You’ve done the hard work. Perfected your CV. Applied for hundreds of jobs and now you’ve landed an interview. According to Glassdoor, the average job attracts 250 resumes so congratulate yourself on making it through to this stage!
But now you’ve got the interview looming and nerves start to kick in. How can you make sure you secure the job offer?
1. Look the part
Appearance matters. Some interviewers will automatically disregard a poorly dressed interviewee simply as a handy way to cut down a large talent pool! The way that you look is the first impression you will make on your interviewer and remember that human beings are very visual creatures so make sure your shirt is ironed and your tights aren’t ripped! A good manicure really goes a long way, so make sure you don’t have chipped nail polish – they will notice – remember the first thing you’ll do when you meet your interviewer is shake their hand!
2. Prepare your answers
Firstly, make sure you have a tight and impressive answer to the ‘experience’ question. You want to keep this under 2 minutes, but make sure you cover any past jobs, education and experiences that make you look like the best candidate for the role in question. Other questions you need to have an answer ready for include: Why do you want this role? Why do you want to work for our company? What is your biggest strength? What is your biggest weakness? How do you handle stress? Type out your answers and practice reading them aloud – even better, roleplay the interview with a friend so your answers come across naturally.
3. Research the company thoroughly
Read up about the company and what they do. Don’t just use their own website – check out their LinkedIn and read any articles you can on them. It’s really good to know about their competitors too!
4. Plan your route
Sort out your transport as early as possible. Allow yourself extra time to compensate for any delays – you do NOT want to be late. Don’t arrive too early either – about 15 minutes before the stated time is perfect.
5. Questions, questions, questions
You never want to leave the interview without asking at least 2 questions of the interviewer. Always ask a question about progression within the company – this shows you have ambition and that you see yourself developing and staying within the company long-term.
6. The night before
Get a good night’s sleep at home – no going out! Do whatever you can to keep yourself happy and calm, whether it’s a luxurious bath or a charcoal face mask, look after yourself tonight!
7. Stay calm
Remember that whilst you are keen to impress the interviewer, they are also looking to impress you! You’re a hard worker and an asset to any team – remember your worth and stay relaxed. What’s the best interview you’ve ever had? How do you prepare?
