6 key steps for interview preparation

Everyone’s heard the old adage – “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. This couldn't apply more to job interviews.

Having been invited to interview, you've made it over the first hurdle and should be feeling pretty pleased with yourself. However, if you fail to prepare in advance, you risk not making the most of that hard-earned first ‘foot in the door’. Here are six key steps to ensuring you arrive at your interview feeling fully prepared and confident.

1. Find out about the interview process.

In interviews, as in daily life, if you know what to expect from a process, you will naturally feel more confident. Ask your recruitment agent (or HR contact if applying directly) for some details about the process. What is the name and role of the interviewer? Is your interviewer the hiring manager, or a representative from HR? Will they be interviewing alone? Will this be the first of several interviews within the process?

Knowing who you will be meeting allows you to take advantage of LinkedIn and do some research on the person who will be firing questions at you for an hour. You may find that you have connections in common, or that you have worked for the same company in the past. Whilst it may not be appropriate to explicitly refer to your sleuthing activities in the interview, this background knowledge will help you to feel more prepared and may make it easier to build rapport. Knowing where the individual sits in the organisation will also help you to anticipate what their focus is likely to be in the interview. For example, a manager from HR is likely to focus on general competency areas, a technical specialist will home-in on your technical abilities, whilst a project sponsor is likely to be more interested in the bigger picture of how you manage project activity and engage with stakeholders.

2. Research your potential employer.

As well as conducting some research on who will be interviewing you, it goes without saying that you should do your homework about your potential employer. Most organisations would like to hire someone who is excited about joining them and shares their company values. You may well be asked what you know about the company, its products or services, and its values and culture. Even if you’re not explicitly asked about these aspects, dropping in reference to them will give you greater credibility as a candidate. The internet is the obvious tool at your disposal, but word-of-mouth can be even more valuable. If you have a contact who works there, spend some time discussing their experience and observations of the company, including its culture, values, and strategic objectives. If you don’t directly know an existing or former employee, try asking your network so you can make a connection with someone who does.

3. Anticipate interview questions and practise your answers.

This is one of the most important things you can do before your interview. You need to show (not tell) the interviewer that you can efficiently and effectively do the job. The way to illustrate this is by sharing past accomplishments and achievements. This is where interview coaching can come in useful. Modesty, or a low degree of self awareness, can make it difficult to talk about your own achievements without some objective help.

Prepare a range of examples that you can use to answer questions on the most likely areas that the interviewers will cover. Don’t try to memorise these examples word for word, but through practice, you’ll find that they are at the forefront of your mind. This will make it easier to remember the detail of what happened and answer whatever question the interviewer throws at you.

4. Prepare some questions to ask the interviewer.

The questions that you ask in an interview say a lot about you as a candidate. Avoid questions about benefits and salary until after you’ve been offered the job. During the interview, focus your questions on professional development, long-term goals for the role, and the company strategy and culture.

5. Plan the logistics.

On the day, you want your full focus to be on performing well at interview, not the logistics of getting there, or your interview outfit.

Plan your route: Make sure that you know exactly where the interview is going to be held, particularly if the company has several offices, and plan your route in advance. You may want to check out the interview location beforehand, but if that isn’t possible, allow extra travel time on the day to cover any traffic problems, public transport delays, or in case you miss a turn when driving.

Plan what you’re going to wear: Whilst an interview is not a fashion show (unless you’re interviewing for a job in the fashion industry…), you’re likely to feel more confident if you’ve decided in advance what you will wear for the interview. Different industries have different dress codes, but it’s always best to err on the side of professionalism, and if in any doubt, wear a suit.

6. Eat something before the interview.

This may sound like an unusual piece of advice but it’s important for two reasons. Firstly, if you’re worried that your answers are going to be drowned-out by a rumbling stomach, then you won’t be giving the interview your full concentration.

Secondly, remember - interviewers want to see candidates that can not only do the job, but are excited and enthusiastic about it. If your physical energy levels are low because you've missed breakfast or lunch then there’s a possibility that this could negatively affect your emotional energy levels in the interview.

Summary

Most people find interviews stressful, but if you can ensure that you've fully prepared beforehand then you will set yourself up for a successful (perhaps even enjoyable!) interview experience.

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If you've found these tips useful and would like to know more about performing effectively at interview, please get in touch - claire@skilledcv.com. If you're at an earlier stage in your job hunting and would like advice on writing a high impact CV, then please do download my free CV tip sheet “Supercharge your CV in 10 easy steps”.

To find out more about the CV writing and interview coaching services that I offer for graduates, experienced professionals and career-break returners, please take a look at www.skilledcv.com