Interview Tips and Techniques

I’ve never met anyone who has an unrelenting love for job interviews. An hour or so of judgement, sweaty palms, the constant agonising aftermath of wondering if you said everything you should have. It can be overwhelming, but if we have prepared ourselves properly it can be turned from something nail bitingly dreadful into an incredible opportunity.

So here we go, back to basics with these four simple interview tips to keep you well equipped for that all important job interview.

Research

We have this drummed into us over and over again: do your research. ‘What do you know about the work we do here?’ is a common question asked at the beginning of an interview. You need to know about the company you are applying for. Not only does it show the employer that you have an interest, it also demonstrates that you know what you are talking about and have made an effort to prepare in advance. Find out what their company values are, their audience, their overall objectives and any relevant statistics. Being able to confidently talk about the company when prompted to is a great way of boosting your confidence and ease for the remainder of the interview.

Know Your CV

You may have inserted it into an email a hundred times and be sick of the sight of it, but it is really important to know your CV. In a lot of cases it will be what got you the interview in the first place. The employer will most likely ask you about your experience and highlight certain aspects of your CV wanting you to expand some more. Some employers may even ask you to talk about your CV, so it’s important that you know it inside and out to ensure no awkward surprises.

Body Language and Tone

It can speak for itself. Be aware of the messages you’re sending when you’re not even talking. Making eye contact and actively listening lets the employer know that they have your full attention. Walking in to an interview and slouching down on a chair or sofa like you do when you’re watching Netflix is probably not the best idea to impress an employer, no matter how comfortable you feel.

Practise Makes Perfect

I’m not embarrassed to say that I’ve spent an incredible amount of time role playing for interviews in the past. Practising your introduction or answers to some questions you think they may ask will leave you feeling a lot more confident on the day of your interview. Get a friend to ask you a list of questions and practise your answers, then ask them to ask the same questions in a different order, or throw in some new questions to keep you on your toes. Think of some good examples to use and then the more you feel confident in your answers and the more you know them the better you will sell yourself to an employer.