Once you have secured your interview, it is time to ensure you do the right preparation to ensure you get the job! Before walking into that room, you are just another name on a CV, but remember that they have seen enough on your CV document to interest them in meeting face-to-face. Your primary focus is to impress them and differentiate yourself from the other interviewees, so that you are the person they want for next stage and the job itself.

Remember to stay calm, focussed and professional at all times, regardless of the type of role you are applying for. This is your time to shine!

Be prepared

You may think some of this is the obvious, however, sometimes the simple things are over-looked, so always start at the beginning. Know the organisation’s location, time how long it will take you to travel there and remember to allow additional time for any potential delays such as rush-hour traffic, road works or delayed trains.

Find out from your consultant details of the interview such as  - How long will it take, what kind of interview will you be attending ie panel , competency based or psychometric. This will allow you to ensure your prior preparation hits the mark on the day. Don’t be afraid to ask your consultant any queries you may have. It is their job to ensure you have as much information as possible to allow you to fully prepare before you attend any interview.

Research – This is essential!

BWSR aim to provide an outstanding service to candidates and clients, and will always ensure that you are supplied with as much relevant information as possible. However, it is your responsibility to conduct your own research and dig a little deeper if you want to differentiate yourself from the crowd. By taking the time to do your own homework, you will feel more confident when discussing the role and the culture of the organisation. This will also allow you to understand if this is really the right type of company for your future.

Please remember that potential employers will always be impressed with the candidate that shows, passion, drive and the motivation to succeed in the role. If you can augment this with a real interest and some knowledge of their organisation, this will only add value to chances of success.

Ask yourself....

When you attend an interview the interviewer will only ask a handful of questions, which in turn means you only have a few chances to ensure you hit the mark when delivering your response. Some common questions include.......

• Why are you interested in this vacancy?
• What are your key strengths?
• What are your weaknesses (note you should also think about how you try to overcome)?
• What are your key skills and how would you use these in the role?
• Why do you want to work for our organisation?

There is a very strong possibility that some of these questions will crop up at interviews you attend, so make sure you have answers planned. There will also be questions specific to the role responsibilities or core competencies (please see our guide to competency interviews) so you must identify the key skills required in the job and relate these to your own work history and skill set.