Interview advice

You have passed the first hurdle now it is time to sell yourself in person to the prospective employer.

You need to build on your knowledge and skills with preparation and research, this guide will help you prepare and show yourself in the best possible light.

Gone are the days when interviews were a one way process for the employer to ascertain your suitability for them, it is also for you to decide if they are right for you too. Preparing what you want to learn from them is key to the process, your aim is to walk out of the interview knowing whether you want the job.

The standard interview format is usually face to face however more and more employers are doing telephone or Skype interviews as an initial stage, and carrying out assessment centres to assess multiple candidates.

Interview formats

Telephone interviews

Often a telephone interview will be an initial tool to ascertain interest and suitability on both parts. They can take the form of a short information gathering interview where the interviewer does a basic CV walk through discussing your experience and the role with you. Alternatively it can be a technical interview to ensure that you have the key skills required to take the process further.

Take the call somewhere quiet with no distractions and preferably on a landline
Have a copy of your CV and the job specification to refer to
Speak clearly to ensure they understand you
Allow time to get into the right frame of mind before you take the call
Don’t be afraid to ask if they require any further detail from you
Ask what the next stage is and when you will hear from them

Skype interviews

Skype interviews are a convenient way for employers to see and speak to you to ascertain your suitability for a role. The benefits for you include flexibility in terms of location, time saving and no travel costs.

Consider the impression your Skype name gives
Remember they can see and hear you clearly at the start of the interview
Ensure they can’t see anything inappropriate in the background
Make sure you are smartly presented, they can still see you even if it is not in person
Check you have a stable internet connection and you won’t be interrupted
Be mindful of body language, treat it as a face to face interview
If you have any problems hearing them, ask them to repeat the questions

Face to face interviews

During a face to face interview it is much easier for the employer to gauge how you deal with particular situations and how you would fit in their team as they can interact directly with you. There may be a tour involved, which gives you the opportunity to see the work environment and gives them the chance to interact with you in a less formal setting.

Arrive early and be smartly presented, ideally suited or at least formal business dress with tie and polished shoes
Be polite and friendly to everyone you encounter, you never know whose opinion counts
Give a firm, confident hand shake
Be mindful of body language, don’t slouch, fidget or fold your arms
Make good eye contact with all members of the panel equally
Do not become defensive if challenged during the interview, remain calm at all times and respond professionally
Ask questions during the interview and tour, if you are given one
Tell them at the end of the interview that you are interested in the role

Assessment centres

Assessment centres will often last for a half day or a whole day and so can be quite intense and potentially tiring so be prepared. This format usually includes one to one interviews, group tasks or activities, testing, assessment exercises and often presentations. Each candidate is assessed on their performance in each part of the assessment including their individual contribution during the group tasks and how they interact as part of a group.

Personal presentation is very important, you don’t want to stand out for the wrong reason
Ensure that you actively contribute to group tasks, evidencing how you add value
Avoid being overbearing or pushy in group tasks
Ensure that you understand fully what is being asked of you during a task or test
Prepare as much as possible and practice your presentation repeatedly
Ask intelligent questions when given the chance
Be engaged throughout the whole process even if it lasts the whole day

You only get one chance to make a first impression and they really do count so make it a good one!

Preparation

Ensure that you have researched the company well and understand fully who they are and what they do. Look through their website in detail to get a clear picture of their business, markets, customers, products and technology etc.

Prepare a high level overview of the company that you can deliver when asked what you know about them. Always avoid quoting verbatim from their website, this sounds unnatural and they will pick up on it.

If they have a News or Publications section on their website, read through it as this will give you information about recent wins, projects, acquisitions or appointments and potential discussion points during the interview. It looks very good if you can talk about a recent project or client win of theirs during the interview.

Ensure you know who you will be meeting at the interview and do some research on them as well. Go on LinkedIn to look at their profile, sometimes this can create talking points during the interview for example if you went to the same university, worked at the same company, similar route of progression etc. This can help build rapport.

Go through the job spec and identify on your CV where your skills match their requirements so that you can highlight this during the interview. Perhaps even prepare some examples of projects or responsibilities that are most relevant to them.

Interview questions

Prepare for all of the standard interview questions shown below and wherever possible try to give an example as part of your answer. So if you are asked “how do you deal with conflict?” give an example of a time that you have had to do this including the situation, the action you took and what the positive outcome was. This allows you to demonstrate that not only can you do what they’ve asked but that you have done so successfully in the past.

Typical questions

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What do you understand the job to be?
Why are you interested in working for the company?
Why do you think you are right for the role?
What is the worst professional mistake you have made?
Why are you looking for a new position?

Ensure that you also prepare a list of questions for them as you will be invited to ask questions, usually at the end. These questions should be intelligent and show you are engaged in the process and make you stand out from the other candidates so avoid asking about work hours, holidays and benefits and focus on career opportunities and company strategy.

At the close of the interview it is a good idea to ask the interviewer if they have any concerns about your suitability for the role. This gives them the opportunity to tell you if they see a potential area of weakness and gives you the chance to cover this and hopefully overcome the concern. If this is too direct for you, an alternative is to ask them if they need any further information from you to establish your suitability.

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