As a big part of the recruitment process, preparing candidates for an interview is often bespoke. However, there is some universal guidance for best practice. As specialists in the recruitment industry, we’d like to share a few tips that will enable you to fly through your interviews.

1. DON’T BLOW THE INTERVIEW BEFORE IT HAPPENS

At any decent company, your employment will be based on your skills, experience, and how you demonstrate that you can fit in with the company. That said, the moment you walk through the door you make your first impression. The impressions you make on everybody will affect your chances of securing the position.

Be nice, look smart and be confident.

2. DON’T ROCK UP UNPREPARED!

It is immediately evident which candidates have prepared for an interview. Knowing who is interviewing you, knowledge about the company, and a good understanding of the role are all key. Research your interviewer on LinkedIn, check out the company website, and look at their “mission statement”. This way you can demonstrate that you understand the requirements and can provide your thoughts on the company vision. This will make all the difference to an interviewer.

3. TRY TO DECIDE THE DIRECTION

Confidence is key and while leadership is a great attribute, trying to lead the interview can put decision makers on the back-foot. You can come across as difficult to manage or as somewhat of a renegade. Show respect for your interviewer.

4. BE ARROGANT

I’m struggling to think of when arrogance is a strength?! There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. The idea of an interview is to sell yourself, granted, but there’s a fine line between showing you’re the best choice and being aggressively unattractive. You will be able to cope with the job pressures and you can demonstrate this through examples without sneering that you are the smartest, most experienced human they have ever met and in your opinion, a chimp could do the job.

5. DEFLECT QUESTIONS

If you’re asked to demonstrate a time when you have prioritised workload and you answer with the fact that you are a trained first aid individual and you were responsible for the stationary inventory, it demonstrates a lack of understanding. If you struggle to answer a question with an example, say something like, “although I don’t have a specific example, I would…etc.”

5.5 SKYPE

Oh, the stories we have! In today’s world, it is not unusual to have your interview conducted over Skype or a similar platform. Some candidates struggle with understanding that ALL the same rules apply to a Skype interview as they do to an interview in person.

Here are some added rules:

Don’t wear a suit on top with just your underpants (yes this happens more than you’d think)
Check what’s in the background!
Make sure you have a good connection, nobody wants a techno version of your answers.
Make sure that you have peace and quiet and an argument with your mum doesn’t erupt halfway through.

For further interview advice, check out our other blog; ‘5.5 Tips To Ace Your Job Interview’

If you are looking for a change of career and want some expert advice, call our team for a dedicated, personal service.

If you are interested in joining our outstanding team of recruitment consultants, dedicated to providing a first-class experience for candidates and clients, please call on +44 (0) 2381 590059 or get in touch here.

Author: Lorna O’Brien, Director of Marketing

5.5 THINGS NOT TO DO AT AN INTERVIEW