10 steps to job interview success

With jobs in virtually all sectors at a premium, it's imperative that if you reach interview stage you are prepared as best you can. Follow these expert tips on how to prepare for interview, what to do during the process and how to follow up afterwards.

By Nisa Chitakasem

Research the company

Confidence is critical in the selection process. Not misplaced confidence, but confidence that comes from knowing the company and role you’re going for. You will be expected to have researched and done your homework.

You can learn about the organisation by visiting its website, seeing what other people are saying about it on the Internet and reading about it in the press. If you found the job vacancy through a recruitment agency, your agent should have plenty of information about the organisation.

For companies in the private sector, check out Companies House to find out who’s running the show.
Contact current employees

Building up a rapport with the organisation’s existing employees will give you further insight into the company and you may even get some titbits about what the organisation is looking for, what its interview process is like, what to wear and how to impress each different interviewer.

Get in touch with individuals within the business by ringing up HR or reception and asking about the company, the role, the department and how the business is going or by seeking out specific employees on LinkedIn and finding out what they do and if they’re happy to have a chat with you.
Know your role

The more you know about the role you’ve applied for, the better. Interviewers will expect you to fully understand the role and to have valid, detailed reasons both for why you want the role and why you believe you have the capability to do it and would be stimulated by it.

Read the job spec thoroughly and highlight the adjectives used to describe the qualities of the ideal candidate and the verbs used to explain what the job entails.

What examples can you give from your previous experiences that prove you possess these qualities and can undertake the tasks and duties mentioned?
Anticipate tough questions

While you may be able to predict what type of questions will come up in interview, there are a few challenging questions that may catch you off balance in the actual meeting if you’re unprepared.

To avoid getting caught out, ask friends, family and colleagues what the hardest questions they’ve been asked at interview were. Consider how you’ll draw from your experience and knowledge to reply to them and then practice these answers.

Look online at career blogs, tipsheets, ebooks and recruitment agency resources for further examples of difficult and unusual questions that people have really been asked.
Prepare mind and body

On the day of the interview it’s important for you to be well rested and comfortable in both mind and body so double your efforts to look after yourself in the build-up to the meeting. The night before, eat a light dinner early on in the evening.

Go easy on the alcohol and caffeine. Remember to wash your hair if you need to. Perhaps soak in a warm bath filled with your favourite essential oils. Get an early night and read a good non-work book if you need something to help you dose off.
Dress smartly

When going in for an interview, first impressions are really important so plan what you’re going to wear in advance and make sure it’s appropriate and looks good.

Find out from the HR department or your inside contacts what people at the company normally wear. Is everyone in the building rocking a business suit or is the dress code more smart-casual? Whatever the general style is, copy it so you fit in.

Be sure to iron your clothes and polish your shoes. Before the morning of the interview, try your outfit on to make sure you actually feel comfortable in it.
Enter in style

Aim to arrive at the venue early. It’s better to be early than to roll into the building flustered and out of breath because you were rushing out of fear that you’d be late.

Once you’ve checked in with reception, go to the restroom. This will help you to settle and prevent you from having to take a bathroom break halfway through the interview.

Once you’re in the interview room or area, be confident and friendly. Make eye contact with the interviewers, smile and shake their hands firmly.
Listen and talk

A job interview is not some scary dark art. Any interview is simply a conversation with a purpose, so participate in the interview just as you would in any other conversation with a purpose.

Remember it’s a two way process and that it’s important for you to both listen and talk. Listen carefully to the interviewers’ questions. Don’t give rambling monologues as answers but don’t be monosyllabic either. Interviewers will, sometimes, through being ill prepared, ask you closed (yes/no) questions.

If you sense they are asking for more – clarify their question and give them more.
Ask questions

You know you’ll be asked at the end of the interview if you have any questions so prepare some pertinent ones in advance. You don’t want to end up thinking on your feet and blurting out the first, inappropriate thing that comes into your head.

Good questions to ask include: What opportunities are there for career development? What direction is the organisation moving in? Please can you tell me about how the team/department operates?

If you need further inspiration, go to the FAQs on the company’s website and think of questions to ask on the back of the questions and answers you find there.
Follow up

The interview may be over, but the selection process is not - not until the employer has chosen a candidate to offer the job to. Keep the dialogues going with the organisation so the interviewers remember you and realise you’re serious about getting - and excelling in - this role?

Send a thank you note to the interviewers. If you don’t have their contact details, get them through the person who contacted you to invite you to interview. If you have any new thoughts about any of the questions or topics that came up in the interview, send them to the interviewers in an email.

Nisa Chitakasem is Founder of Position Ignition, the UK's leading Career Consulting Company.
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