6 Top Interview Tips

Getting a job in today’s climate is hard enough, but getting the job you want, your dream job, will prove much harder, as competition will be fierce – during the recruitment and selection processes you can expect to find yourself competing with up to 8 suitably qualified applicants.

In light of all this, how do you make yourself stand out from the competition? You can achieve this  by preparing yourself to deliver the highest quality performance at interview. An outstanding  performance at interview may be the deciding factor that propels you to the front of the queue and gets you the job.  However, performing well at interview is not something to be taken for granted, because it does not just happen of its own accord, it happens as a result of advanced preparation.

Here  we have set out 6 tips that can help you to prepare for interview which can help you to deliver  a more effective interview performance and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

1.  Background Research

It is vital that you do your research into the background of the company, its products, key personnel, customers etc… because the interviewer is likely to inquire about your prior knowledge of their business. It is one of the most common opening interview questions. Candidates who have researched the company will be able to answer this question in great detail. This will demonstrate to the employer that you have a genuine enthusiasm their business and will impress them no end.

Also, as an interviewee who has properly researched the company, you will feel more familiar with the business and therefore more confident, meaning you are likely to perform better.

2.  Presentation

In terms of attire, you should always wear a suit, even if you know it is a company which operates according to a casual dress policy. Even companies with dress down policies tend to suit up for interviews or client interactions. If you are interviewing for a sales, marketing or customer facing role, your appearance will be of paramount importance and not a hair should be out of place as interviewers will be assessing you to see if they are happy to put you in front of a client.

Typically, you will be offered a handshake at the start of the interview and if this is the case, ensure your handshake is firm and that you make good eye contact during the handshake. You should also make good eye contact throughout the interview.

Never slouch in your chair at interview as this can be misconstrued as apathy or laziness, so sit upright and look attentive.

3.  Practice Answering Interview Questions

Most companies will use a form of interview questioning known as behavioural interviewing. I n this type of interview, candidates are expected to answer these questions using specific examples from their previous work experience. A typical behavioural question might be:

“Please tell me about a time when you had to deal with conflict? What was the situation?
What was your involvement? How did you overcome the problem? What did you learn?”

These can be challenging questions but the good news is that if you practice answering these kind of questions in advance, you will be better equipped to answer at interview. There are many careers websites which provide sample behavioural questions which you can practice answering.

 4.  Practice Aptitude Tests

Many businesses use aptitude tests to assess candidates. Did you know that there is evidence to suggest that you can improve your performance in aptitude tests simply by practicing them. Therefore, if you know you are going to have an aptitude test, we recommend that you practice these tests – there are many careers websites where this can be done.

5.  Ask Questions

At the end of the interview, ask pertinent questions as your curiosity will help to demonstrate your genuine enthusiasm for the role. Prepare around five questions. Good questions could be for example: seeking clarification on some aspects of the roles, asking about career progression opportunities, inquiring about future business strategy or expansion plans. Do not ask questions about salary during the first interview – save this for the second interview.

6.  Do not complain about your previous employer or colleagues

It can be tempting to do this at times, but complaining or blaming your previous employer will be construed as negative. Try and appear as positive as possible during the interview.