Job Opportunities

Ten Top Tips for Job Interviews

To help you with your job search, we've prepared ten essential tips to help your interview go well. These have been compiled based on the thousands of interviews our team have conducted over the last three decades. We hope that you find them useful.

Take the time to research the company you are being interviewed by. Not only will it impress your interviewers that you've taken the time and trouble to find out about them - it's also in your own interests to make sure that you are informed about your potential employer. Taking a new job is a huge life decision and you want to get well informed on the people you're hopefully spending the next few years with. One way to do your research is to go through the company's web site in detail. Print out and study the most important parts. If you bring your print out with you, that is also likely to impress the interviewer.

Whether we like it or not, first impressions count and how you look at the interview will be a significant part of that first impression. Dress well. If you're really serious about your career, consider getting an expert to show you which style and colours will help you make the most impact.

If you are confident, you will come across much more effectively - simple as that. Don't let the interview stress you out. Be yourself and remember, there's sometimes a fine line between confident and arrogance. Employers are looking for people with the confidence to deal with pressure but the professionalism to always be courteous.

It never fails!

Everyone knows that you're supposed to ask questions at job interviews, but just asking a dull, token question can do you more harm than good. Ask intelligent, probing questions of your interviewers - and don't just ask the question, get into a conversation with them. If you do this, your professionalism will ensure that you stand out from the crowd.

The words that you use are only a small part of the impact of your communications. How you move, gesture, your facial expressions and your voice quality can be even more important than what you say. These ‘non verbal’ communications send signals that other people unconsciously pick up on. So make sure that your voice and body language are sending the same message as your words.

Employers are looking for people who show commitment. They do not want clock – watchers. Demonstrate your commitment to give 100% to your new company. You may be aware of how motivated you are but it is essential that you communicate it, or your future employer may fail to realise what an amazing member of the team you could be.

Think of your interview as a form of sales presentation. You need to sell yourself. A good sales person gets results by meeting the needs of the person they are selling to. Your future employer also has needs. The more you can establish what those needs are and then show that you are the person to meet them, the more successful you will be.

If you don't know the answer to a question, admit it. Your interviewers are not looking for perfection – but they are looking for honesty.

This is one of the most important but overlooked elements of job hunting.
Employers crave people who are passionate. It’s the passionate people who will take the business to the next level, who will solve problems and emerge as the next generation of leaders. Whatever you do in your interview, be passionate!