So you already know the basics of what to do/not to do in an interview (e.g. talk badly about your boss, confess that you’re not really a ‘team player’) so in an economy where competition is fierce, here is my essential guide for candidates to a successful interview:
1. Don’t prepare to fail - In other words, don’t leave your preparation to the last minute. The more time you spend doing your homework in advance, the more your confidence will help carry you through the interview. Digesting the company products, services, background etc at least a couple of days before the interview will put you at an advantage above other candidates. If you wait until a couple of hours before the interview to review the company website, your not going to do yourself any favours. Don’t forget to start thinking about how you will answer the most common of interview questions!
2. First impressions are everything - I was once told that on average (according to research), an interviewer has decided within the first seven minutes whether or not they will proceed with that persons application. That’s a very short amount of time, so you have to make the most of it.
Don’t make things difficult for yourself – Make sure you are dressed as smartly as possible and are well groomed, no matter what the environment is. Not wearing a smart shirt, trousers, shoes and a tie (ideally a full suit) is unforgivable, unless it has been explicitly arranged prior to the interview. Greet your interviewer with eye contact, a firm hand shake and a smile. Sit/stand up straight at all times and ensure your body language is positive and ‘open’ (e.g. not crossing your arms, slouching etc). This ultimately shows engagement and confidence….
Confidence in how you present yourself shows you are confident in your ability to perform the job! Take a note pad and pen with you to take notes (this shows you are keen and interested) and prepare some structured questions that you know won’t be answered within the interview – These questions are often as important as the answers you give. It shows you have thought about your next career move properly and that you have taken a genuine interest in the role/company. Make sure you write them down so that you don’t stumble over your words after a challenging interview. Remember to maintain eye contact/engagement.
3. Know Yourself – I’m not talking about knowing when you started or finished in your last position, or what your job title was. I’m talking about knowing exactly what value and benefit you had on the organisation. Can you describe not only your achievements, but how much time or money was saved as a result of your actions? What impact would it have had on the company had you not been part of the team that turned the project around? Most importantly, do you genuinely know how to describe it in the best light?
If a job is now second nature to you because you have performed it well for so long (especially technical jobs), then you will know how to perform certain functions with your eyes shut…..but do you know your theory? What is the wild card character in SQL? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Agile? What is garbage collection? What’s difference between covariance and contravariance? Describe polymorphism. You get the picture.
Here’s a great tip – practice practice practice! If you can explain what you do (theoretically), your achievements and the impact that you had on the organisation to your partner, children or granny (and of course they understand it at the end of the explanation) then you’ve got a very good chance of doing yourself justice. Remember, just because it’s obvious to you doesn’t mean it will be obvious to the person who is receiving the information. Practising on a loved one/friend is a great technique as it gives you a genuine opportunity to describe what you do and how you do it, using the language and detail that is required in an interview.
4. Know the role/company - Knowing yourself is all good and well, but if you don’t know how to relate it to the interviewer that it’s of benefit to them and the company, then it’s useless. The job description is a very powerful tool (when accurate) so break it down, point by point, and begin justifying to yourself why you meet each particular piece of criteria.
Don’t be afraid to talk your projects and experience around those points through with your partner/friend (again) or in your head – You will gain confidence that, most importantly, you are suitable for the position but you will also be practising using the relevant language by describing your experience in a mock fashion. Knowing the company background, products, environment etc is essential to ensure that you can relate the impact you could have on the role/team/business to your previous experience.
5. Don’t get cockey - No matter how good you are, you should never expect to be as good as the interviewer wants you to be. Don’t get me wrong, confidence in your ability is absolutely imperative, but companies want to see that you desire to work for them and have the opportunity to step up into the position you are interviewing for. There is a balance of course – You don’t want to sound desperate, so be careful you don’t under-sell yourself.
6. Treat every person you meet like they have the final decision - I’ve lost count of candidates who have failed to secure a position they want because they have underestimated the importance of impressing a team member or HR rep. These are not formalities and should never be treated like they are. Don’t let your guard down! You’ve probably already done the hard work by impressing the Manager and you can see the finish line, complacency sets in and as you start to slow down, Usain Bolt takes you at the last 10m. Even if you pass somebody in the corridor who greets you collectively with the manager when walking to a meeting room, be friendly and say hi – we all know manners do not cost a thing and it shows you are a friendly ‘people person’!
7. How did you do? - Now, I’m not suggesting you should ask the interview how you’ve done at the end with a face of chronic desperation and anxiety. However, there is no reason why at the end of the interview you can’t say to the interviewer:
“Is there anything that I have answered that you would like me to elaborate on or re-address? I’m determined to leave today without any question marks around my experience/suitability”
This could genuinely allow you to cross that illusively fine line between success and failure. Enough said.
8. Remember the sticking points – What did you say that you wish you had not? What would you have like to have said which you realised after the interview? Which questions did you answer that you were not happy with? ….why are these questions important?
Simple – Lets re-address them right now and correct it, before it’s too late. You should be calling your recruiter as soon as you leave the offices to discuss any issues that came up so that any grey areas can be rectified. How many times have you come out of an interview kicking yourself because you couldn’t remember a tiny little detail under pressure, then remembered it as soon as you walked out the door? I cannot stress enough how important this is – I have genuinely helped people secure positions, who were otherwise rejected, as a result of addressing these slip ups.
9. Be honest with yourself and your recruiter - Of course you know that you shouldn’t lie in an interview, but when you are feeding back to your recruiter, it’s imperative that you are transparent about your feelings for the company, the role, any reservations and your minimum/ideal salary expectations. You’ve got nothing to lose at this stage, so don’t inflate your salary just because the interview went well and don’t tell them it’s #1 when it isn’t…. you will only be wasting the time of everybody involved in the process, including yours. Be honest and realistic and if you’ve picked the right recruiter, they will do as much as they can to see you get what your worth.
10. You are still being interviewed after you leave - There is a good chance that in the current market you are up against some stiff competition, so it’s important that you do whatever you can to keep yourself at the front of the interviewers mind. Did you discuss a project/achievement in the interview that can be backed up by practical evidence? If so, why not send it through! How about an email (probably via your recruiter) that simply thanks them for there time and reiterates your interest in the role and how nice it was to meet with them.
You are constantly being assessed until the vacancy is filled, always being compared and benchmarked against other candidates. All of these things will separate you from the competition and if it’s 50/50 between you and an identical candidate, this might just give you the edge.
Summary:
Lets be honest, none of this is rocket science but 80% of the time it’s the basics that people fall down on. Give yourself the opportunity by preparing in depth and in advance - Do not underestimate the power of thorough preparation. Keep things transparent, don’t let your guard down and make sure that the interviewer is aware that you want the job both during and after the interview.
Good luck!
