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A lot can go into a successful interview, and your attitude both during and before the interview is important. In order to succeed in your interview you will need to ensure that you have thoroughly prepared.
Proper preparation can instill confidence in your skills and experience as well as your knowledge regarding the job role and company you are interviewing for. As a result, this article will explore various ways in which you can succeed in your job interview.
During your research, you should look into the company’s website, as this will give you insight into the company’s mission statement and values, allowing you to see if they align with your own. Reading industry news can also give you information about the company’s current projects and potential financial stability.
LinkedIn is also a great way to identify potential career progression opportunities and employee sentiment by seeing how long they have worked for the company and how their job role or title may have progressed.
Interviewers usually ask a variety of questions, based on behaviours and competencies.
Behavioural questions tend to be based around how you handled certain situations in previous roles. This allows employers to see how you would approach potential challenges and whether you would see them as opportunities rather than disadvantages.
Competency based questions are used to find out how you’ve used specific skills in certain situations. This will give employers an idea of how you approach problems, tasks and challenges.
Examples of behavioural questions include:
To prepare for these types of questions, you could write a list of your strengths and weaknesses and how they’ve previously been applied to situations.
You can also prepare answers to commonly asked interview questions, such as:
When you prepare for various interview questions ahead of time, it can give you greater confidence and reduce the chances of the interviewer catching you off guard with difficult questions.
It’s fairly common for companies to hold interviews that have multiple stages. These stages tend to come in different formats, such as:
Off-site interviews may include meeting an employer for a coffee, lunch or dinner in a neutral location away from the company. You should always aim to turn up at the interview before the interviewer. You could also look at the menu before you arrive, as well as researching the venue to see if there’s a dress code, whether there is parking and any other bits of information that can help you feel as comfortable as possible during the interview.
If you’re undertaking a video or phone interview, you should focus on your environment. You want to be in a quiet room, where you’ll be free from interruptions and distractions. You also want to make sure you have appropriate lighting so that the employer can see you properly.
Wifi and service is also extremely important when it comes to video and phone interviews, as you want to make sure your wifi is strong enough to hold a good connection. If you find you're having problems with your wifi on the day you could switch to using your mobile phone data/4G to help boost your signal and keep the interviewer informed if you do run into any struggles with this
Group interviews tend to involve multiple candidates answering interview questions or completing tasks together, so that interviewers can see how strong your listening, communication, and team working skills are.
Group interview tasks could include:
At the end of most interviews, interviewers will ask if you have any questions. It’s crucial that you ask employers questions back, as this shows that you have taken the time to prepare before your interview.
Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to understand more about the company you’re applying to. You can ask questions like:
For further guidance on unique questions you can ask interviewers, read our article.
It’s extremely important to act professionally to ensure you make a great impression in your interview. You should also ensure that you dress appropriately based on the type of interview you are attending and where it’s taking place. Things you can wear to an interview include:
During an interview, you shouldn’t:
Usually, employers will ask you to bring certain documents into your interview, like your national insurance number and passport. You can also consider taking in the following items, even if they don’t ask for them:
Being yourself in an interview is a great way to put your best foot forward, as it helps the employer see the real you. This will also help you remain positive and confident throughout the interview, knowing that you were true to yourself and did everything you could to succeed in your interview.
It can be beneficial to follow up with your interviewer after an interview, as it shows that you're keen about the role, and it gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have forgotten to ask during your interview. For guidance on how to address people in an email, read our article.
Succeeding in an online interview is very similar to in-person interviews - it’s all about preparation. Examples of what to do when interviewing online include:
There are a number of signs of a successful interview, such as:
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