When you see your dream job advertised and then you apply and get confirmation of an interview, there is plenty of preparation that will help you to make a good impression. From choosing your outfit to answering competency based questions, good preparation can make the difference between getting the job and getting that rejection call or email. So if you have your interview date, now is the time to get started with your preparation.
1) Do your research
Your potential recruiters will be looking to see how much you know about their company and whether you will fit into their company culture. Do as much research as you can about them, from their company website to any news that may have been published about them. For example, if they recently won an award or were involved in a charity event you can mention that you were impressed/thought it was something you would have liked to get involved in etc. Also, find out as much about the role responsibilities as possible, so you sound like you understand what the role fully entails. You can ask the recruitment agency or the job contact for further information.
2) Prepare answers
If they provide you with a job specification and/or a set of requirements, then you should prepare interview questions that will prove your competency for each requirement. You should have your best examples ready to reel off when you get asked for them in your interview, to give you the best chance. So write down your main accomplishments and see which ones are most relevant to the list of job skills required.
If there is a piece of software/system/process that they will expect you to be familiar with mentioned in the job specification, make sure that you have at least a high-level knowledge of it. Even if you have never used it before, you can find information, video demos etc. that will show them that you have a basic knowledge of what is involved, rather than being clueless. If there are systems that you have never used as part of the role, then you can describe how you quickly learned similar skills in another example. If they ask the question, ‘What do you think will be your biggest challenge?’ you can use this and turn it into a positive by highlighting how good you are at learning how to use new systems/technology.
3) Look the part
First impressions really do count, so make sure that you get that haircut and have your best interview outfit. Ill-fitting or un-ironed clothes will suggest that you don’t want the job enough to make the effort and if you are going for a job where appearances are really important then make sure you dress the part. So take a look at the latest interview outfits that are in fashion, look at the office clothes for menswear or womenswear to see what styles are popular right now. You might even want to look at getting a nice new accessory like Tateossian cufflinks or a new pair of earrings to give you a bit of a confidence boost.
4) Getting there
Finally, make sure that you get to the interview location at least ten minutes before your interview. Public transport can be a nightmare to get there early and go into a coffee shop nearby to ensure that you will be there with plenty of time. Remember, your interviewers will want you to do well and show them your full capabilities, so try to relax and talk to them in a friendly way.
So, these were 4 ways to prepare your self for an interview.
