CV templates
Top10 job interview tips
1. Understand what an employer is looking for
Employers want to know three key things: can you do the job, do you want the job, and will you fit into their organisation? Most candidates focus only on the first of these: make sure you have compelling answers as to why you want to work for this particular company as opposed to one of their competitors, and why you believe you will be a good match for their company culture.
2. Be able to talk about yourself in an interesting way
The question “Tell me about yourself” isn’t an invitation to summarize your CV – the interviewer already has that information. This is your chance to give the employer a sense of who you are as a person and what you can bring from a business perspective – what motivates you, how you work best, and why they should employ you.
3. Get the logistics right
Yes, it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t know where they’re going or who to ask for when they get there. Give yourself plenty of time to get there – much better to be 15 minutes early than arrive late, sweaty and stressed.
4. First impressions count
If the first impression you make isn’t a good one, you’ll have to work extra hard in the interview to make up for a bad first impression. Dress appropriately, be friendly, and remember that you are on display from the moment you enter the building.
5. Think about how you would do the job
A good preparation technique is to put together a mini “business plan” for the role. What do you think your priorities would be in the first week, month, three months, and how would you make sure you hit the ground running? If you can’t answer these questions, you haven’t done enough preparation!
6. There’s no such thing as too much preparation
As well as researching the specific company or organisation that’s interviewing you, make sure you understand the industry sector they work in, who their competitors are, and what the biggest challenges facing them are likely to be. All this information is readily available on the internet, so there’s no excuse for not being well-informed.
7. Be ready with an interesting question
At the end of the interview, you’ll probably be asked if you have any questions. This is not the time to ask about holiday entitlement! Prepare a couple of questions that show that you have researched the company and have a good understanding of its key issues.
8. Make it clear that you want the job
Make the effort to emphasize at the end of the interview that you are keen on the position – assuming that you are, of course.
9. Leave salary negotiations until after you’ve been offered the job
At the end of the interview, you’ll probably be asked if you have any questions. This is not the time to ask about holiday entitlement! Prepare a couple of questions that show that you have researched the company and have a good understanding of its key issues.
10. Ask for feedback
If you don’t succeed in landing the job, don’t be shy to ask for feedback on your performance. It could make all the difference between success and failure next time around.
How to make yourself marketable
Be mindful of who your audience is and whether what you have to share is relevant to them. Be strategic in what you share, with whom you share it, and how you communicate your experience.
You won’t get noticed, let alone hired, if you don’t talk about your achievements, no matter how uncomfortable that is for you. Therefore, talk about specific projects you’ve worked on and the value you’ve delivered to an organisation.
Confidence is so important, whether you’re in interviews or business meetings. When you transition into a new role or company, you need to show your superiors you have confidence in yourself and know you’ll be successful in the job.
Third-party recommendations can help you get a job. If you don’t have them already, ask your previous colleagues or bosses to write a recommendation for you.
There will always be some people who won’t like you or what you do. The more successful you become, the more criticism you’re likely to attract. This criticism is rarely about you — the other person might simply feel fearful or insecure about themselves.