Nailing Your Interview

The CV has opened the door, now it’s time to shine. Interviewing is not something we are used to - how often do you sit with your friends, describe your experience and explain why you’d be great for a job? No judgment if the answer is a lot but maybe look at your social circle…?

Interviewing is a skill, and one we can all get better at. Have a look below at some tips to help nail that interview, first time.?

Look The Part?

Whether it’s an in-person or virtual meeting, how you present yourself is key. First impressions count, so make sure you are playing to your audience. Interviewing with a bank? Probably best to wear a suit and tie. Have a meeting with a start-up tech company? Smart casual is best. You want to show the interviewer that you not only have the experience, but are also a good cultural fit, and this subtle decision can really help?

Paint The Picture?

Explaining your experience is often the most difficult part of an interview, even if it seems simple - I mean you’re just describing what you do on a day to day basis, right? Put simply, that is it, but think about how often have you sat down and explained this to someone? Probably not often. You need to make sure you are painting the picture of your experience, and hitting on the below areas:?

• Context: Explain the context around your experience. If you’re discussing an audit, what type of client was it? Was it an SME or large multinational? Was it’s turnover €100k or €100m? Were you the senior in charge or a junior? Let them know the background.?
• Depth & Detail: Delve deeper into the specific tasks that you did. What were you testing? Were you the lead for client interactions? Did you discuss any challenges with the Partner in charge? How did you resolve these specifically? The ultimate aim is that the interviewer can explain to someone not in the room exactly what you did, so give them this detail.?

Don’t Be Afraid To Backtrack

We’re all guilty of going off on a tangent, and an interview setting isn’t immune to this - if anything it often leads to it. If you find yourself going down a rabbit hole, don’t be afraid to pull yourself back. “Sorry, I have gone off on a tangent, what was the question again?” - interviewers will appreciate this as it shows self awareness and it means they don’t have to stop you to get things back on track.?

Do Your Homework

Yes, I know it sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t properly research the company they’re interviewing for or the people they’re meeting with. Know what the role is, know what the company does. You don’t need to know their most uptodate headcount, but have an idea of their size, their values, what countries they operate in - this will all impact your job. Some simple, and impactful, tips:?

• Google the company the morning of your interview and see if there are any recent articles / breaking news on the organisation
• Look up your interviews on LinkedIn, see what their background is - often this can be a good question to ask at the end (“I notice you’ve been here for X amount of years, what has kept you for so long?”)

Hard To Shine If You’re Not On Time

Finally, and most importantly, arrive on time. Even better, arrive early! Being late to an interview really does leave a bad impression, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to travel there if an in person meeting, and if virtual make sure to test out the technology the night before.?

Interviewing is a skill, and one we’re here to help with. If you’re nervous about interviewing and not sure how best to prepare, please feel free to reach out for some confidential advice on how to put your best foot forward.

Interested in discussing your career and not just your next more? Feel free to reach out for a confidential chat or contact [email protected]