There are thousands of blogs on the web regarding the best interview tips and how to become a top-tier interviewee. Listing off extensive interview techniques and interview skills, but missing the basics and most needed. By the end of this blog, you will have all the essential interview advice you need.
Job Interview Preparation
- Online Research - This is huge, you never want to enter an interview without knowing anything about the company. Spending even a small amount of time on the company website will greatly improve your chance of being successful. Research what the company does, any exciting work/partnerships, and if there is news about them. You can use Google News for this. By referring to your findings and asking the interviewer to expand on them will come across as impressive, and shows you have put in the effort.
- Plan your Route -Showing up late is a critical mistake, the majority of interviewers will deny you instantly after turning up late. If you turn up late for an interview, will you show up late for work too? Do a dummy run if necessary and factor in time for bad traffic.
- What to Take -Leave the bulk at home, if you need a bag then keep it professional. You may need to bring a portfolio or binders to display experience; however, the recruiter will most likely let you know if those are required.
- Plan what to Wear the Night Before - Avoid unnecessary morning stress by preparing your outfit before the day of the interview. Make sure to polish your shoes too! By doing this it allows you to spend more time on rehearsing important interview techniques.
What to wear to an interview?
- Smart Attire - An interview will almost always be a formal occasion and dressing the part is important. Avoid bright and "flashy" colours, dark coloured clothing with black or brown shoes are prefered. Check for any scuff marks before the interview to ensure you're as presentable as you can be.
- Keep Jewellery to a Minimum - An assortment of rings, earrings, necklaces, etc can be distracting. You want the interviewer's focus to be on you and what you say; don't spoil that with what you're wearing.
- Tidy your Hair - By just running a comb through can make a notable difference. Any "bed hair" gives off the impression you are unorganised and messy.
- Choose Suitable Footwear - Despite how hot it may be outside, flip-flops are never a reasonable choice. Stick to smart shoes and suitable heels.
Top 5 Interview Questions to ask
- Could you expand on the day-to-day responsibilities of this job? - This allows you to learn more about the role in more detail and gives you more information to see if the role is a good fit for you.
- What are important personal qualities for someone to succeed in this role? - By asking this the interviewer will list important details that you can then match with examples of why you should get the job.
- How important is company culture? - Asking about the innards of the business shows enthusiasm. An important trait to stand out from just another job-seeker and instead labels you as genuinely interested in working at the company.
- If hired, how can I impress you within this role during the first three months? - This will show determination and shows you are already planning how to be successful in the role. Asking this question will most certainly set you apart from other candidates.
- How could I progress within this role? - Similar to the previous question while also finding out company promotion opportunities.
5 Things NOT to ask during your Interview
- What does your company do? - Asking this is an obvious giveaway to them that you haven't done any prior research.
- How much holiday pay? - You need to show enthusiasm for the job to be chosen, pre-planning your days away isn't going to support that.
- How did the interview go? - This is a tough one, building rapport is crucial and asking this jokingly is one of the most common interview questions. However, depending on the interviewer it can make them feel uncomfortable by putting them on the spot... Best to leave it out.
- Will I be working weekends? - Finding out more about the role is great. Just don't ask anything that'll put the interviewer off. Appear as ambitious and willing towards the job as you can.
- How long do I have to wait for a promotion? - Phrasing your question like this shows the interviewer you are there just for the money and not bringing the passion to the role.
What should you do after the interview? If it went well, send a follow-up email and thank them for their time. Here are some professional follow-up email templates from HubSpot. By doing so gives a personal touch and shows the job role is still in mind. By following these interview tips you can be an interviewee that will stand out from the crowd and have a solid chance at gaining your dream job. Now that you're an interviewee extraordinaire let's get you some interviews! Visit our jobs page to find your next best career.
I hope you find the above useful. If you have any questions about the blog or would like to arrange a chat, please contact us at [email protected]
