Interview Techniques
Prior preparation prevents poor performance

As a well-prepared candidate, you will be much more confident to respond to the questions you are asked or the tasks you are set. This may give you an edge over others who are less organized and will help you leave a good impression on the potential employer. Here are some tips:

Job Description

Review The Job Description

  • Don’t forget about your transferable skills.
  • Re-read the job description and person specification.
  • Be clear about which elements are “essential or “desirable”.
  • Prepare some examples of how you have carried out those skills ready for your interview.
  • You might not have every skill they are looking for but make sure you have their key ones covered.
  • Think about how your skills and experience relate to the role and match what the employer is looking for.

Research

Do Your Research

  • Find out about their competitors.
  • Find out what you can about the potential employer.
  • What is their record on Equal Opportunities and Inclusion.
  • Read about the services they offer and who their customers, service users and suppliers are.
  • Check out their website to find out more about the business (most websites will have an About us section).
  • Speak to their current employees at various levels in different departments and across different professional groups if applicable.
  • Think about using the Situation,Task, Action, Result “STAR” method when reciting your examples.
  • Practice speaking about them over and over, so it starts to feel natural. This will help build your confidence ahead of your interview.
  • The tell me “tell me about yourself” question is a regular opening question – Write down your qualities and experience and practice talking about them.

It’s natural to feel nervous, especially under pressure and in new situations. Get ready to manage those nerves and practice techniques in advance like:

  • Try these tips to cope with nerves:
  • Taking deep breaths to calm yourself :
  • Pausing and reflecting on the question :
  • Some questions can be long and complicated
    Don’t be afraid for the question to be repeated :
Remember, you were offered an interview, so the company is already interested in your skills and experience. This is your chance to demonstrate that you are the right person for the role.

Most interviewers will ask if you have questions that you would like to ask them. This usually comes towards the end of the interview. Interviewers like to be asked questions. You can ask questions about the role, the team or about what it’s like to work for that company, such as:

  • What training is available?
  • How do you measure success?
  • What are the most positive things about working there?
  • How would you describe a typical day/week in this role?

Face-to-Face Interviews

  • Manage the nerves and when you arrive, smile and greet everyone positively. It’s also important to look the part, first impressions open doors.
  • Check your travel arrangements and that you know where your interview is and how to get there?
  • Leave plenty of time in case there are any delays to your journey.
  • Dress appropriately – first impressions go a long way.
  • Take any relevant information with you like:
  • The details of the person you are meeting.
  • A copy of your CV.
  • The job description and person specification.
  • The questions you have prepared and anything else you may have been asked to bring with you such as proof of identity, qualifications etc.

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