Top Interview Tips
Whether you’re fresh out of your studies or have been in your profession for years, interviews can be a nerve wrecking prospect. We’ve compiled some top tips below to ensure that you get the most out of your interview and that you stand in the best steed to get the job.
Prepare
Most recruiters or hiring managers will inform you beforehand the type of interview you will be attending – use this information to help you prepare.
Research commonly asked interview questions and practice your answers, this way you are fully prepared and won’t find yourself stuck on what to say.
Here a few points to consider;
- Experience and successes within your profession
- What sort of budgets have you managed previously.
- How would you approach this role and from your research what potential do you think this could have?
- Go through the spec and consider your experiences against the main points they have outlined. The main areas of your experience that they will be keen to focus on is your campaign delivery experience.
- ROI and commercials – it is good that you can know your numbers and impact of your work, and return from your campaigns. This will show to them you are commercially driven and focused on making a difference.
Do your research
Researching the organization you are interviewing with is vital. There is nothing worse than a candidate who gets asked a question and clearly hasn’t done their research. This doesn’t bode well for you to get the role, after all if turn up to the interview unprepared how will you act if you got the job? A prepared candidate shows a hiring manager shows a lot about a person’s enthusiasm for the role and ability to prepare and can make all the difference.
The best place to research the company is its website, as it will have all the background information required and also any other news and future plans they may have as a business. Information like this can help set you apart from other candidates. It may also be worth taking a look at the websites of their direct competitors to give some good talking points during the interview.
If you know the names of the people taking the interview why not make use of LinkedIn and take a look at their profiles. You may find you have similar backgrounds and experiences that you can draw upon in your interview.
Ask questions
At the end of every interview you will inevitably be asked if you have any questions. Answering no may give off the impression you are disinterested so make sure you have a few questions already prepared to ask your interviewer.
Appearance
It goes without saying that a smart and professional appearance is vital for any interview. It only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression, so make sure you make it count! It is also a good idea to lay out your interview clothes the night before so that your pre interview run up goes smoothly.