Tips for your interview

Job Search Login / Register Upload your CV Job Alerts Boost Your Chances For Recruiters

14 Tips on how to win in your interview

1. Preparing for your interview

2. Research the company

3. Your personal appearance helps a lot!

4. With time to spare

5. The handshake says a lot

6. Speak with your eyes and your body language

7. Remember – no pub talk

8. Have the right mindset

9 Steer clear of negative statements

10. Be honest

11. Remember your listening skills

12. Its time for you to ask the questions

13. The final curtain

14. Follow-up – The do’s

Congratulations! Having reviewed your CV, the company that you are interested in joining has just invited you to visit them for an interview. Your prospective employer will have already read through and assessed your CV- thus giving you the satisfaction that they are interested or liked what you look like on paper. As you feel a sense of euphoria and excitement getting passed this first obstacle, you may also feel a tightening in your stomach. The thought of attending an interview creates a very uneasy feeling for many people. Although some nervous tension is beneficial in order to keep you sharp and on your toes during the interview, too much of it is detrimental to your success.

The interview is a part of the selection process by which a recruiter gets to know you better, is able to analyse your work potential, test your professional or technical skills, measure your analytical and problem-solving abilities as well as assess whether your personality would mesh well with the corporate culture of the organisation. All this is done in a very short time period, usually less than 30 minutes. This interview process is vitally important as it the means by which you make a positive impact on your prospective employer. The end goal is for the recruiter to have a strong favourable impression of you. Although an interview by its very essence is subjectively orientated, there are still techniques and ways to improve the way you present yourself during the short period of an interview. Your main game-plan is to come across as a genuine, hard-working, sincere, articulate, skilful team player, promoting yourself as someone who would be a value-adding asset to the company as well as integrating well in the company’s culture.

Approx 80% of the interview is based on you - your appearance, body language, eye contact, facial expression, confidence and attitude. The remaining 20% is based on

§how well you can present your past experience and accomplishments
understanding the job description and having a good knowledge of what is involved in the role
your knowledge of your prospective employer; the company’s structure, its mission, goals and achievements,
how well you can fit into a team, knowing how to motivate a team, and the people you relate to
you explanations as to how you will do the job
your vision of what you can accomplish in this position and how you can contribute to the company.

Here are some tips and suggestions as to how best prepare, act and make a favourable impression during the interview.

1. Preparing for your interview

§Show that you’ve done your research

Visualise the interview, from beginning to end. See yourself as performing with poise and confidence. What questions are likely to be asked? What will the interviewer really want to find out? How much do your really want the job? The preparation and research you do ahead of the interview will give you an idea of what to expect. Be ready for any eventuality.

§Know the company

Now is the time to really go to town and find out a lot about your perspective employer – products, markets, size, culture, mission, and so on. Prior to your interview, you should learn as much as possible about the company. This lets the interviewer see that you are enthusiastic and serious about the position without merely and passively indicating that you would like it.

Your knowledge of the company will contribute to the positive image you must create. So research the company before the interview. If you can, talk to others who work there; ask for information about the firm; use the Internet and your local library’s reference books on private and public organisations in the area.

§Know the job

Learn everything you can about the role you‘ve applied for and how your previous studies, training and experience qualify you for this position. Examine the job description in great detail and study and delve into the work involved. Rehearse any likely question.

Know yourself

Review your CV before the interview to have it fresh in your mind, because your interviewer will probably want to take you through it, section by section. Take several copies of your CV with you to the interview, in case you are asked for one. Also have one open in front of you in the interview for reference purposes.

§Offer new information

You likely wrote about your experiences and accomplishments in your CV, now, in the interview, you’ll find more scope to talk about your ideas, the ways you can contribute and your career ambitions. Keep your discussions brief and to the point but you will want your interviewer to learn more about you, just as you want to learn more about your prospective employer and the role you are applying for.

§Give examples of what you have accomplished.

This can be especially effective if you've done a lot of preparation and research. For example, in your CV you wrote mainly about your results as a job-holder in your present role; now try to bring out facts about additional experience and accomplishments gained in your previous positions.

2. Research the company

The point we raised above about the importance of researching your prospective employer cannot be over stressed. Making enquiries and investigating your prospective employer is something you probably got involved in during your job search, it is now crucial for your interview preparation.

Having a general overview and feeling about the company will give you confidence during your initial interview, and will enable you to ask pertinent and sensible questions, referring to your research. Asking questions in an interview which you could have found out for yourself, implies you have not taken time and effort to prepare for the interview. Your interviewer will take this as a sign that you are not enthusiastic or serious about the company, the position and your future career.

Conducting effective research can give you a decided edge over the other candidates when attending an interview. The more information you have about your prospective employer, the better prepared you will be to present and demonstrate this knowledge during your interview.

You must be able to respond to the following key questions before meeting your interviewer:

What business (industry, markets) is the company in?
What products and services does it market?
Who are its main competitors?
What current industry events or issues concern the company?
What are the company's mission, values and goals?

