Interview Tips – Quick Reference Guide
Here are some basic interview tips.
– Prepare
– Dress well
– Mobile phones off
– Firm handshake
– If you use glasses, wear them in the interview
– Think before you answer
Interview Tips Introduction
So we have helped to secure you an interview.
Now it‘s up to you to convince the employer that you are the best person for the job. It‘s time to sell your skills, your experience and most importantly sell yourself!
Although your technical abilities are most important, interviewers don‘t only consider your qualifications and on job experience. Employers also use interviews to assess your:
– Communication skill? Your ability to articulate your views
– Ability to perform under pressure
– Ability to think on your feet
– Personality
Therefore the way you answer the questions is as important as the content of the answer.
Interview Tips – Preparation
Even if you are a successful contracting professional, and have attended countless interviews it pays not to be too complacent.
Always spend some time preparing for the interview – the extent of the preparation is up to you, but make sure that you are ready.
Some helpful preparation tips:
Interview Tips – Where to go?
Do you know exactly where you need to go? Address? Floor? Contact name?
If you do not have all the information make sure that you ask.
Interview Tips – Find your way
Do you know how to get to the interview?
If you are not sure take the trip the day before if you can. Make sure you know how you are going to get there and how long it will take you. There is nothing worse than panicking the morning of the interview because you‘re not sure how to find the office or you thought there was a bus at 9.00am and in fact it left at 8.50am – do your research and make sure that you can get there in good time. If driving, make sure that you know where you can park.
This will also help to calm nerves as you will have 1 less thing to worry about on the day of the interview.
Interview Tips – Who are they?
Find out some background information about the organisation. Make sure that you know something about their products, services, systems/applications, technical environment. What you don‘t know – ask in the interview.
Interview Tips – Questions please?
‘No, I think we‘ve covered everything’ is not something that an interviewer want to hear when they ask if you have any questions. Make sure that you have some questions prepared, and make sure that they are relevant – it always helps if you are actually interested in the answer. Try not to ask the same old questions. Think about things that you really want to know about your potential employer
Refresh Yoru Resume
Make sure that you re-read the job description, your application and your resume before the interview as you will be questioned on these.
Practice the Interview with Friends
If you are not confident or do not have much experience of interview try to practice with a friend or family member. Make sure that you treat this as a practice and not a rehearsal – don‘t try to memorise answers, instead use this exercise to get you thinking.
Clothes to Wearing for Interview
Make sure that you know what you are going to wear. If possible a day or 2 before the interview make sure that everything is clean, pressed and shoes polished. At that stage you still have time to do something about it.
Interview Day
Depending on the time of the interview will depend on your exact routine, but here are some basic point to remember:
Have Breakfast on Day of Interview
As they say – breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Feeling hungry during an interview is not a good feeling. Having a healthy breakfast will help your concentration and will eliminate any embarrassing grumbling noises from an empty stomach.
Dress to impress
No matter what the job, always dress to impress. Wear you best suit for the occasion – make sure that your clothes are clean and pressed. Neutral, clean colours are best. It is said that coloured shirts on men show confidence, but be mindful that heat and stress cause perspiration and if invited to remove your jacket, a coloured shirt may disclose your anxiety more than a white shirt. A white shirt is by far the safest option.
There are mixed opinions about jackets – on or off. I personally would keep the jacket on, unless specifically invited to remove and hang it up. Correct use of jacket buttons on sitting and rising is a nice touch that is noticed.
Be kind on the nose
Try not to eat right before the interview. If you find that you do not have a choice make sure you do not eat or drink anything right before the interview that may linger on your breath – i.e. onion, coffee etc. Also do not smoke before going into the interview. Before going into the interview have a mint to freshen the breath. Chewing gum is an alternative, but make sure that you find a bin outside the building and discard the gum before you go in. Interviews are a No Gum Zone!
Be early for the Interview
It‘s better to be early than late. Aim to get to the interview at least 10 minutes early. If transport dictates that you either get there 30 minutes early or 2 minutes early, always take the 30 minute option. Obviously you do not want to arrive 30 minutes early, so take a walk around, clear you head, relax, read through your resume again, re-read the job description.
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