Top 10 Interview Tips

Tip 1 - Do your research 

• Take the time to find out about the company and role you have applied for.
• Research their website, their social medias, look at reviews and latest news on the company. Try to remember some key facts that you might be able to slip into your interview answers.
• If possible, find out more about those who will be interviewing you – LinkedIn or social media is often a good source of information. You might find some common ground or discover questions you want to ask about their role.
• When you show an employer that you know about their organisation, they'll feel like you understand their business and that you care about the role you’re applying for.
• Think about some good examples of what you have achieved or done before that relate to the role, you will need these in the interview to show you are the best candidate.

• What do you know about the company?
• How do you fit with our company’s values and ethos?
• Why did you apply for this job?
• Why are you the best person for this job?
• What skills and experience can you bring to the role?
• What is your greatest achievement?
• What are your development areas / areas of improvement?
• Do you have any questions for us (answer yes and see below!)

• Goes without saying but dress appropriately. Depending on the job role, this generally means office clothes, however unless you are going for a creative, more relaxed role, smart is usually the best way forward.
• Be comfortable in what you wear.
• Keep any make up to a minimum – employers are more interested in what you have to offer than what you look like!

• Try to arrive at where your interview is being held 15 minutes beforehand.
• Take 5 minutes to calm any nerves, build your confidence before you head in, you will still have plenty of time.
• Plan your travel. Is your interview during the school or work rush hour, are there road works, is your train running? Ideally try to get the early bus or train.
• Plan where you are going. Do you have full address and number to call in case you cannot find it?
• Is your phone on silent, or even, better switched off?

• Listen to the interviewer’s question and make sure you understand it.
• It’s ok to ask them to repeat it or ask it in another way – better to do this than not be sure what you are answering.
• Take a pause to think about your answer then talk them through it.
• Give examples and go into detail, try not to give general comments. Be clear on what YOU did, not other people.
• Link your answers to the question and bring your skills and previous experience in wherever you can.

• It might sound silly but be yourself! You have got this far, and the employer wants to get to know YOU, so let them!
• Stick to the facts, have your experience and skills ready to talk about.
• It is also good, if it fits with the interview, to talk about what you do in your spare time. This can also show some of the skills they might be looking for – team player, reliability etc…

• Have at least a couple of questions ready before your interview. You might get to ask these during it, or at the end.
• Use your questions to find out more about the company and those you would be working with – interviews are a two-way process!
• Perhaps ask about job progression, opportunities, or where they see the company going.

• If you can, bring a copy of the job description, this way you can refer to it during the interview.
• Bring a copy of your CV (and cover letter if you had one).
• Bring pen and paper. You might want to make notes on the way, or jot things down to ask about at the end of the interview. Don’t fiddle with them though, put them aside during the interview if you prefer.
• Can be good to have a bottle of water with you, but most interviewers will offer you a glass of water.

• Use any interviews you have as practice.
• Even if you get the job, this interview can be practice for the next one.
• Interviews take patience and practice, there are always more people applying than jobs available.
• Not getting the job doesn’t mean you’re not good enough, it just means someone else was more suited to the role and sometimes there can be very little between applicants. If someone has more experience than you, you cannot control that.
• Call the employer or write them an email to ask for some feedback. You could ask what you did well and where you could improve for next time.
• You may not want to take on everything they say, but it’s always useful to receive constructive feedback.

• It will make you feel better
• It will make the interviewer see you as the nice, friendly person you are
• And it leaves a very good lasting impression – try to remember to smile at different points throughout the interview, it has a calming effect for everyone.