How to achieve interview success
- Timothy Cox
- Jun 5, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 11, 2023
Having a great CV which secures you an interview is only 50% of the jigsaw and you still need to successfully navigate a multistage interview process to actually get your dream job.
In my career, I have interviewed thousands of people and I have seen countless great candidates being passed over because they do not perform well at interview. Most of us do not particularly enjoy being interviewed and very few people are actually ‘naturals’. However, even if you are not one of the fortunate few, you can still land the job by being well prepared and by knowing how to leave a good impression on the key decision makers.
So, what should you be thinking about to make sure you give yourself the best chance of landing the next step in your career.
General Preparation
The importance of preparation cannot be overstated. Not only will it help you to perform but it will also boost your confidence.
There are four main pieces of research you need to do in advance of your interview to make sure you are fully prepared:
The company
Visit the corporate website and social media. Make sure you understand what the company does, where they do it and what their future plans may be. Check the news page to see what is a priority for the firm and also check any external news channels so see if there is anything else of interest out there.
The job
Read the job description. If the job has come to you through a headhunter, then ask them about the role and what the main duties and responsibilities will be. Job descriptions can be pretty dry and dull; however, try to read between the lines to work out what the key competencies are that the employer wants to see.
The interviewers
Find the interviewers on LinkedIn to learn more about their background and experience. Google them so see if they have media appearances online or have published any articles or thought pieces. Ask the recruiter for any tips about the interviewer and what to expect in terms of questioning.
The key here is that you are really looking for any information which you can use in your interview to establish rapport and to demonstrate that you are prepared.
Your CV
This sounds stupid but a lot of people don’t read their own CVs before an interview! Make sure you don’t make that mistake and that you know exactly how you have presented yourself – it would be foolish to say something in the interview which contradicts your CV.
The Interview Questions
Of course, you never know what you are going to be asked in an interview, but you can certainly make an educated guess and there are certain types of questions which you can practice in advance and for which you can fully prepare. You should be thinking about the following key points:
Your own agenda
You are not asking the questions, but you want to make sure you get your own strengths and achievements across in the interview. Look at the job description and identify the key four or five competencies which you think the employer is seeking. Make sure you are not only prepared to answer questions on these points, but also think about how you might introduce some of these points into other answers in case the interviewer doesn’t ask the question specifically. Always have real examples to back up your answers.
Technical skills
You will have a good idea of the sort of technical skills you may need to perform the job. Be prepared to answer questions about your grasp of them with real examples and ensure that your knowledge of any new innovations is up to date.
Competency based questions
These questions work on the principle that your past behaviour is a good guide to your future performance. They are designed to test specific competencies such as adaptability, commercial awareness, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork or problem solving. Competency questions often start with phrases such as ‘Tell me about a time when you…', 'Please give me an example of…' or 'Describe how you…'. The best way to respond to these questions is to tell a story describing the situation or task you were confronted with, then discussing the action you took to resolve this, followed finally by the result. These are known as STAR answers and are the established method to reply to competency questions.
Common interview questions
You should be able to answer the following questions which are very, very common in interviews: ‘Tell me a little bit about yourself…’, ‘What interests you about our company?’, ‘Why are you interested in this specific role?’, ‘What is your greatest weakness?’, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?’, ‘What are your biggest strengths?’, ‘Why are you leaving your current job?’.
Lots of people ‘wing’ their interview preparation or give it minimal attention so if you take the time to work on the above points, you will already be ahead of many of your competitors.
Leave a good impression
Almost certainly, the last thing that will happen in your interview is that the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. This is your number one golden opportunity to ask something smart and to leave a great final impression as you leave the room, so you need to be prepared with at least two questions to ask.
Use your pre interview preparation
Identify areas of priority for the firm and introduce your knowledge of this at this stage. For example, if you know that the firm is focusing on growth in the Emerging Markets, then consider asking something like ‘How will the firm’s expansion into Latin America impact this role?’
Polish the interviewer’s ego
Ask the interviewer why they joined the firm or what they enjoy about working for the business. Give them the chance to talk about themselves and tell you how amazing they are!
Turn the tables
You may well be asked where you see yourself in five years’ time so why not turn the tables and ask, ‘how do you think this role will develop over the next five years?’ or ‘how do you think the company will change in the next five years?’.
Finally, thank the interviewer for their time, shake their hand and leave with the satisfaction that you have performed at your very best and given yourself the best chance of success!
