Preparation
Don't just turn up at an interview - prepare for it. You will be calmer if you know your stuff and the interviewers will see that you're well motivated and positive.
Seven pre-interview essentials:
- Confirm you'll be attending. Ring up and use it as an opportunity to check practical stuff like parking or directions.
- Find out what the interview will be like. Who'll be interviewing you? Are there any additional tests or exercises as part of the interview?
- Look at your application again. Pick out points interviewers are likely to want to talk about - likely areas are your choice of GCSE's/other qualifications, last job or skills you've noted on your CV (like a Forklift licence or ability to use computers). Think about how you'll deal with any weaknesses or gaps in qualifications or experience.
- Do more research. The research you did for your application needs updating. Revisit the same resources and check for new developments. Be aware of any current news stories that affect this employment sector and have an opinion on them.
- Anticipate questions you're likely to be asked. Most are predictable. Fix in your mind the points you want to cover, but don't try and stick to a script. See the
- Plan what to wear. Check it fits and there are no buttons missing or hems flapping. If you know you look good, you'll feel more confident. Clean, smart and simple is best, whatever the job. You need to look like you've made an effort, even if the actual job entails wearing oily overalls.
- Make sure you know where you're going, how long you need to allow to get there and what the parking arrangements are. If you park on an employer's premises, remember your car says a lot about you - so at least make sure it's clean.
How To Impress Interviewers
Most people make up their mind about you in the first few minutes, so first impressions are all-important. If you can make people feel positive about you as soon as you enter the room, the whole interview will be a lot easier.
Create a good first impression instantly by:
- Making sure you look clean, smart and crease-free
- Smiling, making eye contact and shaking hands with them
- Using a clear and confident voice
What follows will be 'a conversation with a purpose', and that purpose is to find out whether you're suitable for the job and if that job is right for you.
Check out the following tips to get you on the right track:
Seven Ways to Impress
- Be a good listener. Let your interviewer know that you're listening attentively by nodding, using facial expressions that make you look interested, leaning towards the interviewer, picking up on key words they've used and asking them to expand on subjects that genuinely interest you. But never interrupt your interviewer.
- Be honest. If you don't understand a question, ask for an explanation. If you're faced with something you really can't deal with, be truthful about it - it's more impressive than pretending to have the answer to everything. Use get-out phrases like 'that's something I'd need time to think about' or 'that's outside my present experience' to give yourself a bit of a breather.
- Be consistent. Many interviewers ask the same things in different ways as a means of checking you out. Listen to yourself as well as to them. If you feel you've made a mistake, put things right by saying, 'going back to what I said earlier about...what I really meant was...'
- Avoid the temptation to talk too much. If there are awkward silences when you've finished saying what you want, don't fill them with nervous chatter. Some interviewers use silence to see how you'll react. Pass the lead back to them by pleasantly saying: 'Does that answer your question?' Also, stick to providing the answer requested - don't inundate the interviewer with information they don't need.
- Be aware of your body language. Stillness is reassuring and fidgeting is a distraction. Looking your interviewer in the eye is essential, but don't overdo it - take your cues from the interviewer. A smile sets everyone at ease, but a constant grin is unnerving. Try to sit up straight. Leaning forward makes you appear attentive and enthusiastic - being slumped conveys boredom.
- Be positive. Even if your last job was the pits, if asked for your reasons for leaving, don't let a negative word pass your lips. Never say anything unfavourable about your colleagues, boss or job - it'll just make you look bad. Instead, say: 'I genuinely enjoyed my last job, but I'm eager to move onto a different challenge and use the skills I've gained'. Then, impress them even more by stating how those skills match the job you're after.
- If you're not asked about something that you feel is important, raise the subject yourself. This is your one chance to sell yourself, so don't waste the opportunity.
The Interviewer's Questions
The people who are interviewing you are trying to find out about you, your knowledge of the job and the company, and your wider knowledge about related current issues. They're not trying to trip you up!
Questions about you
Having a clear idea of who you are and what you want from life and work is essential. Ten common questions about you:
- Tell me about yourself. Leave out the life history - this is a chance to show them you're normal and break the ice.
- Why do you want this job? Enthuse about how your skills are a perfect match.
- What are your long-term aims? Keep them relevant to the job you're after. Ambition is a good quality so don't hold back.
