Got an important job interview coming up? Want to stand out from the crowd? Then read the following great tips on how to make the right impression at your interview and hopefully land yourself a fantastic job offer!
Nerves
It is natural to feel nervous before an interview. Nerves are not necesssarily a bad thing – they show your potential employer you care! But if you are too nervous you are more likely to rush the interview and forget the key points. Remember your interviewer wants you to succeed and will fully understand your nerves. Take plenty of deep breaths and breathe out slowly, this will encourage you to slow down and help you to create a more confident impression.
Speaking Clearly and Confidently
When you speak you want the interviewer to sit up and take notice of what you say. Remember the first impression is normally the lasting impression. If your words are unclear or muddled, your interviewer will quickly lose interest. Take your time over each word and avoid saying ‘you know what I mean’ – the chances are they don’t!
First Impression
Your interviewer will make a judgement about you before you even open your mouth – he/she will note your body language. Make a confident entrance! Make sure you look the interviewer in the eye and ensure that your handshake is nice and firm. Always say ‘its a pleasure to meet you’. It’s very difficult to project a confident and enthusiastic manner if you slouch back in your chair. Sit up straight and slightly lean forward. Maintain eye contact throughout the entire interview, this will help you appear confident. If you are being interviewed by a panel, give around 3 or 4 seonds of eye contact randomly to all the individuals on the panel. Avoid staring at any particular individual.
Make an Impression
Think about how you dress and prepare for your interview. Before you attend your interview we will send you a comprehensive document which will tell you everything you need to know about your potential employer including their dress code. Whilst they may be really casual we would ask that you avoid wearing jeans and trainers to the interview. Making a good impression normally starts with your appearance, so the smarter the better. You can always adjust the way you dress once you are employed.
Punctuality
Always know exactly where you are going before you set off for your interview. It helps to do a ‘dummy run’ before your actual interview date. This will ensure you know how much time to allow before you set off. It will also give you a heads up on any road works that have appeared that you should allow extra time for. Being late for an interview, no matter what the reason, will always set a negative tone. But if you arrive too early, wait until ten minutes before your appointment time to let them know you’ve arrived.
Typical Interview Questions
Obviously, every interview is different, but we have picked a selection of the most common questions asked at interviews. Please take the time to read down the list and give some thought to your answers on the questions that might be applicable.
- Why are you looking for a new job?
- What is the reason you left your last job?
- How much do you know about our company? (This is a common question, so impress your interviewer by checking out their website before your interview, to familiarise yourself with their products/services etc.)
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What is your greatest achievement in your current/last job?
- What is your ambition – where do you see yourself in the next 5/10 years?
- Do you prefer to work alone or in a team environment?
Your Participation in the Interview
To greatly increase your chances of being offered a job you must engage your interviewer(s) by asking them lots of questions, particularly about the company and the job role you are being interviewed for. Showing a keen interest in their company will impress them.
If you need any more guidance, call us today and one of our consultants will be more than happy to help.