Make sure you know the name of your interviewer and its pronunciation. You do not want to embarrass yourself by mispronouncing it during the interview. If necessary, contact the company a few days ahead and get someone to spell the person’s name and ask for the correct pronunciation.

3. Your personal appearance helps a lot!

The success or otherwise of your interview will depend largely on the impact you make during the first few minutes.

To succeed, you must project a professional, responsible, competent and enthusiastic image. Your goal is to convince the interviewer that you would add value to the company. Keep the following in mind:

Your clothing should be appropriate for the job position you're seeking. Your attire must fit well within the office culture and be clean. If you don't know what the dress code of the company is, call and ask! Shoes should be polished; pants/skirts and shirts pressed.
You will never be penalised for overdressing but you can be underdressed. Just be well groomed. A proper and neat appearance for an interview is essential.
For the men, it would be surprising for a recruiter to be unhappy with the fact that you are wearing a suit, shirt and tie. However, it is possible, if not highly probable that the interviewer may feel disappointed if you turned up wearing jeans.
For the ladies, dress conservatively and avoid the excessive make-up, mini-skirts and glitter. You don’t want to ruin your chances for getting a good position just because of your appearance.

If you want to leave a lasting memory with the interviewer, it can help if you are not only well presented, but also clean and tidy of appearance. After all, if you get the job you will be a representative of the interviewer’s company and he or she will want someone who can give a positive impression on their behalf.

4. With time to spare

Do whatever it takes to arrive for your interview with lots of time to spare, rather than hurrying and turning up flushed, in disarray and confused. It is crucially important for you to be as relaxed and stress-free as possible just before your interview so that you can give of your best and present a strong, positive, accurate and balanced view of yourself to the interviewer. If required, drive to the place of your interview the day before and time yourself. Allow extra time for traffic grid-locks, parking and erratic elevators so that you have a few minutes to calm down, chill out and collect yourself and then go into your interview in exactly the right frame of mind. Even if you arrive on location half an hour early, have a quick coffee, walk around and unwind. You would want to enter the interview area (office/reception) approximately 10 minutes before the interview is timed to start. It is vitally important that you are very punctual for your interview. You cannot make an excuse if you are late and it will be a very poor start, possibly a fatal one!

5. The handshake says a lot

As weird as this may sound - have a firm handshake. Often the first handshake leaves a lasting impression. A firm and assertive handshake, along with a smile and good eye contact makes for an ideal introduction to your prospective employer. A soft floppy handshake is not liked. This is not to say that you should greet everyone present with an grip of steel and try to break their hand with brute force, but a good strong handshake conveys a lot about a person. A happy medium between a limp slack hand and a ‘nut-cracker fist’ is the ideal.

6.6. Speak with your eyes and your body language

Eye contact during the interview is essential. People with shifty eyes who look everywhere but at the person they’re talking to usually make the other person tense and uncomfortable. Proper eye contact is just a sign of respect that you are attentive to what the other person is saying, listening to what is being discussed and are interested in the conversation. In a subtle and courteous way make your interviewer aware that you consider him or her to be extremely important. Present a strong favourable interest in the position you have applied for and the company. Smile most of the time, laugh quietly at humour, and make frequent eye contact. Listen attentively and take notes.

Send the right message by moving confidently, standing upright, and leaning slightly forward in your chair. Make sure if you are interviewed by a panel of people to contact all of them with your eyes. Even if only one individual is asking the questions, they are all there to assess you. You want to give the impression that you consider that each person is an important part of the interview process.

When you enter the interviewer’s office wait until he or she invites you to have a seat before sitting and relaxing. This is the polite thing to do.

7.7. Remember – no pub talk

Even if your interviewer meets you with “Hiya mate” he or she is not your mate, and under no circumstance should be spoken to in an overly intimate and informal way. This means: do not discuss any contentious, controversial and political topics; remain polite and formal, on the topic chosen by the interviewer and deliver clear and professional answers at all times. Think before you speak and never swear, criticise or overly flatter your interviewer. You never know -you might offend.

8. Have the right mindset

Work out in advance what the likely agenda will be and know where the interview should be heading. This will give you confidence and help you anticipate one area of questioning to the next. The usual route of an interview is … you … your present and past employers … this company … the position you’ve applied for. Have a look at our 135 Possible Interview Questions and Answers, and the way we group the questions will give you an idea of the main areas an interview normally covers. Remember: most interviewers are as uneasy as you are. They just want the position to be filled with the right person as fast as possible. If you can put the interviewer at ease by helping the interview move along smoothly, you'll improve your chances of being selected for the position.

Bring a notebook and pen to the interview, you’ll probably want to take notes. Look efficient and already have the necessary paper and pen at hand, rather than having to ask for them. Have your notebook in one hand and your pen in your pocket or at easy access in your handbag. Place your notebook on a table in front of you, or if that is not possible in your lap. You do not want to have to take your purse or briefcase apart in front of the interviewer frantically searching for notebook and pen. Also, carry a few copies of your CV to the interview just in case you get asked for one.

