Some of the best candidates fail at interview stage because they do not prepare and don’t know what to expect. The better prepared you are, the more confident you will be during your interview.

1. Ensure that you have well researched the company that you are being interviewed by. Try getting hold of any relevant literature and look at their website. If the opportunity arises, you will be able to demonstrate your interest in the company and an understanding of who they are.
2. Dress to impress! Always go for smart and professional rather than trendy.
3. Plan out your route and allow plenty of time to get to the interview.
4. Be aware of your body language. Crossed arms for example indicate hostility or a barrier. Adopt good posture and make sure you smile.
5. You must be able to back up and expand on the information in your CV, rather than simply repeating what is written. A good interviewer will probe these points. Think about what each of your previous jobs roles have asked of you and speak confidently about the work you have been involved in.
6. Transferable skills are the most important factors to highlight; think about your previous experience and how this can be applied to the role you are being interviewed for.
7. Communicate as positively as possible and try not to use weak answers, for example “I can” instead of “I think I can”.
8. Be confident and outgoing but don’t interrupt the interviewer.
9. Do not answer in single syllables i.e. “yes” and “no” but at the same time keep to the line of questioning – don’t ramble and go off at a tangent.
10. If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification, don’t guess.
11. Always prepare some questions to ask at an interview in advance. Some examples are shown below.
12. At the end of the interview always thank them for their time and remember to keep smiling.

Typical interview questions that you may be asked

• How would you describe yourself?
• How would your current manager describe you?
• What motivates you?
• Why are you leaving your current role?
• What skills and expertise do you have for this job?
• What do you know about our company?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Give an example of how you handled a certain situation, e.g. complaint, busy period, customer service, etc. in your current role.

Typical suggested questions to ask your interviewer

• What are the opportunities for career progression?
• What training opportunities do you have?
• How has this position been created?
• What can you tell me about the team and people that I will be working with?
• How long will it take to make a final decision and / or what is the recruitment process?

Good luck with your interview! Remember, if you are not successful, try and make sure that you understand why, so that you can possibly address this next time. Don’t give up, consider it valuable interview experience.