You’ve impressed your recruiter and landed yourself an interview, but how do you nail it? Preparation is key.
1. Read the job description
Have a thorough understanding of the job description and how you align with it. Prepare some examples so the manager can see you are experienced for the role. If you don't have a job description, read through the advertisement as a guide or speak to your recruiter.
2. Research the company
Have a look at their website. What do they specialise in? Who are their main clients?
What is their culture like? Get to know their values. Check out their social media accounts.
Who are the managers and team members? Have a look at the team on LinkedIn. Where did they come from?
With a strong understanding of the company and the team, you will have talking points to refer to in the meeting.
3. Prepare yourself for interview questions
We can never predict what you will be asked but here are a few common questions you can prepare for.
Why do you want to work for us?
What interests you about this position?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
In addition to these, prepare examples for some common behavioural questions.
Tell me about a time when you demonstrated initiative.
Describe a time when you overcame a challenging situation.
Give me an example where you've had to work with someone you didn't get along with. How did you approach and resolve this situation?
Describe a time when a member of your team was under-performing. What did you do?
Tell me about a challenging client-facing situation and how you handled it.
4. Prepare questions to ask in the interview
Don't forget - you are interviewing a company just as much as they are interviewing you. Think of some thoughtful questions to make sure they are also the right fit for you.
What is the culture like here?
What does a typical day look like in this role?
Why do you like working here?
What does a successful person in this role look like to you?
5. Prepare your travel arrangements
There is nothing worse than being late to your interview because you got stuck in traffic or couldn’t find parking. Let's avoid it and plan ahead. It's simple. Just leave early. Find a park and relax. Take the spare time to read over some of the questions you have prepared. Aim to arrive in reception 5-10 minutes before.
Final Tip: If you don’t know the answer to a question you can always say “let me think about that one and come back to you in a moment”. It is perfectly okay to take the time to give a thoughtful answer.
Taking the time to prepare for an interview ultimately assists you in feeling relaxed and confident for your meeting so your interviewer can see the real you.
Excellent advice!!