Top 10 Interview Tips

Be a STAR
Give your answers using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to ensure you convey your message in a structured way and always come across as meticulous and organised.

Prepare the counter
Remember an interview is a dialogue, not a monologue. You can size up the company as well as the other way round. Asking questions about their market and growth plans demonstrates your interest in the company and shows you have researched them. e.g. “I can see your competitor x has recently launched x. What are your thoughts?” If the interviewers answer all the questions you had prepared, tell them what you were going to ask them and talk through the answers they’ve given you. Whatever you do, don’t say no or they’ll remember you for the wrong reasons!

Check all channels
Explore the company’s social media channels – not just their website – to get a comprehensive view of the business. Join their social media groups where relevant.

Do your research
Familiarise yourself with the company – their history, offering, stakeholders and where they sit in the marketplace. Your interviewer will easily be able to tell if you have taken the time to find out more about their company. Read the company’s website, latest press and financial results.

Back it up
Make sure you have strong examples to give for each requirement on the job description. You need to prove that you have the skills you say you do, so you’ll need to flesh out all your answers to competency-based questions case studies, figures and other evidence.

Know your interviewers
Research the people who will be interviewing you. Check their LinkedIn profile to see their career history, likes, previous posts and anything else that you can use to build a rapport.

Follow up
Chase an answer if you haven’t heard back within the expected time. Even if you fear that you weren’t successful, interview feedback can be crucial in helping you refine your answers and technique for future interviews.

Don’t bad mouth previous employers
Always be diplomatic and professional. If you’re negative about previous companies, the interviewers will only think that you’ll inevitably do the same to them one day.

Show weakness
Questions like “What would your friends say is your worst characteristic?” or “What are your weaknesses?” aren’t an excuse for you to say you’re “a bit of a perfectionist.” What they really want to know is how you’ve learnt from your mistakes, how you turned that characteristic into a strength. They want to know that you’re introspective and always looking to improve.

Bring examples
You may want to try and wow the interviewers with an impromptu exposé of some of your past work. But always check with them beforehand – don’t get it out and start talking through it without being prompted or you could end up wasting time not answering the questions they wanted to ask.