Interview preparation
The key to doing well in an interview is preparation. There are a lot of things you can do before your interview to make sure you perform at your best.
Research the job and the employer
Read the company website and find out what they do, who their clients are, and who's in charge.
Do a mock interview
Prepare responses to potential questions and ask someone to play the interviewer.
Typical questions include:
- Why do you want this job?
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- What do you do when something goes wrong?
Draw on personal experience
What have you done in the past that relates to the role you're interviewing for?
Practice bringing your experience into your answers.
Practice using the STAR technique
Break your answers into four parts to keep them focused:
- Situation 鈥 what happened?
- Task 鈥 what did you need to do?
- Activity 鈥 what did you actually do?
- Result 鈥 what was the outcome?
Be conscious of your body language
Interviewers will look at how you hold yourself. Don't fidget, play with your hair, or chew gum.
You should make sure that you're appropriately dressed. Get as much practice in as possible as this will help with your nerves.
Review your social media presence
Employers will undoubtedly look at your social media feeds to see what you're like. Think carefully about what you want them to see and adjust your privacy settings accordingly.