Prepare in advance
Thoroughly research the company so you know as much about their products, services, values and vision. You’ll have done this before you applied for the role, but a refresher can’t hurt. Make sure you know as much about the role as possible and come prepared with questions of your own to ask the employer. After all, you’re deciding whether you want to work for the company, as much as they’re deciding whether or not they want to employ you.
Test your technology
If your interview is virtual, it’s important to ensure you have access to the appropriate software, such as Teams or Zoom, in advance and, are confident that everything works. You’ll also need access to a camera, microphone and a stable internet connection. Once you know which software will be used, download it, instead of using a less reliable browser version. At least one day before the interview, test that everything works, including the software, video and audio.
Dress to impress
Whilst the business world is changing and many specialisms are becoming slightly more informal, it’s still vitally important to make sure you look smart for your interview, even if it’s a virtual one. Make sure to wear something professional depending on the job you’re applying for. Try to avoid wearing jeans and make sure you wear clean and smart shoes. You want the employer to see how professional you can be, and that you’ll be an excellent ambassador for the company.
If you’d like to speak to an expert consultant for more in-depth interview preparation advice please get in touch.
Use the STAR method when answering questions
Situation. Task. Action. Result. Try and stick to this formula when answering the interviewer’s questions. Answering in this way, will help you get all of your key information across, enabling you to sell yourself in the best way possible.
You can read more about the STAR method here.
Use I, not We
This may seem obvious, but when answering questions don’t talk about what “we” did, talk about what you did. Job interviews are your chance to sell yourself and tell the employer about all the great achievements you’ve delivered in previous roles. They’re not interested in what the rest of your team did, otherwise they’d be interviewing them! Use the ‘I’ pronoun and make sure you’re highlighting specific examples that you have accomplished.
Take a look at this LinkedIn article for more useful information on this.
