Recruitment Interview DO's & DON'Ts

A job interview is your opportunity to show a potential employer what you're made of and why you are the right candidate for the job.

Over the last 4 years I have personally been on both sides of the interviewing table, so I can put myself in the shoes of both the interviewer & interviewee.

Here is a list of DO's & DON'Ts I think are worth considering before going to an interview in recruitment.

DO – Prepare & Research beforehand! Make sure you are ready for the interview by doing research about the company & position you’re applying for. Look at the company’s social media pages and reviews on Glassdoor, as well as research the people who you’ll be meeting (If possible).

DO – Research common interview questions for the industry and think/ practice your answers.

DO – Map out how to get to the location before the interview – plan to arrive 10 minutes early, if something happens and you might be late, phone the office as soon as you know you’re running behind.

DO – Dress for the job you want – If you can find out the company’s dress code beforehand, great. Be clean and presentable.

DO – Bring all the relevant paperwork i.e. CV, billing figures, KPI’s, sales stats if asked.

DO – Take notes, good to have as a reference if you want to discuss something later in the interview also it’s good for you to refer to when deciding if the company is right for you.

DO – Smile & Build Rapport with the interviewing managers – at the end of the day they could be your colleagues soon :)

DO – Approach the interview with enthusiasm for the position and company.

DO – Prepare questions about the job, company and industry. Managers like to see that you are interested in the opportunity at hand.

DO – Thank the interviewer for their time and make sure you finish the interview on a positive.

DO – Follow up on the interview either via phone or email.

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DON’T – Be late or just not show up – if you’re going to be late or can’t make the interview let your recruiter or the company know as soon as possible. Aim to be 10 minutes early.

DON’T – Be nervous – we’re all human so it’s expected for us to be nervous when going to an interview but remember they’re only human too, they won’t bite your head off :)

DON’T – Have your phone on, or the least put it on silent.

DON’T – Lie or make excuses – make sure you stay honest.

DON’T – Be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.

DON’T – Be rude or aggressive if the interviewer is asking you questions you don’t like.

DON’T – Indicate that the job is just a “stepping stone” to something else.

DON’T – Say that you don’t have any questions.