Interview Guidance 

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Pre-interview preparation – your recruiter can help

 

• Understand the brief, process and structure of the interview(s) 

• Are there any specifics that the employer or recruiter can provide you with that will help - will the interview follow a format for example, will there be any specific tasks?

• If your interview is in person, pre-plan your journey to allow plenty of time - could you carry out a trial run to check out parking and traffic.  

• If your interview is held virtually, have you checked your access to the platform being used for the interview, and that your Wi-Fi is suitable? Is your setting quiet, tidy, suitably lit and appropriate for the meeting – do you need to utilise a blurred filter for untidy backgrounds? Have you remembered to switch all devices onto silent mode.  

• Can your recruiter help with the appropriate attire? The world is changing and sometimes it’s useful to mirror the environment you are going into. (Where this information isn’t available, however, we would still always recommend formal attire.)

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Interview preparation

 

• Do your research! Understanding the company shows genuine interest, and of course you’ll want to know if their business interests you. Great areas to research include, the About Us section of the company website, News & Articles as well as their main Home Page, LinkedIn pages and Companies House.

• Prepare demonstrable examples of your experience to align, where possible, with the role specification. 

• Choose examples that reflect their requirements and use the STAR technique to structure clear, concise responses: 

          Situation – What was the context? 

          Task – What needed to be done? 

          Action – What did you do? 

          Result – What did you achieve? 

• Practice or give some forethought to possible questions that may arise - Classic questions like, ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses’ an oldie but a goodie!  

• Competency based questions – ‘give me an example of when…’ this is where the correct formatting of your CV will help. If you have tailored your CV to the role you should be able to draw on relatable examples, or at least transferrable examples that reflect the needs of the role. Know your CV inside out!  

• Have your own questions - This is your opportunity to learn about the role and company you will be joining – take an interest! Think of a few engaging questions for the interviewer that will benefit you and show the interviewer that you have a genuine desire to understand more about them. It’s often useful to ask questions that encourage the interviewer to talk about their own career with the firm, which can also be really insightful.  

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During the interview

 

• Be mindful of your body language;  

• Are you making good eye contact with the interviewer – this will demonstrate your credibility and show confidence in your responses. 

• Sit with an open stance – try not to cross arms.  

• Feel free to ask them to repeat or reframe a question and take notes should you want to, but ensure you retain eye contact as much as possible rather than have a note pad as a distraction. 

• How did you enter the interview - hand shake? Smile? Being approachable and friendly from the outset gives a good first impression. Break the ice – if you are nervous, this will help you as well as your interviewer. You may have encountered other staff members first, receptionist, team member – ensure you are courteous and engaging with them also. They may pass on their opinion!  

• Interview Don’ts - We would always recommend you don’t ask about sickness, holiday and remuneration allowances. There will always be the opportunity to discuss this later and your recruiter will often already know the answers to these. 

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Post interview

 

• Feedback - Ideally call your recruiter straight away, while your thoughts are fresh in mind. If you are keen and enthusiastic following the meeting this will also give a lasting impression. Efficiency in your interview behaviour signals efficiency in your work ethic. Your recruiter will likely ask you certain questions: how long were you in the interview for, were there any buying signs (did they show you round the office or discuss the next stage) this information makes it easier for your recruiter to feed back into the client. 

• If appropriate, email your interviewer in follow up and thank them for their time, attaching any documentation they may have requested. 

• Have you advised of your availability for the next stage of interview? It’s useful to do this as it shows your keenness to proceed and helps your recruiter with scheduling.  

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