Interview Hints and Tips
It is always useful to know information about the company that is conducting the interview, nowadays information is widely accessible across the internet. Research the company and find out basic information on who they are and what they do. It is also a good idea to research their competitors, this will give you a better idea of the market place and what differentiates one company from the next.
- Do know the time and place of the interview and the interviewers full name and title!
- Do know and fully understand the job description of the position for which you are interviewing and companies business overview.
- Do be 15 minutes early in anticipation of traffic problems or other unanticipated delays. Also, know where you’re going. If possible travel the route the day before. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
- Do dress professionally (i.e. Sunday best, but not funeral best!).
- Do shake the interviewer’s hand firmly.
- Do speak slowly and clearly. Don’t rush your answers.
- Do be alert and interested at all times and look the interviewer(s) in the eye and try to include the rest of the panel in eye contact from time to time (where applicable).
- Do answer every question fully and above all honestly.
- Do be consistent in your answers throughout all the interviews.
- Do ask questions to show interest in the Company and the position.
- Do thank the interviewer(s) for their time and anything extra such as a company tour, providing you with additional information about the job or company, meeting other personnel etc.
- Don’t smoke, even if the interviewer does and offers you a cigarette.
- Don’t over-answer questions.
- Don’t ask about salary, bonuses, holidays, etc, unless you feel the employer is interested in hiring you (a good example of this is “would you like the job!”).
- Don’t answer with a simple “yes” or “no”. Explain answers where possible.
- Don’t forget a copy of your CV, for you and the interviewer (interviewers are often busy and may misplace a CV once in a while). An interviewer may refer to dates which can confuse the best of us if it is along time ago, this shouldn’t cause you any stress if you have the information in front of you.
Remember that you are being interviewed because the interviewer needs to hire somebody; not because they want to catch you out or embarrass you.