Planning For An Interview

Our Top Tips to Present Your Best Self

So you’ve gotten through the initial stages and been invited to interview for a role? The next step then is making sure that you’re ready to present your best self. 

Talk to Your Recruiter

Remember your recruiter has a relationship with the client, so should hopefully know lots of operational details not on the job specification e.g. team size and profiles, ins and outs of the recruitment process and how to specifically prepare for it. They can also provide feedback on other people in the process and why they’ve not placed someone yet. They are your go to in terms of knowing the most about the culture of the business and the positives you can bring to the interview.

Interrogate the Job Specification

What are they actually looking for? So far you’ve assessed the company as an interest. Now it’s time to go into detail with the role and requirements! Prepare specific examples against the technical experience required. You can use the same STAR technique you may use for competency or behavioural based questioning. 

Think of it as a funnel – Situation > Task > Action > Result. 

Start wide by setting the scene - what was the task you were given and what did you do to complete the task. Remember to be specific about what you actually did. It’s you the interviewers are interested in, not your current team. What was the outcome – think about what you have achieved, learned and what would you do differently next time.

The same needs to be applied to the competencies/behaviours required for the role – do some on-line research. Look at the Company’s Website and beyond. Is there any definition to their values and why they are important?

Why Do You Want to Join the Company?

This needs to be genuine, not just going through a routine – this can be the brand, what they do/make, what they stand for, how they treat their customers, suppliers and employees, or a combination of all these things. 

A standard question will be ‘why do you want to join us?’ – ask yourself why do you? A genuine answer will mean you shine through as an employee that is keen, excited and passionate about the business. This is likely to add more value, and in turn be more well regarded, so it’s a win win for all involved.

Assess Their Performance

Review the companies accounts, whatever is available. Read Press Releases, Social Media Comments and Current/Previous Employee comments. What can you learn from this?

Remember the interview is a two way process. It’s important you prepare and give the best account of yourself you can; but they need to be right for you as well. What do you want to know about them before you start – think back to the ‘why do you want to join us?’ question. Flip it on it’s head and ask pertinent questions around this.

Be Positive

It’s easy to say as a recruiter not to be nervous or worry when going into an interview. Manage this as best you can though. If you have taken good time to prepare comprehensively and effectively, then you are likely to perform technically as well as you can; so it only remains to let your personality come through in the meeting. 

Technical experience is obviously critical to the role, but most of the applicants selected for interview should, to some varying extent, have the experience required to do the role. The differentiating point is therefore your personality – your interpersonal skills can be assessed through personality testing and behavioural questioning – but first impressions do count. 

Dress appropriately, take pride in your appearance, offer a firm handshake, have strong eye contact, smile, obviously demonstrate your interest and excitement about the role, the company and the interviewers you are meeting. Retain your energy levels through the meeting. If you feel yourself flagging then gee yourself up. Finish strongly.

If you are keen then feedback positively and a timely manner to your recruiter. Your recruiter will also feel your excitement and passion, that will rub off on them and they will relay this accurately to their client.

Choose the right recruiter – we’d love to chat in more detail about how we can help you. Please give us a call to introduce yourself and see how we can help.