You’ve sent your CV, found a perfect recruiter, and now you’ve been invited by a firm to come in for an interview. Congrats!
A good recruiter will give you plenty of useful insight and support before your interview date arrives, but there are also a few things you can do yourself to help ensure you put your best foot forward. Here’s Austin Rose’s top advice on what you need to do next:
1) Start Studying!
Company and industry research is vital knowledge to have before entering your interview, and finding information on your potential employer online is relatively simple. Once you’ve done some studying, plan a few questions that display your new knowledge.
2) Prepare For Interview Questions
Based on the job spec and your recruiter’s advice, have a think about questions you’re likely to be asked and how best to respond in a way that demonstrates your relevant skill set. You may want to think about having a look at some compentency based questions beforehand too.
3) Learn Your History
Although reminding yourself of your own work history may seem silly, you could be surprised at how much you have forgotten about previous roles! This can be especially important if you simply added your most recent role to an older CV.
4) Be Informed!
Make sure you have the name and job title of all interviewers, information about the structure of the interview and a full job specification. You can make this easier by checking the company website or even their LinkedIn page. In addition, ask your recruiter for a copy of the CV that they sent to the client, as well as any accompanying information they may have provided to them (e.g your salary expectations or notice period)
5) Be Travel Smart
Whenever possible, arrange multiple options for how you can travel to the interview – especially if you know you’ll be relying on public transport. Always plan with an extra bit of time, just in case of delays and try to arrive 15-30 mins early. It’ll give you time to relax a little beforehand, but don’t enter the building any earlier than 10 mins before!
6) Dress for Success
If you're unsure if the item you are planning to wear is inappropriate – don’t wear it. Stick to something simple and wear your smartest suit (and tie for men). Ensure that you are well presented and the interviewer will be able to focus on your skill set & personality, not your shirt!
7) Take A Deep Breath!
Take a moment to calm yourself, and don’t forget that the interviewer is just as hopeful as you are! This is a two way process and you are not only there to answers questions, but also to determine whether the role and company suit you. Whilst you want to find your next great role, your interviewer wants to find their next great employee!
Good luck!
