?

All this information can be found on their website and you can look them up on companies’ house. If you wanted, you could even look at their reviews on Trustpiolet or Google reviews and see what their overall service is like. You can even search the company on LinkedIn and check out their social media platforms to get a bigger/ better picture of what they do.?

5)?????Answer the question

A lot of times, we can think we are answering a question, when in fact, we are not. This can happen because half way through an answer, you could digress and go off-topic and then forget what the initial question was. A great way to stay on track, (which you can also write in your notebook), is the “STAR” technique. “STAR” stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. What was the situation? What task did you do? What action did you take for it? What was the end result?

You can find more information and examples of the "STAR" technique HERE

6)?????Make notes

When the interviewer(s) answers your question(s), do not be afraid to write down their answers or make additional notes if they mention something you do not wish to forget later on, or if they mention something mid conversation that you may wish to go back and gain further clarity from.

You could even say, “what you just mentioned is great to know, I will just write that down”.

7)?????End the interview by making the interviewer feel great

People love to talk about themselves and what they have achieved. When asked if there are any further questions,

ask the interviewer about their career journey, what they did beforehand and how they came to be in the position they are in now.

Interviewers are always listening to everyone talk about themselves, so to open the platform for them to share their journey is always a win, and you could also learn from their experiences (depending on how much they choose to share).?