Interview Tips for Candidates
Almost everybody will have to attend job interviews throughout their career. No matter how experienced you are professionally, interviews are a nerve-wracking experience for most.
However, they’re the perfect place to sell yourself to a company that can help you grow in your career and meet your professional goals.
Whether you’re nervous about the whole process and unsure of how to best prepare or are just searching for ways to improve your interview technique, there are many things you can do to help you ace your next job interview.
This includes preparing yourself for the types of questions that will be asked, thoroughly researching the company, and effectively backing up your past work experience.
If you have an interview coming up, use the following interview tips for candidates to make your interview a success and the chance of landing the job more likely.
Pre-Interview Preparation
Conduct Company Research
Make sure you’ve thoroughly researched the company you’re interviewing with. You’ll want to understand the company mission, values, and culture. Do you agree with these values a lot? If so, think about how you can work that into your interview responses.
For example, if the company values the environment and sustainability, mention this in the interview and why that’s important to you too. Or, if they emphasize collaborative working, explain why you value that too and the experience you have working in a team.
Look at their website, social media pages, and sign-up for their newsletter if they have one. Understand the products or services they offer as much as possible as well.
Try to get as much information relating to the exact position you’re applying for too. For example, if you’re applying for a social media position, make sure you visit all their social accounts.
Pick up on things they’re doing well and places they could improve or opportunities you notice. Then mention both of these in the interview to show you’re already familiar with the platforms you’ll be working with and have thought of ways to add value.
Also look at company reviews, especially employee reviews like those posted on Glassdoor. This will help you learn more about the company culture and what working there is like.
Review the Job Description
Look at the job description again before the interview. This helps refresh your memory on the tasks that you’ll be undertaking in this role and the skills and experience the company is looking for you to possess.
Think about how you can show that you have those skills and have experience completing the tasks that will be undertaken in the role. Always back up responses with examples. Use the Situation, Task, Action, Result method (discussed more below) when planning answers and answering in the interview.
Make sure you’ve thoroughly researched the company you’re interviewing with.
Prepare Answers to Common Interview Questions
Think about what you may be asked and prepare responses to these questions. Some common interview questions are likely to be asked no matter what the position or industry.
These questions include:
“Tell me about yourself.”
“Why are you interested in this position?”
“What makes you a good fit for this position?”
“Walk me through your resume.”
Additionally, think about position-specific questions that could be asked and draft some responses to those.
Keep your answers brief but detailed. Use responses to explain the value you’ll bring to the company and what makes you stand out from other candidates.
Prepare Questions to Ask the Interviewer
The interviewer will ask you at the end of the interview if you have any questions. The questions you ask should be insightful and intelligent. They need to showcase your interest in the position and in learning more about it.
Prepare these questions in advance but think about other questions you may have throughout the interview as you converse with the interviewer. They may also answer your questions during the discussion so always prepare a few extra questions. You should ask two to four questions but prepare six to eight just in case your main questions get answered.
Ask questions relating to the job and company culture and avoid salary and benefits-related questions. This can be discussed if the job is offered to you. Avoiding these types of questions also shows that you’re not just there for the salary and benefits (even if that is part of your motivation for getting the job!)
Practice
It’s a good idea to practice responses before the interview. If possible, do so with a friend or family member. Practicing with someone also else means that they can give feedback. They may even think of some other questions that are likely to be asked that you didn’t think of.
It’s especially helpful if the person you’re practicing with has interviewed candidates before in their career.
Practicing alone out loud works great too if you can’t find someone to practice with before the interview.
Keep your answers brief but detailed, explaining the value you’ll bring to the company.
Day of the Interview Tips
Plan your trip to the interview location in advance and make sure you arrive ten to 15 minutes before the interviewed start time. However, don’t enter the interview location too early. About five to ten minutes before the scheduled start time is recommended. If you arrive any earlier, wait in your car or a nearby coffee shop or similar location. You should never be late so make sure you leave on time and factor in time for any potential delays.
