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• I have an interview
• Plan ahead
• Research the company
• Think about the questions that you are likely to be asked
• Ask your own questions
• Look the part
• During the interview
• Further support

I have an interview

Your CV or application did the job of getting you an interview and now you have the chance to prove yourself and land your dream job.

 Plan ahead

Make sure you:

• know exactly where you're going on the day of the interview
• know how you're going to get there – check bus and train timetables if you need to and do a dry-run before your interview. This will give you an idea of how long it will take you
• arrive early – leave with plenty of time so that you don’t arrive late or hot and bothered. If you do get stuck in traffic phone ahead to explain that you will be late 

Research the company

The more research that you do, the better prepared you will be for your interview. Find out about the company on the Web or ask them to send you some background information by post. You'll look genuinely interested in the job, and you'll arm yourself with good material for the upcoming interview.

Think about the questions that you are likely to be asked

An interviewer may ask you various different questions, so try to prepare answers to different types of questions. Try to think of examples that support your answers. Here are some typical interview questions:

• Why do you want this job?
• Why should we employ you?
• What can you bring to the company?
• What has been your biggest failure?
• How do you handle criticism?
• What motivates you?
• What is your greatest achievement?
• What do you know about the company?
• What skills can you bring to the company?
• Are you willing or able to travel?
• What are you looking for in a new job?
• What are your career goals?
• How could you improve yourself?

Now that you have thought about the questions that you may be asked have a go at our quiz.

 Ask your own questions

Prepare some questions to ask an employer based on your research. Try to ask questions that show your interest in what the company does. Here are some examples of the questions you can ask:

• What does a typical day involve?
• What initial training do you give?
• How would you measure my performance?
• Do you encourage futher learning?

Look the part

It's better to be overdressed than under-dressed. Your prospective employer will probably not share your love of the latest street fashion, so dress smartly and don't take chances. Polish your shoes, and check there's no missing buttons anywhere. Women should have a spare pair of tights handy just in case! Overall, make sure you choose an outfit that's smart, comfortable and in good condition. Try playing our game Dress to impress and get an idea of what you should wear to an interview.

During the interview

Once you've got everything organised and prepared, you're ready to go. Once in the interview, remain:

• relaxed - if you get nervous take deep breaths as this helps you to relax
• polite and friendly - smile and say hello. Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake, make eye contact and only sit down when invited to do so
• focused – don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat a question and it’s ok to pause while you think of a sensible answer to a question that you have been asked 
• positive and confident - remember that you've already done really well to get this far and it shows that you are the right sort of person for the job and the company is seriously interested in you

Further support

Even if you don't get the job this time, you can rest assured that you'll be invited for other interviews, and you will get the job you want. For more interview tips and advice call into one of our Connexions Centres and speak to one of our trained Personal Advisers.

 

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