• Ask about the next steps in the process and when you should expect to hear something back
• Be proactive and always ask for feedback
• If you have made any promises to follow up with additional info, then make sure you do
• At the end of the interview, thank the interviewers for their time and reiterate your interest in the role
It’s important to remember that every interview is a two-way thing. You should be interviewing the employer just as much as they’re interviewing you.
Always prepare at least one or two questions. For example, ‘what training is offered?’ or ask about the organisation’s plans for the next quarter. Try and demonstrate your research on the company through the questions you ask.
There’s no way of predicting exactly what you will be asked, but you should be prepared to answer the obvious questions – such as:
Why are you leaving your current job?
Always make this positive and don’t talk negatively about your current or previous employer. Explain how you are looking to advance your career and why you are well suited for this new role.
What are you strengths and weaknesses?
Focus on strengths that will enhance your ability to perform. Weaknesses should be forgivable, or at the very least you need to explain how you have overcome them.
What are your key achievements from your previous role?
Give one or two clear examples of what you have achieved. Start sentences with ‘I’ not ‘we’.
What are you looking for in your next role?
Think about your motivations and what you are looking to achieve from your new role.
80% of success is showing up (or so the old saying goes.) Yet you’d be surprised by how many interviewees make a bad first impression through carelessness.
Make sure to:
• Know the time, date and location of the interview
• Plan your route and allow plenty of time for travel
• Know the name and title of the interviewer
• Dress appropriately
• Bring a passport, certificates, reference details if requested
In any interview, you need to know show you’ve done your research.
Learn everything you can about the company. Their website and annual report are obviously good places to start, as are news reports. More in-depth information can often be found in trade press sites (Marketing Week, Accountancy Age, etc.)
LinkedIn will tell you a lot about their staff structure and who their key people are.
Google Alerts is something you might consider, too. It’s a tool that emails you anytime a news story appears for a specific term – and offers a simple and easy way to keep on top of the latest developments.
But remember, it’s not just about the organisation. You need to show you understand the role, too. Read the job description thoroughly and acquaint yourself with the key skills and competencies. Think about when you have performed similar tasks.