Remember to dress professionally. Even if the company has a relaxed dress code, dress more formally for the interview.
Be sure to bring three to five printed copies of your resume and cover letter. You should also bring a pen and notepad. Along with using this to make notes during the interview, you can jot down your questions for the interviewer here.
When you meet the interviewer, smile, and shake hands. Also, keep in mind that any assistant or other staff member you meet in addition to the interviewer can be part of the interview process and should be treated in the same polite manner.
Never be late to an interview! Make sure you leave on time and factor in potential delays.
During the Interview
While interviews can cause feelings of anxiety or stress, however, it’s good to keep in mind that they’re also the perfect time to sell yourself to a company you’re very interested in working for. A job opening is a gap in the company’s team and you need to sell yourself as the best solution to fill this gap.
The following are some things to keep in mind when in the interview.
Use the STAR Technique for Answering Questions
When you make statements about yourself in an interview, for example, that you’re a good leader, you need to be able to back this up.
To do so, keep the STAR technique in mind. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Results, and is an effective tool for backing up things you say in an interview.
Situation: Provide context on the situation. Where did this happen and why was it happening.
Task: Explain what you did in this situation and outline any challenges you faced.
Action: Explain how you completed the task and how you dealt with challenges.
Results: Lastly, explain the outcome of the task emphasizing what was achieved and the skills you displayed to do so.
Build Rapport with the Interviewer
Building rapport with your interviewer(s) can drastically improve the success of your interview. To start with, be sure to listen carefully to questions and mirror phrases that they use in their questions.
Having researched the company well before the interview helps with rapport too. It means you can have a more in-depth discussion about the company and the industry.
Pay Attention to Your Body Language
Your body language says a lot. Be sure that you smile and keep eye contact while talking and listening. Additionally, use hand gestures to help animate communication. Don’t fidget, slouch, or play with things like your pen.
Even if you’re nervous, try not to show this! You will, of course, be a bit nervous but if you’ve prepared well, know you’re a good fit, and have researched the company, you’ll have much less reason to worry about the interview going poorly.
When you make statements about yourself in an interview, you need to be able to back them up.
Ask Questions
As mentioned, there will be a period at the end of the interview for you to ask your own questions. Use these questions to show that you’re really interested in the job position, the company, and the people you’ll be working with.
Some questions you could ask include:
What will be expected of you in the position?
What will an average day in the position look like?
How is success measured?
Why do the interviewers like working there?
What is the overall company culture like?
How do employees work together?
Is there a company policy that has been established for transitioning from working remotely to in-person office site?
You will likely have some questions that are specific to the position too. You may also have thought of some questions during the interview based on what you discussed.
Be Cautious What You Share
If you’re changing jobs due to an undesirable situation at your current job, be careful how you word that. Never disparage your current company, boss, or other employees. Just focus on short professional answers like that you've obtained the most you can from that position and are looking for a change and somewhere to grow, etc.
Do be upfront about gaps in employment history and if you’ve been fired from a recent position but again, keep explanations professional.
Know What You Can’t Be Asked
There are certain questions that companies cannot ask you during the hiring process.
This includes questions relating to your marital and familial status, and questions relating to past personal experiences such as if you’ve ever been arrested.
It’s important to understand which questions you don’t have to answer. If these questions come up, don’t be afraid to politely decline to answer.
Take Notes
At the beginning of the interview after you’ve asked if it would be all right for you to take some brief notes, do so, but don’t be constantly writing and stay focused on the conversation.
You may want to write down things you’re told that you think are important. You may also have some of your pre-prepared questions answered during the discussion and wish to note the response.
Additionally, you can note any questions that you think of during the discussion to ask at the end.
Follow Up After the Interview
At the end of the interview ask about the next steps and when you can expect to hear back with a decision. Then thank the interviewer(s) for their time and tell them that they can contact you if they need anything else.
Also, email the interviewer(s) when you get home thanking them for their time again and confirming your continued interest in the job.