Careers centre
Standard interviews
Forewarned is forearmed
Attitudes to job interviews differ. Some feel the way to avoid ending up as a ball of crumbling nerves is to be highly prepared. Others fear over-rehearsing, and prefer to simply wing it. Different strokes for different folks, we say, but whatever camp you fall into there are some basic preparation techniques you should cover in order to avoid the dreaded interview faux pas.
Ready
- Reread the original job posting you applied for and think about how you can claim to fulfil the criteria listed.
- Try to find out what the company culture is like by checking out their website, Facebook page and blog if they have one.
- If you have been in contact with one specific person, do some sneaky research on LinkedIn to see if you can find out where your interviewer’s professional interests lie.
- Salary expectations are a commonly-asked question, so research typical amounts for this job.
Steady
- Dress appropriately. There are countless articles and videos on the web with information on this topic. If in doubt, err on the side of too formal.
- Double check your interviewers can’t find anything too incriminating on your Facebook account before the interview.
- Give yourself plenty of time. It’s rude to turn up half an hour early, though – if this happens, go and grab a coffee while you wait.
- Print out a couple of copies of your CV. These are often asked for, and there’s nothing better than feeling smugly well-prepared when it happens.
- Research typical interview questions, and have a think about your answers.
Go
- Switch your phone off.
- Listen to your interviewers and ask questions so as not to dominate the conversation.
- The interview starts as soon as you walk in the door: be friendly with everyone from the receptionist to the security guard.
- Thank your interviewers for their time.
- Send a thank-you note reiterating your interest the next day.
Attitudes to job interviews differ. Some feel the way to avoid ending up as a ball of crumbling nerves is to be highly prepared. Others fear over-rehearsing, and prefer to simply wing it. Different strokes for different folks, we say, but whatever camp you fall into there are some basic preparation techniques you should cover in order to avoid the dreaded interview faux pas.
Ready
- Reread the original job posting you applied for and think about how you can claim to fulfil the criteria listed.
- Try to find out what the company culture is like by checking out their website, Facebook page and blog if they have one.
- If you have been in contact with one specific person, do some sneaky research on LinkedIn to see if you can find out where your interviewer’s professional interests lie.
- Salary expectations are a commonly-asked question, so research typical amounts for this job.
Steady
- Dress appropriately. There are countless articles and videos on the web with information on this topic. If in doubt, err on the side of too formal.
- Double check your interviewers can’t find anything too incriminating on your Facebook account before the interview.
- Give yourself plenty of time. It’s rude to turn up half an hour early, though – if this happens, go and grab a coffee while you wait.
- Print out a couple of copies of your CV. These are often asked for, and there’s nothing better than feeling smugly well-prepared when it happens.
- Research typical interview questions, and have a think about your answers.
Go
- Switch your phone off.
- Listen to your interviewers and ask questions so as not to dominate the conversation.
- The interview starts as soon as you walk in the door: be friendly with everyone from the receptionist to the security guard.
- Thank your interviewers for their time.
- Send a thank-you note reiterating your interest the next day.