- What can you bring to this job/company? Highlight your relevant skills, strengths, experience and qualities.
- What are your strengths/weaknesses? Confidently state two or three strengths that match the job and one 'positive' weakness, like 'I'd like to have more skills and training in XXX area'.
- What do you enjoy most/least? What you enjoy most should be relevant to the job. What you enjoy least should be something you have no power over, such as those days when you achieve very little due to cancellations, interruptions and circumstances beyond your control. However, let them know that, though you dislike it, you can handle it.
- What's your greatest achievement so far? Keep it relevant to the job. Leading your pub-quiz team to victory won't cut it.
- What would you like to be better at? Let them know you're open to developing your skills in relevant areas.
- How would your colleagues describe you? Don't be bigheaded, but don't put yourself down. Be honest - and try to use real positive examples from your last appraisal, school report or discussion with a college counsellor/tutor.
- Why should we give you this job? Unless this is the opening question, think about how your answers have gone down so far, and what you've been asked. For instance, if they've asked a lot about your teamwork skills, make these one of the strengths you highlight in your answer.
Questions about the job or the company
If you've completed a course that's relevant, you need to show you can apply that knowledge to the job. If the job is of a technical nature, expect technical, subject-related questions. If it involves dealing with people, prepare yourself by thinking of situational questions. These relate to everyday experiences such as dealing with a difficult customer.
They may also ask:
- What attracted you to this company? A good answer will flatter them but make sense, like talking about the impressive staff training programme. Mentioning good salaries and free lunches won't go down well.
- What do you know about our business? Show them you've done your research.
- How would you fit in with our culture? If you're stuck, answer with a question - ask them how they'd describe their culture and then match yourself to the company
- What do you think the most important qualities for this job are? Show you know what's actually involved in the post you're going for on a daily basis. Match up your qualities to everyday tasks - you want them to almost be able to see you doing the job.
Your Questions
It's inevitable that you'll be asked if you have any questions - so make sure you do! This is your chance to check that this is a job and employer that suits you.
During the interview, questions you'd like to ask might crop up. Sometimes, it's okay to ask there and then. However, some interviewers prefer it if you ask questions at the end. If you find it difficult to remember the questions that arise during interviews, take a pen and paper with you and scribble them down for later - this is perfectly acceptable.
Good questions:
- Can you describe a typical day?
- What training do you offer?
- What kind of opportunities are there for growth in this company?
- What's happened to people who did this job before?
- I read about your new product/take-over of/new order for/plans to... Can you tell me more about that?
- What are the best things about working here?
Finally, round off with:
- When can I expect to hear your decision?
Questions you shouldn't ask
Asking about holiday, pay and benefits, and questioning management/business decisions can leave your potential employer with a bad impression.
The purpose of asking questions is to find out all you can about the job and company while looking interested and proactive. Leave any talk about pay and perks until the second interview - or until they make you an offer.
Bad questions:
- How much holiday do I get? When will that increase?
- What is your grievance procedure?
- When will I get a pay rise?
- Has your long-standing dispute over working conditions been resolved?
- Do you deserve all the bad publicity you get?
- What was the truth behind your managing director's sudden retirement?
After The Interview
On the way home, try to think objectively about the interview - how would you have rated your performance if you were the interviewer? There is no doubt some valuable lessons you can learn. Ask yourself:
- What could you have done differently or better?
- Did you feel as well prepared as you could be?
- What did you answer well? (Lets not be too hard on ourselves!)
- Are they someone you want to work for?
- Does the job live up to your expectations?
- Will it move your career in the direction you want?
If you're offered the job and decide not to take it, let the employer know as soon as possible.
If you don't get the job, learn from the experience and use it to improve your future performance. Most employers are willing to give feedback; this will help you at your next interview. Reasons employers give for rejecting candidates at this stage include:
- Inappropriate appearance
- Being late
- Appearing disorganised
- Poor communication skills
- Lack of insight into the organisation or job (i.e. not having done your homework!)
- Lack of energy or enthusiasm
- No clear career aim
- Over familiarity
- A defensive attitude
- Criticism of school or a past employer
- A tendency to make excuses and blame others
- Coming across as only interested in what you can get out of the organisation
- Sarcasm, aggression or rudeness
- A Lack of confidence
- Poor references
But remember, there are always more candidates than jobs, so you should congratulate yourself on getting this far.