Interviews are a chance for you and your potential employer to get to know each other. They can be as casual as a quick chat over coffee or as formal as a panel interview in the Boardroom. As a general rule, though, you’ll meet with one or more people and they’ll ask questions around your skills, experience and why you want the job.
You’ll need to:
You should have already done some background research on the company and job. Think about how you’ll answer some of the questions they may ask you, and have some specific examples of times when you’ve used the skills they are looking for in the workplace.
Make sure you look clean and neat, dressing appropriately for the role. It is always better to look too formal than too casual in an interview.
Smile and be polite to everyone. Thank your interviewer for inviting you and wait for them to offer you a seat.
It’s natural to feel nervous (interviewers themselves get nervous too!) so don’t worry if you stutter, blush or can’t think of an answer. Just take a deep breath and continue. It can help to practise answering questions out loud before the interview.
The interviewer may let you know whether they’ll welcome questions from you during the interview or they may ask you towards the end if you have any. It’s always a good idea to ask them something as it shows you have been listening and have a genuine interest.