The job interview is the final step in the job application process and typically, the most important.
This is your opportunity to provide a great first impression, demonstrate your aptitude and ultimately, find success in earning a new role.
Having a successful job interview is all a matter of preparation, which is why we support our candidates and potential candidates with these resources.
In this article, we offer our 7 best job interview tips for success.
Our top 7 job interview tips for success
Preparing for a job interview is just as important as how you perform in it. Proper preparation not only improves your chances of success but helps make you feel more comfortable, which leads to confidence.
When you finally get into the room you can then focus on putting this preparation into action, along with several other fundamentals that improve your chances of success.
Here are our top 7 job interview tips:
1. Research the company
Our first important job interview tip is also the foundation of your preparation. You need to research the company you’re applying for. It’ll help you provide context for some of your more in-depth questions and give you a better idea of what the employer is looking for.
Take the time to browse the company’s website and social media channels. Read into their history and get an idea of their values. This way, you’ll have a better understanding of the role’s requirements and how your background can align with these points.
With proper research, you can also demonstrate your initiative and professionalism – a key part of providing a good first impression.
2. Read the job description
Outside of your company research, you should also re-read the job description of the role you’re applying for. Remember that the employer has already told you exactly what they’re looking for in the job description, they just want you to demonstrate it to them.
Take stock of your skills and experience, then see how these align with the various elements of the job description. Once you have these in mind, consider real-world examples of how you can demonstrate your skills and provide context.
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3. Plan for common questions
When you enter a job interview, you’ll likely experience several typical questions. These are generic questions that evaluate your work ethic, skill set and suitability. Typical questions include ‘tell me about yourself’, ‘what are your strengths’ and ‘why do you want to work here’?
Since these are broader questions, they can often throw people off, which is why properly preparing your answers is a great way to get the interview off to a good start.
Where possible, implement some information about the company or points from the job description into your answers. We’ve created a full list of the typical job interview questions you can expect to hear in an interview setting.
4. Roleplay the interview
Practical experience is important for building confidence and the only way to get this experience in an interview setting is to practice. Consider running through some questions with a friend or family member.
Run through some standard ‘generic’ questions and then get your partner to throw in some curveball questions – this gives you the opportunity to adapt on the fly which is an important skill in itself.
Repeat this several times. Building confidence is all about repetition, especially if you want to improve your body language and adaptability.
5. Dress accordingly
The simple rule when you dress for a job interview is that you can never be too dressed up. While some businesses adopt a more relaxed dress code, you’ll generally be expected to wear something more formal.
Ideally, speak with your recruiter or just have a standard, professional-wear outfit that you can fall back on.
6. Consider your interview approach
When you’re in an interview setting, your body language is just as important as your answers. Try to remain professional at all times. Consider eye contact, how you shake hands and even how you sit. You want to present yourself in the best possible way and outside of how you dress, body language is a key way of doing this.
Approach every person you meet during the process with respect, even if they’re not directly interviewing you. Make sure you take extra copies of any documents you need with you, as a laptop or tablet may fail.
Finally, think about your travel arrangements. You want to be there relatively early – consider aiming for between 10 – 15 minutes before. On the morning of the interview, look up traffic or delays you might experience on the journey.
7. Ask your own questions
Most interviewers will give you the opportunity to ask your own questions during the interview process. While you might feel like you don’t need to, always take the time to ask questions at this stage. This shows that you’re engaged and interested.
You may ask for more information about the role, the business itself or the team you’ll be working with if you’re successful.
If you want to know more about what questions you should ask in a job interview, you can see both positive and negative examples here.