Okay, so you’ve beaten off the competition with your outstanding CV and have been called in for an interview.  You could be one step away from securing the job of your dreams, so how can you make sure you don’t fall at the final hurdle?  An interview is a business meeting and the point at which you and your prospective employer will make judgements and decisions about each other.  This is your chance to obtain detailed knowledge of the role and the company, and the employers chance to ‘sell’ the role and company to you whilst trying to ascertain your strengths and weaknesses.  Follow our interview tips and wait for the job offers to come flooding in!

First Interviews

Be prepared – preparation helps you to become more confident in selling yourself and your experience, putting you ahead of the rest.  Always ensure that you know the exact place and time of the interview, along with the interviewer's name and title.  Familiarise yourself with the location if necessary to avoid getting lost or being late on the day.  Research the company using the internet, libraries, papers, people who work there etc (look for how many people work there, turnover, company structure, products etc) before you go.  Research the job by reading through the job spec and making sure that you can justify why you are the best candidate.

Ask questions - prepare some questions to ask during the interview, jotting them down in a notebook so that you can record the employer’s responses.  Only ask those questions that have not been answered during the course of the interview.  Example questions include:

• Will I be working independently or as a team member?
• What are the common characteristics of employees who excel in this position?
• When and how is an employee's performance evaluated?
• When will the hiring decision be made?

Expect to be questioned – make sure you know your CV and expect to be questioned about the information you have provided as well as other typical interview questions, such as:

• Explain your current role to me?
• Why are you leaving?
• What skills do you feel you can bring to our company?
• What motivates you?
• What are your key strengths and weaknesses?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Market yourself - a job interview is a competitive situation, in which several other qualified candidates are vying for the same job, so use this opportunity to shine.  Market your skills and experiences as they relate to the position described. Work at describing your qualifications in terms of the particular set of skills and attributes the employer is looking for.   

Communication is key - You are being evaluated on your qualifications, skills and aptitudes, ability, and motivation so make sure you communicate effectively. Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experience and skills. Be professional, bright and personable.  Listen carefully, checking understanding as you go to avoid misunderstanding. Don't be afraid of short pauses, it’s okay to give yourself a few seconds to formulate an answer or give your interviewer a minute to digest the information you have provided.  Be aware of non-verbal communication too.  Smile and make eye contact during the course of the interview, sit up straight and control nervous habits.

Be positive - avoid being critical of your past position or employer, even if it is warranted. If you are asked about a demotion or sudden change in job, don't be defensive, briefly state the facts and what you learned from the experience.

Understand what is required of you - An employer will be looking for the following attributes in an interview:

• adaptability
• determination
• good communication skills
• self-organisation
• willingness to work hard
• enthusiasm
• creativity
• honesty
• self-confidence
• professional appearance

Negative things that an employer will be looking for in an interview:

• poor appearance
• poor communication skills
• indifference
• lack of confidence
• evasiveness
• negative attitudes
• abrupt replies
• conceit
• high-pressure selling

Monitor progress – knowing when your interview is going well can boost your confidence and put you at ease.  Typically, if you are being grilled with tough questions then the interviewer is interested in you so don’t be put off.

Do’s & Don’ts -

Do:

• Plan to arrive a few minutes early. Arriving late creates a bad first impression.
• Ask for directions when making arrangements for the interview.
• Greet the employer by his/her surname (if you are sure you can say it correctly) and shake hands firmly.
• Dress and act conservative and businesslike.
• Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting.
• Act alert and interested, and ensure to get your good points across to the interviewer in a factual and sincere manner.
• Be determined to get the job you are discussing!
• Bring spare copies of your CV.

Don't:

• Appear overly nervous. Project self-confidence. Try and relax.
• Smoke or chew gum
• Give yes or no answers. Elaborate whenever possible and describe the things about yourself which relate to the position. However, don't waffle, lie or imply you are a miracle worker. Be truthful and as frank as possible in your answers.
• Be preoccupied with note taking during the interview

Dress for success – dress codes vary from company to company so try to find out in advance how people normally dress at the company and aim to match the dress code of your interviewer.  Being over or under-dressed tends to create a sense of "negative rapport" and will interfere with successful communication.

Before you go – when the interview is over you can still leave a lasting impression so that your interviewer will hold you in mind.  Don't be afraid to ask for the job. Show confidence and interest, regardless of how you think the interview went and thank the interviewer for their time. Send a thank you letter or e-mail.

Final word - As strange as it may seem, employers are not looking for the most highly qualified candidate. They are looking for the candidate who fits in best. If you managed to get to the interview phase, then you meet the hiring criteria. Candidates who are enthusiastic, sincere and tactful, and who can demonstrate how they fit in, will be most effective.

Second Interviews

First interviews are usually about getting a feel for a candidate and allow recruiters to make a short list. If you have passed this stage, the next stage may involve some form of psychometric testing. Second interviews are typically much tougher and may involve the people you are likely to be working with eg, your boss, colleagues etc.

Remember you are now up against tough opposition and it is important not to become over confident.   Prepare as much as you did for your first interview, thinking about industry issues, technical questions if applicable, salary expectations, what you would do if you were offered the job on the spot. Try and find out who will be interviewing you.

Telephone Interviews

Telephone interviews are becoming increasingly common as they cut down on travelling time and, where tele-working is a big part of the job, offer you the chance to demonstrate good telephone technique.

The most important part of a telephone interview is listening. In a face-to-face situation, we pick up (and give off) lots of extra clues. In a telephone conversation, it is much more important to really listen to what is being asked and to think carefully about what you are saying and how it comes across, as it is not supported by non-verbal communication signals.

Prepare by recording practice interviews.

• How do you sound?
• Can you be understood clearly?
• Are you speaking too quickly or too slowly?

As with any interview, prepare thoroughly and make notes to help you answer questions.

Basic as it may seem, make sure you are sitting in a comfortable position (ideally at a desk or table) where you will not be disturbed.

Picture the person on the other end of the line and smile at appropriate times, as you would in a face-to-face interview, smiles really do show in your voice so use them liberally!