Congratulations! Your CV or Application Form has earned you that coveted recruitment prize: an interview! Although if you’re like most people, the shine will start to fade when the reality of what that involves starts to sink in. Most people dread interviews as much as they dread the dentist, but never fear: help is at hand.

Setting people up for interview success is one of the main things I do: I don’t send any candidate into an interview without a thorough briefing. I know from experience that the sense of dread you feel at the thought of an interview is rooted in a fear of messing up; and the antidote to messing up is preparation. With my Top Ten Interview Steps you’ll be so prepared that you’ll be able to face your interview with confidence. Ready?

One: Don’t Turn Up Empty-Handed.

The interviewer will be referring to your CV or completed Application Form, so make sure you have a copy to hand to remind yourself of what they’re asking about. It also helps to have a copy of the job description for the job you’re interviewing for. This shows the interviewer that you’re interested, and that you’re ready to discuss the role. Also take a notebook and pen, and a bottle of water if you’re likely to suffer from a dry mouth for any reason.

Two: Paint A Picture.

The interviewer is looking to understand what your key duties and responsibilities are in your current and past positions. This isn’t so they can catch you out; it’s so that they can match you to the position they have vacant. The best way to handle this is to paint a picture for them, and never assume that they know what you’re talking about. For example, if one of your responsibilities is to order supplies, it may be obvious to you what ‘ordering supplies’ means, but you’ll have a much better chance at getting the job if you explain what supplies, for whom, what the process is, and what that means for the business.

Three: Question Preparation.

Some people have the perfect level of experience for the job in question, but freeze when they’re asked about it during an interview. You can overcome this by thinking of the kind of questions you’ll be asked, and deciding how best to answer them. Jot down some clear, concise notes in your notebook, and refer to them during the interview.

This is particularly useful advice for competency based questions, which usually begin with ’Tell me about a time when you…’. Go through the list of skills that they’re looking for, and think of a time when you demonstrated them. Then jot down some notes around the STAR framework: Situation - what was the SPECIFIC situation; Task - what was the goal you were working towards; Action - what did YOU actually do; Result - what happened as a result. Keep your notes clear and concise to easily trigger the story you want to tell.

Four: The Dreaded ‘Why’ Questions.

The questions that I find trip most people up are the ones beginning with ‘Why’. Why do you want to join this company? Why are you leaving the position you’re in? Why do you want this role? If you let these take you by surprise then you may find yourself tongue-tied. All you need to do here is be honest and talk about what it is that you like about this company and the role. What attracts you to it. A word of caution though: this is not where the interviewer expects you to talk about salary or benefits.

Five: Previous or Current Employers.

Always, always, always be positive about previous or current employers. It’s really off-putting for an interviewer to hear you talking badly about other people you’ve worked for. As well as it being uncomfortable to hear someone complaining about someone else, they may start to envisage you talking about them that way. And even worse, you might actually be talking about a friend or relative of theirs. Think that’s too far-fetched? It’s happened to one of my candidates!

Six: Do Your Research.

Demonstrating that you know the company you’re interviewing for shows that you’re genuinely interested in the job, and in working for the company. Make sure you’ve looked at the company’s website in depth: don’t stop at the Homepage, go into all the pages. If they have a ‘Meet The Team’ page, see if you can find the profile of the person who’s interviewing you. Also check out the trade, industry, or business press, and any social media profiles they might have. Then you can refer to something you’ve found out when you go into the interview, and prepare some questions based on your research for the part of the interview when they give you the opportunity to ask them something. This is always very impressive to interviewers, and can really help you to stand out.

Seven: Do A Test Run.

Interviews usually take place somewhere you don’t normally travel to. So it’s important to do a test run as close to your interview time as possible. Work out the best way to travel: are there good public transport links? If you want to drive, is there plentiful public parking nearby? Will you need coins to pay for it? Doing a test run means that you’ll know what you’re doing on the day of the interview, with no nasty transport surprises.

Eight: Arrive Ten Minutes Early.

That’s TEN minutes early. No earlier, no later. If you arrive earlier you’ll put the interviewer under pressure, which could stress them out. Meaning that they’ll start the interview feeling on-edge. Not the best frame of mind for someone you’re hoping to impress. You’ll also give yourself more time to get nervous. And if you arrive any later, you’ll be in a rush, stressed out, and there may be a signing in procedure, which could make you late for the actual interview. So you’ll have created a bad impression, and you’ll be on the back-foot. Again, not the best way to start an interview. Ten minutes early. That’s it.

Nine: Dress For Success.

Always wear business attire, even if the company you’re interviewing for has a casual dress code. It is always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. Business attire helps you create a good impression: it shows that you’re taking the job seriously, and that you respect the interviewer. It’s also a lot easier to choose what to wear, and on a day when you’re going to be feeling under pressure from so many angles, worrying about what to wear is a hassle you could do without. On that note, make sure you decide what you’re going to wear the day before, and check that it’s clean.

Ten: Prepare For Mishaps.

Always think about what could go wrong and prepare accordingly. For example, take an umbrella, especially if your hair goes spectacularly frizzy at the slightest drop of water, like mine does! Have some mints to hand, just in case you accidentally ate garlic the night before. If you get hay fever, or sneeze when you’ve been eating mints, take tissues. Don’t eat or drink while you’re walking, and if you absolutely must do this, make sure you have some wet wipes in case of accidents. Oh, and take a spare pen, just in case.

Bonus tip: Don’t drink alcohol the night before (or the day of!) your interview. You’d be surprised at how long the smell of alcohol can linger on your breath. And the same goes for the smell of cigarettes. Once you’ve had your shower in the morning, don’t smoke until after your interview.

All of my candidates are set up for success at interview. If that sounds like someone you’d like on your side when it comes to finding your next, ideal job, then give me a call on 07510 051781 or drop me an email at enquiries@valeco.co.uk for an initial chat about how I can help you. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.