Interview tips from Chambers People
Whether it's your first interview or one of many it can be a daunting process that will shape the path of your future so it's important to do all that you can to give yourself the best shot.
Here are our top 5 interview tips for doing just that.
Pre-empt, Practise, Prepare
Pre-empt some of the potential questions that you will be asked. Practise your answers out loud to a friend or family member. Prepare some questions of your own about the role, the business and the culture.
1.
You have 30 seconds to make a first impression. Smile, firm handshake, making relevant small talk in the waiting room. It ALL counts.
2.
Dress to impress
No matter what your personal styling is like , you don’t want to look out of place. You may feel uncomfortable if you are dressed very differently to those that work within the company and it may even seem that you don’t understand the company’s culture.
Research into to what is appropriate by looking at the company website for any shots of employees at work and see what employees are wearing in their LinkedIn profile photos.The devil’s in the details, so polish your shoes, make sure your nails are neat, iron your clothes and keep perfume and makeup to a minimum.
3.
Do your Research
Interviewers will expect you to have a grasp of what the company does, who the customers are and what the competition is. Spend some time researching the the background and history of the business along with any recent changes to the setup.
4.
Control your nerves.
Everyone gets nervous in an interview situation but remember you have been invited there for a reason. They like your skill set and what you could do for them so try to slow down your speech, breathe and take your time to pause for thought before an answer.