Interview Success: Be Prepared!

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Going for an interview can be a stressful proposition – especially if you go in unprepared. By taking a few steps to get yourself ready before attending the interview you can reduce nervousness, improve confidence and project a more professional image.

Here are just some of the things you can try before an interview to help settle your nerves and improve your chances of success:

• Know your CV and Application Form inside out: you did keep a photocopy of that application before sending it in, didn’t you? Your interviewer is likely to use your application and CV as a roadmap for the interview. You need to be ready to answer questions and elaborate on everything contained in those documents.

• Put yourself in the interviewers shoes: imagine yourself in the interviewer’s position. You’re looking for the best candidate for the job – what questions would you be asking? Make a list of all the questions you can think of and try to come up with viable answers for each of them. Write your answers down and read them back to yourself several times to commit them to memory.

• Focus on awkward or uncomfortable questions: Think about the questions you would you least like to answer. These will often relate to your weakest areas, so it’s worth spending some time honing and polishing your answers to them.

• Practice delivering your answers out loud: even better, do it in front of a mirror or a video camera so you can read your own body language and adapt it accordingly. You may feel a bit silly at first, but this can do wonders to improve your delivery. Aim for confident, but not cocky – you want to project an air of enthusiastic but measured competence.

• Arrange a mock interview: if possible arrange a practice interview. Ideally this should be with an experienced interviewer. If you’re a recent graduate ask your college careers advisor about this service. If you applied for the job through an agency they may be able to help, or ask somebody that you know. Remember that you need objective feedback on your performance – so it may be better to steer clear of family and close friends.

• It’s a two way street: although the interviewer(s) will be directing the interview, remember it’s a two way process. It always pays to have a few well thought out questions about the job or the company to ask at relevant points in the interview. These questions should reflect the research you’ve already done and as a rule of thumb you shouldn’t ask about salary or benefits. Make sure you steer clear of questions whose answers are readily available on the company website or literature (remember you’ve already done your research…).

The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be and the more confident your interview performance will appear. Just remember that some nerves on the day are normal – even beneficial. A bit of tension will help to keep you alert and will work with your preparation to strike that elusive balance between poise and enthusiasm that is the interview ideal.

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