To make sure you can celebrate at the end of play, we’ve written a series of tips on what to do before your interview and how to thrive when your big moment arrives. Take a look at seven ways to ace your job interview.
1. Brush up on your knowledge of the company
Many recruiters will ask what you know about the company, so it’s wise to spend time before your interview reading up on what the company does and its values.
During your preparation, we recommend browsing the company website to learn about its products and services. The website will also give you useful information about company history and aims.
As such, doing your detective work will help tie your answers to the company and add weight to your responses.
2. Plan responses to nail the common interview questions
Another route to a winning job interview is planning responses to the frequently asked interview questions.
Firstly, you’ll need to match your skills to the job description in order to craft answers which mirror what the recruiter is looking for. Then, think of examples of when you’ve used these skills to give the interviewer evidence of your abilities. Using the STAR method will really compliment your examples on the day. This form of answer breaks down your response and helps indicate why you were successful in the chosen scenario.
We also recommend thinking about your weaknesses. Believe it or not, discussing a weakness head-on could be your route to success, and being honest will make you more likeable than if you claim to be the finished article.
Finally, to really get ahead in planning responses, it’s a good idea to practise with a friend to make sure your answers sound confident and effective. Planning your answers will help you rehearse your performance, while it will also help you avoid being tripped up by unexpected questions.
3. Prepare insightful questions to ask
You’ll also shine in a job interview if you ask the interviewer about topics such as the role, the company or its industry.
To come up with questions, read through the job description and pick out anything which interests or intrigues you. Asking about targets or performance metrics is a great way to display your motivation for the role. We also advise enquiring about any specific elements of the company and its work – this is where your company research will come in handy.
Asking questions will help you get ahead because you’ll show your enthusiasm and how much thought you’ve put into your interview preparation.
4. Choose a sharp outfit
You might not think it, but what you wear to an interview could boost your confidence and affect how others perceive you. As such, you should choose a smart interview outfit which leaves you feeling ready to impress.
Although you should aim to look good and professional at any interview, smaller companies or start-ups may relax the dress code. Whatever the scenario, you should either dress smartly to play it safe or ring the company before your interview to ask what you should wear.
5. Leave with enough time to spare
Leaving early enough for your interview is a simple way to get off to a good start. After all, you won’t make a positive entrance if you bound through the door like a middle-distance runner!
You should work out the journey beforehand and add on another half an hour. Even if the company is local to you, leaving early means you can account for hold-ups and take a few moments to compose yourself once you arrive.
6. Build rapport early
When you greet your interviewer, we recommend building rapport from the outset.
To do this, it’s wise to offer a firm handshake and thank the interviewer for seeing you. To keep the rapport going, make a little small talk on the way to the interview room and chat to the interviewer about how their day has been or any other universal topic.
By appearing friendly and working to bond with the interviewer, you’ll show your personable side and demonstrate how you could fit in with the company.
7. Check your body language
Like your interview outfit and answers, your body language will reveal plenty about you, so remember to keep this in check during your interview.
When giving your answers, it’s best to keep a degree of eye contact to appear confident and warm up the interview – try not to stare though! We also recommend sitting up straight so you indicate your interest in the conversation and your commitment to the interaction.
Taking care of your body language will help you talk with confidence throughout your interview.
Now you know how to serve up a championship-winning performance in a job interview, learn how to succeed in a second interview.
