Interview Techniques

Preparing for an interview and being interviewed can be daunting tasks. It’s essential to do your research and give the interview and position you are applying for some serious thought before you walk into the interview room.

Here are some useful hints and tips to help you on your way:

Prepare your own thoughts

Think about why you are applying for the position you are being interviewed for. Consider what led you to make the decision to apply and what you hope to gain from the new job should you be offered it. Be confident that you can talk through the reasons why you have left or want to leave the job you are currently in. If there are any gaps in your C.V., be sure you are able to explain these also.

Research

Carry out some general research into the organisation you have applied to. You should definitely read the company’s website if they have one and you should try to find out about the following:

The size of the organisation – turnover, number of employees;
History – how long it’s been operating, how it started;
General information about the organisation’s products and services; and
Who the company’s major competitors are.

Dress accordingly

It’s important to dress according to the culture of the company with which you are being interviewed. However, if in any doubt at all, choose dressing up instead of dressing down. Keep your clothing neutral and un-offensive so avoid the latest trends or fashions or unnecessary accessories.

Typical interview questions

It’s a good idea to think about what you would say in answer to likely questions you might be asked. Some ideas to get you started are listed below:

Why have you applied for this job?
How long have you been looking for a new job?
What are your short, medium and long term career goals?
How did/do you get on with your last/current manager and colleagues?
How did you make a difference to the last company you worked for?
What has been your greatest success and how did you achieve it?
Can you give an example of when you took initiative to solve a problem?
How many hours a week are you prepared to work?
Why do you want to work for our company?

Remember, there’s no need to over prepare or rehearse your answers as they may start to sound unnatural if you do.

Prepare your own questions

It can be useful to prepare some of your own questions to ask the person or people you are being interviewed by. This will help open up a two-way exchange which makes for a more relaxed interview and also gives you the opportunity to ‘interview’ your potential employer at the same time they are interviewing you. The list below provides some ideas for questions you could ask during your interview. However, if you think of other questions during the meeting, then it’s a good idea to ask them when you think of them unless the interviewer has specifically asked you to leave questions to the end.

Some areas in which you might like to consider asking questions are:

More about the company e.g. if there was something in your research that you weren’t able to find out;
Further information about the responsibilities of the role;
The organisation's short, medium and long terms goals for their business, product and services;
What training is available if you were to take up the position; and
What the company would like to see you achieve in the first 3, 6 or 12 months you are in the position.