Here are my trusty interview tips that have never let me down!
1. Prepare questions for them
Interviews are a two-way thing. It’s not just whether you’re good enough for the job, but also whether the employer and the team are good enough for you!
Not only that, having questions shows that you are interested in building a relationship with your interviewers and gives you an opportunity to show off your active listening skills.
Here are a few you can try out:
- What do you enjoy most about working at [insert company]?
- How long have you all been at [insert company]?
- What’s your leadership style? (My personal favorite if your interviewer may be your future boss)
2. Show integrity
It’s common that the job you are interviewing for is within the same industry as the one you are already in. If that’s the case, you’re likely to currently be working at competitors.
This can make things tricky when they ask questions such as:
- Why do you want to leave your current job?
- Tell us more about the sort of clients you work with?
- How would you tackle XYZ client problem?
On the face of it, these are all great questions for the interviewer to hear firsthand why you wish to leave your current job and to learn more about your experience. However, answer these questions completely honestly and you may find yourself feeling uncomfortable about the information you’ve let slip.
When asked these types of questions I first off make a light joke of it and remind them that I currently work for one of their competitors and so apologize now if my answers come across as vague.
In my experience, the interviewer is more likely to respect this honesty and level of confidentiality that you show, as opposed to you listing out all the reasons why you dislike your current employer!
3. Read the job advert, then read it again!
Each company has its own set of buzz words that are common within its culture. You can often spot these within the job advert – the sort of words you may need to look upon their website to learn what they are referring to!
These words, and just knowing the skills and experience requirements they’ve listed, can be golden nuggets during an interview.
I’d suggest sprinkling them within your answers – it will be sure to get them nodding!
4. Flag your concerns
As per the start of this blog, the interview is a two-way thing.
If you have any concerns about the job now is the perfect time to raise them.
For example, you may have heard that the working hours can be quite long, or they have quite strict billing targets. Whatever the concern is, lay it on the table.
This isn’t to put them on the back foot, but more to give them an opportunity to talk you through the area in more detail. Thus either putting the pesky concern to bed or giving you more evidence to listen to your gut!