Tips for a Good Job Interview

Boost Your Chances of Success in that Vital Interview

Jan 7, 2009 Tony Allen

A good CV will help you gain a job interview, but thorough interview preparation and good job interview techniques are the keys to winning the job offer.

Winning a job interview is the most difficult step in achieving the job you want and the key is writing a good CV. But you’re still only halfway there. There may also be a telephone interview. But the final face-to-face job interview is your main opportunity to sell yourself to the potential employer, and there are a number of simple preparations and interview practices you can adopt to ensure you make the best possible impression.

Research for the Interview

Allow plenty of time for:

1. Researching the industry or sector, the company and the job.

• An applicant who has taken the trouble to do this will both impress employers with his/her interest and be better prepared for questions.
• You may find useful background in company publications, the local press and on the internet.
• Do a last minute check on the day for any current news.
• Best of all, talk to someone who already works there.

2. Re-reading the job advertisement and description.

• Make sure you have a clear picture of what is expected of you or identify areas where you need more information.
• Identify the priorities for the job and plan how you would approach it.

3. Re -reading your own CV.

• Have all the facts clear in your mind.
• Anticipate areas where the employer may want more detail.
• Comparing the job description and your CV, identify your strengths and, equally important your limitations. How are you going to bring out the former, and overcome or reduce the effects of the latter.

4. Preparing a list of likely job interview questions and answers.

• This can help to avoid nasty surprises from “difficult” questions, and help to take advantage of easy ones to sell yourself.
• Don’t try to learn your answers off pat. Adapt them to the questions as they’re framed.
• Above all, be prepared for the key question “why do you want this job/what can you offer to this job?”

5. Preparing any questions you’d like to ask if invited to do so.

• These can tell employers as much about you as your answers to their questions.
• Don’t ask too many, try to keep to just 2 or 3 at most.
• Don’t sound like a moaner. Try to ask upbeat questions about the job, and leave quibbles about employment conditions to sort out with HR later.

Other Interview Preparations

1. Get a good night’s sleep first. Don’t spend all night preparing - or partying.
2. Dress appropriately, but also cleanly and tidily. Even an organisation which “dresses down” is likely to prefer a little more formality for an interview.
3. Plan your journey carefully to arrive in good time. Arriving out of breath and flustered, or worse still late, is likely to be disastrous.
4. If the interview is after lunch, don’t be tempted by a pint or a glass of wine.
5. And turn off your mobile phone on arrival!

Tips on Job Interview Techniques

1. Shake hands firmly – but no bone crushers – and smile politely when introduced.
2. Sit comfortably when invited, but don’t sprawl.
3. Breath slowly and deeply if you feel nervous.
4. Let your enthusiasm for the job show.
5. Don’t giggle or guffaw.
6. Make eye contact with questioners as you answer, but don’t stare them down.
7. Don’t rush your answers. Take a moment’s pause for thought and speak deliberately.
8. Answer questions fully but concisely. Avoid both monosyllabic replies and rambling.
9. Frame your answers to demonstrate relevant knowledge of the company or industry.
10. Don’t pretend to knowledge or experience you don’t have – and never lie.
11. At the end of the interview thank the interviewer(s) for the opportunity and if appropriate shake hands again.

Thorough preparation is the key to success in any job interview, but if this time you don’t succeed, phone later to ask politely why, and for any advice the interviewer may have. And next time you’ll do even better.

The copyright of the article Tips for a Good Job Interview in Career Advice is owned by Tony Allen. Permission to republish Tips for a Good Job Interview in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Prepare by Studying the Job Description