How to prepare for an interview?

As daunting as interviews are, there are some things you can do prior to the moment itself that will help ease those nerves, make you feel prepared and in control and ultimately impress your potential employer.

Research the company

You need to convince your interviewer that you want the job. It doesn’t matter how qualified you are, if you don’t sound passionate about working for the company or fail to understand what the company does, you’re on a back foot. Make sure you research the company thoroughly. Tell them why you so badly want to be part of their organisation, relate your answers to their ethos and talk about what has drawn you to them.

This is something you can absolutely make sure you’ve done before you arrive and knowing all you can about a company will help you feel more confident. It might also help you anticipate some of the questions they might ask you.

Trial run

Ok, so google maps says it’s a 20 minute drive, but do you know the area? Is there any where to park? Any likelihood of congestion at the time of your interview? If you’re not familiar with where you’re going, it makes sense to do a trial run. If you know exactly where you’re going, you will be calm and collected rather than a frantic mess as you race around in circles looking for a parking space.

Anticipate the questions

After you’ve researched the company and scrutinised the job description, you should be able to make some informed guesses about what you may be asked. If you’re still unsure, assume you will be asked something along the lines of ‘why do you want to work for us’ and think of some questions based on your soft skills such as team work and communication. Try and think of an example for each skill you identify.

Mock interview

Once you’ve established what questions might be asked, try a mock interview. It might seem a little false but it will get you in the practice of answering questions out load and thinking about how you come across. Get a friend to interview you or do it in front of a mirror.

Dress appropriately

This might seem obvious, but first impressions are so important and you want to make sure you look the part. Also, interviews are about showing you can fit into an organisation so bare that in mind when picking your attire. Remember, if you’re unsure, go smarter. If you look smart and professional, you will feel more confident than if you’re worried about being under dressed. Give this some thought before the day and free up your mind and time for more important prep.

And finally, remember the interview starts as soon as you walk in the door. Your interview might be half way across the building but you are being judged as soon as you walk in the door. Be polite to everyone you meet, be friendly and approachable, keen and professional.