If you have an awful interview, don't let it shake your morale and motivation. Everyone suffers a bad interview at one time or another. Learn from your experience, work on your interview skills, and keep looking for other career openings. Each interview is a new learning experience from which you strengthen your interviewing presence and presentation.

You must always remember, that when you are invited for interview the prospective employer thinks enough of your CV and cover letter to take time to talk to you; your foot is in the door and you have passed the first major hurdle. If the recruiter didn't think that you were qualified for the position, he or she wouldn't waste time on an interview with you.

If you think about your position, when you go into an interview, everything's in your favour. The recruiter's interested. You've got experience and skills to offer, and if you've prepared for your interview, you should be able to present them in a very effective way - which is the purpose of your interview in the first place.

9. Steer clear of negative statements

Never make negative statements about previous jobs or employers. Never! Instead, be diplomatic. No matter how bad your last boss or job experience, there's probably something beneficial you got from the from the experience. Emphasize the positive - with a smile.

10. Be honest

The essential thing to remember when answering questions is to be honest. It might seem a good idea at the time to concoct a few qualifications or embellish your work experience but your new employer may have a higher expectation of your ability than you are capable of. It is much better to be honest, but show that your are willing to learn.

Many jobseekers provide false or exaggerated information on their CVs and during interviews, ranging from innocent omissions to blatant lies. There is considerable evidence to show that employers who receive falsified applications or hear answers that just simply don’t hang together do not employ the candidates involved.

Even the slightest embellishment can destroy your credibility. If you’re concerned about the thinness of your academic background, lack of skills required by a position you want, or time gaps in your employment history, invention is not your way out. Your sins will catch you up in the next few questions!

Tell the interviewer about your work skills, abilities, experience and interests, including any volunteer work you’ve been involved in – but tell the truth.

11. Remember your listening skills

Listen carefully and ask questions to probe deeper into what your interviewer is asking you. Most interviewers are appreciative of candidates who explore what a question is asking before trying to answer it.

12. Its time for you to ask the questions

The interview is a two-way interactive process. The person interviewing you will want to:

explain the nature of the job, the prospects and the organisation;
discover more about the personal qualities of applicants, and in particular their motivation as far as the job in question is concerned;
to ensure that applicants feel that they have been given fair treatment; and
to select the best person for the job.

You will want to be convinced that the employer and position provides:

opportunities for personal growth and development;
worthwhile challenges;
potential for career advancement;
your expected level of salary and associated benefits;
job security; and
an acceptable balance of favourable and unfavourable aspects.

This means that the interviewer will want to establish whether you are suitable to the company and position and you will want to find out if the employer and position are right for you.

You should therefore ensure that you have sufficient information about the employer and position to make up your mind whether you want the job.

It is likely that the interviewer will invite you to ask questions. If not, it is quite acceptable for you, at the end of interview, to politely state that you have some questions of your own. This will not be seen as impertinence, indeed it will be a sign of your independent thinking and desire to obtain the total picture. You wouldn’t need to ask questions if the points had already been covered in the interview discussions.

But let your interviewer lead into discussions about the remuneration package. Your focus on salary, share options and holiday allowance can give the wrong impression and turn off an otherwise-impressed interviewer.

For questions you might like to ask your interviewer click on Questions to ask your interviewer.

13. The end play

When the interview is over stand up, thank the interviewer, remember the strong handshake and good eye contact and leave with a smile.

If you follow these simple guidelines then although the position is still not guaranteed as yours, you will have come across very strongly and positively in the interview which will certainly increase your chances of success.

14. Follow-up – The do’s

Don’t just sit back and wait for that job offer after you’ve attended the interview. Consider what to do next. Here are some Do’s:

•Do ask the interviewer (at the end of the interview) when the employment decision is expected.
Do obtain the names and job-titles of all the people who interviewed you. (One way is to ask for their business card.)
Do write individual thank-you notes to each person who interviewed you – within a few days. A thank-you note always leaves a favourable impression with a prospective employer. It shows that you are an interested, committed and considerate person. The thank-you note is something that should not be overlooked in today's competitive job market, and it is to your advantage that many other applicants tend to ignore this small but significant gesture. For more information please click on Your Thank-You-For-The-Interview Note and for template thank-you notes click on ‘Thank-you Note’ Samples.
Do warn your references - if you have not done so already - that they may be getting a letter, e-mail or phone call from the employing company.
•Do keep up searching for jobs, even if you feel confident that you will receive a job offer from the company you have just attended an interview with. Continue to look for other job opportunities and keep attending interviews. Use other job offers as leverage in your follow-up action - to get the position you really want.
Do follow-up with a phone call to the recruiter. If you have not been contacted at the time the employer set, you should make contact with him or her. Failing a preset day, wait for a week and then give the company a call to find out what your position is. Sometimes, employers will only call back the successful candidate, so this may be the only way you can find out for sure whether you did or did not secure the position. Use persistent follow-up techniques to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job, but don’t make it seem as though you are desperate.