Congratulations, you’ve landed the interview for that ideal job. The good news is that the employer can already see you as a great candidate for the role. All that’s left for you to do is show them, in your interview, why they should choose you. To help you deliver your best interview, here are a few tips to prepare and calm your interview nerves in 5 simple steps - covering example interview questions, tips on interview technique, and how to leave a good impression.
1. Do your research
Job Description/ job details
This may seem obvious but it’s a good idea to re-read the job description and familiarise yourself with the role and responsibilities. Being able to give your own detailed interpretation shows that you are keen, proactive, and have a genuine desire to be successful in the role.
Questions
Think about some possible questions you may be asked:
What experience have you had in previous roles that you can bring to this new role?
Why were you attracted to this particular position?
What are the key challenges you could face in the role?
How do you keep your professional skills and knowledge up to date?
What are your main strengths and weaknesses?
Why do you want to work for this particular business?
What are your short, medium, and long-term goals?
Why do you want to leave your current job?
How do you deal with stressful situations and working under pressure?
Are you a team player? How do you coordinate your work with others?
What kind of decisions do you find most difficult to make?
Give an example of when you have used your leadership skills at work.
Website
Scan the employer’s website and make a note of any recent initiatives or projects and any questions you may have. What vision and values do they follow? Employers love it when a new candidate has taken the time to dig a bit deeper than just the vacancy alone.
2. Be on time
Have you planned your route already (including parking)? Try to allow at least 20-30 minutes to account for traffic and not being able to find a parking space (always locate a back-up carpark).
Give yourself peace of mind by arriving with time to spare so that you can re-familiarise yourself with the job profile, thinking of how you are going to sell yourself, and maybe even getting a tea or coffee!
3. Have you got your paperwork ready?
If you’re successful, your new employer will often like to get the ball rolling as soon as possible, so having your relevant paperwork ready to scan is ideal. It’s also a sign that you’re prepared and organised, which are key characteristics that employers look for. Taking your passport, driving licence and any qualifications would be minimum expectations.
4. Interview, preparation, and delivery
Before:
Taking some time to write some of your examples down before the interview will really make a difference. Using the STAR model will also help you cover all the relevant information in a clear and concise way.
During:
Be sure to answer the question that is asked - take a couple of seconds to think about what you want to say to avoid going off on a tangent.
Try to give some real-life examples during the answers. Remember, we can sound great on paper but being able to evidence what you have done and achieved really makes a difference in an interview!
5. Preparing for competency-based questions
We recommend using the STAR interview model to provide comprehensive examples when answering questions designed to assess your professional competency:
S – Situation- What was the situation? Why were you in this position? (if it was a challenging situation, make sure you explain why it was not your fault)
T – Task– What was the goal? What would success look like? What did you want to achieve?
A – Actions– What did you do? Every detail, from carrying out an assessment of need to finding a solution. Remember, the employer is looking for how methodical and consistent you are in your practice.
R – Result- What was the outcome? Did you achieve what you expected? If not, what did you learn for next time?
Just using this model once, written out end to end, should help you grasp the model enough. So, if a question does come up that you’ve not prepared for, you’ll be able to use these 5 steps to ensure you deliver a good, rounded answer from start to finish!
If you have any questions, please give your consultant a call and they will be happy to discuss any of these points with you.
Good luck!