Interview tips
Interview tips
You have secured your job interview — congratulations! Now it is time to prepare.
We are going to cover the following topics.
- Preparation and research.
- How to practise your answers to interview questions.
- Prepare your own questions for employers.
- Make a great first impression.
- What to take to the interview.
- Tips on good manners and body language.
- How to win them over with your authenticity and positivity.
Preparation and research
Going to the interview prepared will show the interviewer how interested you are in the opportunity. I cannot remember the last time an unprepared interviewee received an offer of employment.
Fully read the job description.
Fully read your CV so you do not get caught out remembering achievements or dates.
Research the company and the interviewer(s) using every available tool – their company website, Linked In, Twitter, doing a google search and searching industry news.
triple edge solutions tip
Dissect the job description’s tasks and responsibilities sections and prepare examples of times you have exceled at that during your career. When describing the example, follow the STAR technique.
Situation
Action
Task
Result
For example: if the job description asks for ‘strong stakeholder management skills’ you should describe your answer as follows – “During my time at {company name} my predecessor had alienated stakeholders from {company name} and had experienced bottlenecks in their decision making (situation).
I met with the stakeholders, face to face to understand their issues (action) and built trust with them again and implemented slicker communication SLA’s for all parties (task) which enabled us to get the project back on track and delivered inside its original deadline (result).”
Our suggestion would be to produce a new document with your examples which you can leave with the interviewer to support your CV.
Practise strong answers
Despite every interview being different and every interviewer having their own style, there are a few questions that almost always get asked.
In the days before your job interview, set aside time to prepare your answer to the common questions.
“Tell me about yourself”
“Why are you interested in this role with our company?”
“What would you describe as your strengths and weaknesses?”
“How would your manager describe you?”
“How would your work colleagues describe you?”
Give a succinct yet informative answer without being negative whilst talking in the past, present and future tense.
triple edge solutions tip
Practice makes perfect and more practice makes permanent.
Practicing your answers out loud is an incredibly effective way to prepare. Say them to yourself or ask a friend to help run through questions and answers. Ask your friend for feedback in your answers.
You will gain confidence as you get used to saying the words.
Prepare smart questions
This is not just an interview for the company but an interview for you too. They are seeing if you are a good fit for their opportunity, whilst you are looking to see if this company fits your goals and you can see yourself working there.
Employers expect you to ask questions and gauge your interest in the role by the type of questions you ask. Here are some questions you may want to consider asking your interviewers:
- “Can you explain some of the day-to-day responsibilities for this job?”
- “How would you describe the characteristics of someone who would succeed in this role?”
- “When I am in this position, how will my performance be measured? How often?”
- “What are the challenges you are currently facing?”
triple edge solutions tip
Think of questions to ask that no one else will ask. This will help to make you stand out from the other interviewees. It will also make you memorable.
We are happy to assist you with this, just drop us a line for suggestions – info@tripleedgesolutions.co.uk
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
- Dress for the job you want. Ask us about the dress code in the workplace and choose your outfit accordingly. If in doubt, dress up rather than dressing down.
- Do not forget the little things. Shine your shoes, make sure your nails are clean and tidy, and check your clothes for holes, stains, pet hair and loose threads.
- Plan your schedule so that you can arrive 10–15 minutes early. Map out your route to the interview location so you can be sure to arrive on time. Consider doing a trial run. If you are taking public transportation, identify a backup plan if there are delays or closures.
triple edge solutions tip
When you arrive early to your interview, use the extra minutes to observe the workplace dynamics – the culture, the types of individuals you will soon be working with.
Be polite to everyone you meet not just the interviewer. You never know who you may have just met.
What to take to the interview
Set aside time before your interview to get the following items together.
- At least three copies of your printed CV on paper. While the hiring manager has likely seen your CV, they may not have read every line. Or you might be speaking with someone new. In either case, you might want to highlight specific accomplishments on your copy that you can discuss.
- A pen and a notebook. Prepare to take notes, but not on your smartphone or any other electronic device. Write information down so that you can refer to these details in your follow-up thank you notes. Maintain eye contact as much as possible.
- A written version of the prepared questions for your interviewers.
- A single bag for all your materials. It is easy to mistake nervous for disorganised, so keep all your documents in a single, multi-use messenger bag or portfolio. Make sure that it is professional and appropriate to the corporate culture as well as your own style.
triple edge solutions tip
When you leave the interview set aside 10 minutes, tidy up the notes you have made and add to them accordingly. Then write down your gut feeling within 30 minutes of the interview. Writing down the gut feeling will remind you in days or weeks’ time when you need to decide if this is the job for you.
Refer to these notes when you receive an offer or are invited to a subsequent interview to shape any questions to ask.
Remember good manners and body language
Non-verbal communication can be just as important as anything you say in the interview.
- Use confident, accessible body language. Smile frequently. Make eye contact when you are speaking. Sit or stand tall with your shoulders back. Before the interview, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This will help you manage any feelings of anxiety and will encourage greater self-confidence.
- Send personalised thank you notes to each interviewer. You may want to ask for the business card of each person you speak with during the interview process so that you can follow up individually with a separate thank you email—if they do not have a business card, you could ask for their email address and make a note of it. If you interviewed in the morning, send your follow-up emails the same day. If you are interviewed in the afternoon, the next morning is fine. Make certain that each email is distinct from the others, using the notes you took during the conversations.
Your answers - be authentic, concise, and upbeat
- Respond truthfully to the questions you are asked. Tie your answers back to your skills and accomplishments by providing examples of solutions and results you have achieved. Be careful not to refer to the same episode of your career.
- Keep your answers short and focused, making sure that you actually answer the question you have been asked. Your time with each interviewer is limited so be mindful of rambling - use your preparation and practicing prior to the interview to refine your response. Let your interviewer lead the conversation. Do not interrupt.
- Do not speak negatively about current and former employers or colleagues. Companies want to hire problem solvers who overcome tough situations. If you are feeling discouraged about your current job, focus on talking about what you have gained from that experience and what you want to do next.
triple edge solutions tip
Bear in mind that during this interview the interviewer is judging your communication skills, for when you start the job. Despite being nervous, if you give long winded answers now, they will guess that you will do the same in the role. There is a fine line between your answers being too short and too long. For this reason, it is so important to practice prior to the interview.
Your surroundings
A lot of the tips above relate to face-to-face interviews. More and more interviews are carried out over the telephone or video now making these tips every bit as relevant as meeting in person but with some additions.
Background – avoid background noise, poor signal, and interruptions. Choose the location of your interview carefully. Where will you be at the time of the interview? Avoid busy trains, noisy coffee shops, the corridor at work or the washing machine on spin cycle at home.
If this is a video interview, what is behind you? Do not have too much daylight on the screen and choose a neutrally decorated wall to sit in front of.
Other household members - tell the other people in your home the importance of the meeting so they do not disturb you or have trumpet practice at that time.
Dress code – dress for the interview in the same way you would for a face-to-face interview.
Sit at a desk with the relevant paperwork in front of you (see above).
Posture – you would not slouch in front of the interviewer if you were in person so do not slouch during the telephone or video interview. It is easy to notice from your voice if you are laying on the sofa – therefore, sitting at a desk is strongly advised.
Battery Life – there is no set time for an interview to last so make sure your PC, tablet or phone has plenty of signal and battery life.
First impressions – as discussed in previous tips and in job searching tips, set up an email address and skype / zoom identity for job searching purposes.
Think of the impression your ID will set with the interviewer / future employer.
Good luck.