Sometimes job interviews can be years apart or it may be your first formal job interview, so brushing up on some key interview preparation tips beforehand can be helpful to ensure you stand the best chance of securing your dream job. Here are just some things to think about in the lead up to your next interview:
1. Research the company
- Know their ethos, mission and values: Understand the company’s culture, goals, and recent achievements, this can be found either on their website or from their LinkedIn page or from news/insights when doing a web search. Showing you know more about them beyond the job advert will show your enthusiasm for the role and company
- Research their products and services: Have a good understanding of the company’s services or products, as it will help to tailor your answers accordingly
- Understand their industry: Be aware of the company’s position in the market, its competitors, and trends that might affect its business.
2. Know the job description
- Understand the role: Study the responsibilities and required skillset/experience as well as any required qualifications. Be ready to give examples of how your skills and or experience meets their requirements
3. Prepare for common questions
- Tell me about yourself: Keep your answer focused and talk about your professional background, key skills, and why you’re excited about this particular role
- Why do you want to work here?: Show how your values align with the company’s culture, ethos and values or any key successes or growth plans you know about
- Strengths and weaknesses: Focus on strengths relevant to the job and present weaknesses as areas of growth that you’re working on improving, i.e. I perhaps take on too many tasks and could delegate more effectively
- Why did you leave your last job?: Be honest, but avoid speaking negatively about previous employers. Focus on how you’re seeking new opportunities for growth, how you are looking to grow and how you feel this opportunity can fulfil what was missing in your last role / company.
4. Practice behavioural questions or competency based questions
- Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer questions about how you handled specific situations in past jobs
- Example: “Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict with a colleague”
- Answer with STAR: Describe the situation, what tasks were involved, what actions you took, and what the outcome was.
5. Dress appropriately
- Professional attire: Even if the company has a casual dress code, it’s always safer to dress more formally for an interview.
6. Prepare questions for the interviewer
- Show interest: Prepare questions that demonstrate your curiosity about the company and the role. Avoid asking questions that are easily answered by researching the company’s website.
Example questions:
- “What does success look like in this role?”
- “What are the biggest challenges the team is currently facing?”
- “How does the company support professional development?”
7. Body language
- Firm handshake: A good handshake shows confidence and professionalism
- Try to maintain eye contact: This conveys trustworthiness and interest
- Posture: Sit up straight and lean slightly forward to show engagement.
8. Practice active listening
- Listen carefully to the questions before answering. Take a moment to collect your thoughts if needed
- If you don’t understand a question, then it’s fine to ask for clarification.
9. Be confident, not overly confident
- Confidence is key, but avoid sounding arrogant. Balance your responses with humility and self-assurance
- Be authentic—don’t try to be someone you’re not just to fit into what you think the employer wants.
10. Follow up after the interview
- Send a thank-you email: Send a personalised email within 24 hours to thank the interviewer for their time via your recruiter or directly. Reiterate your interest in the role and briefly mention something specific you discussed during the interview. i.e. “I was really interested to hear about your exciting plans for your new service offering.”
Bonus interview tips
Plan Ahead: Make sure you know the time, location, transport links, parking, the name of the interviewer/s and format of the interview. If it’s virtual, test that everything is working ahead of time
Arrive early: Aim to arrive 5-10 minutes before your interview time
Be honest: If you don’t know something, be honest about it. Offer to learn or explain how you would approach solving the issue.
