Thankfully, job interviews don’t have to be an intimidating experience. They’re a great opportunity to show off your skills and sell yourself to the recruiter. Below we guide you through the interview process to help you feel confident and prepared.
Before the interview
Once you’ve agree a time and date for the interview, the recruiter will send you an email confirming all of details, including where it will take place. They may also follow-up the day before to confirm the time or location still suits.
On the day, make sure you arrive in plenty of time – ideally 10 minutes before the interview. You will usually meet an officer manager or receptionist first who will direct you to where you need to go. They may even offer you a drink. If you don’t have any water with you it’s worth asking for some, after all, you may get a dry mouth from talking!
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment when you’re nervous, but make sure you come across as friendly to everyone you meet – especially that receptionist you met earlier. They may feedback their thoughts on you to the hiring manager and you want to make a strong first impression.
Start of the interview
The hiring manager will usually begin with some small talk to help you settle in and feel comfortable in the surroundings. This might be about your journey in, or the weather. When this is over, they tend explain how the interview will run, before going on to explain a bit more about the company or the job in question. Be sure to listen carefully, you don’t want to miss any important instructions.
No two interviews will be the same. They can vary in length, number of people interviewing, type of questions and more. This can be nerve wracking but try to remain confident in your abilities and keep a calm composure.
Types of questions
During the interview you will be asked a range of questions. These tend to split into two categories, behavioural (also known as competency) or situational questions.
For behavioural questions, the interviewer may ask you to describe a situation where you demonstrated a skill or quality, such as ‘describe a situation where you lead a team’. Unless specified by the interviewer, if you don’t have any previous work experience you can use examples from school, university or your hobbies to help you answer this question.
For situational questions, the interviewer will describe a hypothetical situation and you then need to explain how you would handle it. For example ‘two of your colleagues have had a disagreement that is effecting your team’s productivity, what do you do?’ These questions help the interviewer to understand how you would perform in their company and handle any complications.
After the questions
Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer will usually ask you if you have any questions. No matter what, you must ask at least one question. Failing to ask anything is a red flag for employers as it suggests that you’re uninterested in the job. Use this as a chance to sell yourself and ask something interesting. When in doubt, prepare a handy list in advance to refer to.
Remember, the interview isn’t a one way street. It’s also your chance to see if you want to work at the company. You could ask about the company culture, the future of the company or anything specific about the role.
Post interview
Now the interview is over it’s in the hiring manager’s hands to decide if you’re right for the position. Some companies may even do more than one interview, so don’t be surprised if there’s another round before they make the final decision.
In many cases, you will normally hear back from the hiring manager within a week or two. If you don’t hear back within this time, it’s okay to send a follow up email or to call to find out if they’ve made their decision.
If you’re unsuccessful you might want to ask for constructive feedback. And if you’re successful, you can verbally accept the offer on the phone, but will usually need to send a follow up in writing to confirm as well. No matter what happens, remember going to an interview is a great learning experience and can help you in the future.
In summary
Interviews can feel daunting at first and it’s understandable to be nervous. But, preparing well and remaining confident are the keys to success.
For more information on acing your job interview, check out our advice on the interview traps to avoid if you’re nervous.
