Interview Tips

I used to work for a company where part of my job involved recruitment and interviewing possible new employees. So I thought I would put together a little bit of what I learnt in case it could help some of you guys out there who may be having interviews at the moment whether that be for jobs, universities or anything else for that matter! I am by no means an expert I am just simply sharing some of my observations from being involved in this process.

·         Probably the most important point – Do your research!

I cannot stress this enough. If you go into an interview without researching the role or the company first there is only so far you can blag your way through.  Now I am not saying you need to know when the company was founded, the family tree of the founder, the founder’s favourite chocolate bar, just  stick to the basic and important facts. If the company has competitors who are they? What your role might entail, what the company may have done within the last 12 months, why you think they would be a good company to work for.

 

·         First impressions count!

 

I read somewhere that an interviewer is likely to have made up their mind up as to whether they like you or not within the first 3 seconds of meeting you based on your appearance and general manner. As shallow as this may seem imagine if you were to interview somebody who came in dressed in dirty, un-ironed clothes as opposed to someone dressed smartly. It would take the person in dirty clothes a lot longer to bring the interviewer back round even if they had every qualification under the sun. Obviously this is an extreme situation.  My point is, dress to impress.

 

·         Make-up

 

Some makeup points to note, try to make sure everything is perfect, no lipstick on your teeth, no dodgy foundation lines and definitely no chipped nails! Keep the nail colour neutral, my favourite neutral pink is Essie ‘Neowhimsical’. In line with keeping things neutral think about your choice of perfume. I interviewed somebody in a small room who was wearing very heavy perfume and I found it very difficult to concentrate and quite frankly it gave me a massive headache, this is not the effect you want to have!

 

·         Make notes & prepare yourself

 

Have a look on the internet for questions that are commonly asked during interviews. Write them down along with how you would answer them and some examples. By doing this you are less likely to have awkward silences during your interview and you won’t be searching around in your brain getting nervous trying to hunt down examples! Sure there is a chance you may not be asked the questions you have researched but you can adapt your answers to suit.

 

·         It is better to be early than late!

Allow plenty of time to get to your interview. What’s the worst that can happen? You get there early? This will just give you more time to sit in the car and look over those notes you made earlier. Or if you want to go in to the place of your interview it will show that you are keen and punctual and if you are lucky you may even be offered a tea or coffee!

 

I hope these tips have been helpful. Let me know your interview tips!