HOW to succeed at interview…

The interview is a onetime opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and attributes which will determine whether you and the employer will be a suitable “match”

The interview process can be a daunting experience for candidates and costly practice for employers’. Interview formats come in many different styles from initial informal first stage meet and greet to final stage panel presentations. I can’t stress enough how candidates who are successful in being selected for interview should apply as much dedication to their preparation as humanly possible in order to achieve the desired outcome.

Below are six key areas to focus on ahead of the interview, regardless of stage. These are hugely important areas to remember and concentrate on during this exciting experience.

1 Make a lasting impression

In order to make the right first impression, we always advise our candidates to attend every interview in their most formal attire, aiming to arrive 10- 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled time, have a pen and writing material ready to make notes on important facts and figures given on the business and role responsibilities.

Tip – Know when to be personable and also professional

2 Doing your research

Having a thorough understanding of the company and what they do will have a huge bearing on the type of question you might expect to receive at interview. We always advise candidates to use the company website for (company news, related industry news, research those interviewing you on social media). Review the job description and marry your skills to those essential skills the company seeks and you will be in a great position when asked what attributes you can bring to the role.

Tip – Company, Interviewers, Team, Division

3 The interchange of information

The interview serves as the opportunity for both parties to learn more about one another and your chance to highlight your skills, background, knowledge and passion for the role. This will also be your opportunity to gain a full understanding of what the role entails from the managers hiring. The ability to respond to competency, technical or other types of interview questioning will play a major part in determining whether you are successful in being selected to the next stage or not.

Tip – Listening and not interrupting is a great ally

4 Selling Yourself

The interview affords you the chance to discuss your achievements and accomplishments and what challenges you’ve been subject to and how you have overcome these difficulties and turned negative experiences into positive conclusions, and thus provide the interviews with the impression that you can help the business achieve key long terms goals with you on board.

Tip – Prepare real life examples for each bullet point in the job description

5 Passion

Always sit up straight, keep eye contact at all times, breath and most importantly think about your answers before delivery. Always demonstrate excitement, enthusiasm, professionalism and always remember to emphasize why this particular opportunity is the job for you.

Tip – Mentioning that you know people who work for the company and how they talk very highly of their treatment and development. This will be a well-received statement.

6 Final closing

We always advise our candidates to have at least 2/3 questions ready to ask at the end of any interview – invariably you will be asked if you have any questions. If you feel that the questions you had have already been answered during the interview then I would advise you to confirm that your questions were answered earlier. This will show the interviewer that you listened, understood and most importantly remembered during a time of intense brain activity. Always give positive answers if asked how you felt the interview went – I would suggest saying it was informative and from what I learned I definitely feel I have the qualities required to perform the role.

Tip – Think of really strong questions specific to the company and business that will set you part from others, plus always ask at the end what the next stage is.

Kind regards
Jamie France