How to prepare for an interview  

You have a job interview to attend – brilliant news. Now the next hurdle is to make sure that you make a lasting impression and build a great relationship with the interviewer.

So what and how do I need to prepare?

  1. Read and understand the job description, make sure you have read this fully and if you have any questions ask the recruiter before the interview.
  2. Research the company – how long have they been trading, how many staff do they employ, what industry is their business in. You could also Google them, read customer reviews, industry news and Linked-In, see if you know anyone who already works there or send a connection request to the person you will be meeting.
  3. Dress smartly and look presentable. Smart business dress with clean shoes will make the right impression – remember first impressions count! No shorts and flip flops!
  4. Smile, relax and be polite, ask relevant questions and remember above all to thank the interviewer for their time.

Competencies Questions

What are they and how am I supposed to answer them?

A competency question is a “tell me about a time when you have” (dealt with a difficult customer) or (worked to a tight deadline). Remember this is about what you did, not we, not my manager and I my colleague and I. Use words like me and I and stay away from we.

The best way to answer these questions is with real life examples from your working life.

The answer is broken into three separate parts

  1. Provide a brief overview of the situation
  2. What did you do to fix the problem
  3. What was the outcome, did you fix it, meet the target etc

Many people forgot about point 3. This a huge mistake, as it leaves the person hanging, thinking so did you hit the target, satisfy the customer etc?

Additionally, at the end of the interview, the interviewer sometimes asks – do you have any questions???

It can be tricky to know what to ask, some candidates feel that you have to ask something. You know, you don’t have to ask anything. I always advise, if you have a burning question at the end, then ask away. Stay away from salary, benefits and sick pay at this stage. If not, thank them for their time and tell them that you are very interested in the role.

Or

Depending on your level of confidence you could ask the following –

  1. Based on what you have told me about this role today, I am very keen and would like to progress, how do you feel the interview has gone?
  2. Do you have any concerns about my ability to do this role? – This can be difficult, however, if they do have a concern, you have an opportunity to deal with it and hopefully provide reassurance on their worry.

Good luck with your interview.