Are you facing unemployment now that furlough has ended? Are you wondering how to prepare for a job interview?
Here are my 10 must-know interview tips to help you prepare.
1. Think positive
Be positive when you’re preparing for the interview. Focus on how much you want the job and how great you would be doing it. This will help you to show why you are the best person for the job.
You have a unique blend of skills and talents to offer. You might be super organised, you might be creative and hard-working, you might love talking to customers or you might be very neat and great at keeping your workplace tidy. Think about how your skills fit the job you’re going for.
2. Be friendly
Interviewers employ people they like, so smiling and being friendly can go a long way.
Think about your body language when you walk into the interview room. Standing up straight, smiling and making eye contact are all great for creating a good first impression. Research by online lens retailer Lenstore found that eye contact and smiling were among the most important factors for communicating confidence to other people.
3. Dress smartly
Looking neat and smart is important for creating a good first impression. If you’re not sure what to wear, then it’s best to err on the side of dressing too smartly.
4. Get a good night’s sleep
It’s important to make sure you’re fresh and alert for your interview. It can be tempting to stay up late preparing, but it’s better to get an early night to make sure you’re at your best the next day.
5. Re-read the job spec
Re-read the job spec to make sure what the company is looking for is fresh in your mind. If they want someone to work as part of a team, then you can make sure you have examples of teamwork to talk about in your interview. If they want someone to staff the reception desk, then you can talk about your people skills and how you love being friendly and helping people.
6. Re-read your CV
Re-read your application and CV to make sure you know exactly what you wrote. It’s especially important if you applied a while ago, before furlough ended. It’s embarrassing if they ask you about something in your application and you can’t remember what you wrote.
7. Research the company
You can tell a lot about a company from its website. Going into the interview with good knowledge of the company will be nothing but impressive. It will show the interviewer that you’re serious about the job you’re applying for. Pay particular attention to the ‘about us’ section of the website. Why? Well, it’s likely to contain clues about the company’s values that you can refer to in the interview.
8. Think of some questions to ask
At the end of the interview, interviewers will usually ask if you have any questions. It’s a good idea to think of a couple of questions in advance. Don’t ask about sick leave or holidays as they might worry that your focus is not in the right place. Instead, ask about the company itself. If you are applying to work with a customer-facing business, then you could ask them what type of customers they attract. You could then talk about how you love engaging with customers.
9. Prepare for commonly asked questions
Have a look online to find some commonly asked interview questions and think about how you would answer them. It’s good to give examples of your experiences in previous employment to back up what you are saying. Don’t worry if you haven’t worked for a while due to being on furlough. Your prior work experience is still relevant.
10. Practise, practise, practise!
Once you’ve prepared for commonly asked questions, you can practise answering some of them out loud. If you talk into the mirror, then you can see how you look and make sure you are smiling and being friendly. Yes, you’ll probably feel a bit silly doing it, but who cares if you get the job!
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About the author
A Chartered Accountant, Mum and personal finance geek, Alice writes on topics including budgeting, saving and investing.
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