5 good interview tips

In this article I’d like to give you 5 useful interview tips some of which you may not have thought of to help you secure the job of your dreams. I feel I am well qualified to give this advice as I have during the course of my working life attended in the region of 40-50 interviews, and have often learnt through bitter experience. Here goes.

Preparation. This is a very important aspect but is nevertheless often overlooked by people. To my mind if you go to an interview ill-prepared then you might as well not bother turning up. It goes without saying that you should plan the journey to the interview very closely and leave sufficient time to arrive there and be able to relax (at least half an hour.) Research your prospective employer thoroughly using the internet, local newspapers etc and also go through your CV with a fine toothcomb and be prepared to talk about ANY aspect of it. I have often found that it is the most obscure and unexpected part of your CV that they will question you about. Also make sure you are immaculately dressed, normally in your best suit as any deficiencies in this aspect will be picked up immediately.

The right mind-set. It might seem strange to mention this but many people go into an interview with the attitude that they don’t really want the job. Again, this will be immediately picked up by your interviewers. At the same time don’t let it seem that you are too desperate for the job as this may put them off as well.

The interview itself. During the course of the interview come across as enthusiastic and interested. If you are being interviewed by more than one person ensure you make eye contact with all your interviewers at various times during the interview. One good tip I’ve picked up is to vary the time you take to answer questions. With most questions I count to three before replying to give me a chance to think and ensure I don’t say the first thing that comes into my head. However, sometimes when you are asked a question it is good to give a very quick response as this shows that you can think very quickly.

Your questions. At the end of the interview your interviewers will almost invariably ask if you have any questions yourself. Always have at least two good questions that you can ask them. It can of course be about something that has arisen during the interview itself but you should have questions prepared yourself – I often ask about some aspect of the job that ties in with my previous work experience.

Finally. At the end of the interview make sure you thank your interviewers for their time and shake them by the hand.

I hope you found this useful. Good luck!