Job Interview Tips 1—Interview Preparation

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There is no such thing as a rehearsal interview—the first time you meet your potential employer will be the last if you don't make the cut. The job interview is your one and only opportunity to demonstrate your true worth as a intelligent and articulate candidate. The goal of this guide is to ensure that you make the most of it.

Job interview practices can differ substantially from one organisation to another—some of which favour a laid back and informal attitude, whilst others may make a point of standing on formal ceremony. What all of these assessments have in common, however, is a need for:

  Organisational research;
  Interviewer profiling;
  Appropriate dress;
  Question response preparation;
  Familiarity with typical questions;
  Interview etiquette.

There is no such thing as a rehearsal interview—the first time you meet your potential employer will be the last if you don't make the cut. The job interview is your one and only opportunity to demonstrate your true worth as a knowledgeable, intelligent, articulate candidate. The goal of this guide is to ensure you make the most of it.

Preparing for an Interview—Research and Conquer

When preparing for an interview, you will need to carry out two types of research: the first one is organisational research, where you evaluate your target employer, and the second is interviewer profiling, which simply means learning as much as you can about the person (or people) you will face on the day.

Bearing in mind the large amount of information the employer possesses about you, gleaned from your curriculum vitae and cover letter, it makes sense to even the odds with some in-depth research on them.

Organisational Research

The organisation's official website should be your first port of call when conducting pre-interview research. This is the best place to familiarise yourself with its philosophical ethos (which will clue you up as to whether it fosters a relatively formal or informal atmosphere) recent events, and most influential players.

Outside of the website, whose content will be largely promotional, conduct further research with a popular search engine, such as Google, to guage the opinions of others regarding the subject of your scrutiny.

Commit your research results to a notepad or journal that you can take to the interview. Not only will you have discussion topics to hand in the event of an uncomfortable silence, but you will also look impressively prepared and professional in the eyes of your interviewer. One word of advice, however: Don't write anything down that you wouldn't want to be read. If you do, and it is, your chances of success will evaporate.

Similarly, it is vital to exercise caution when making statements about the organisation during your conversation with the interviewer. It's a great idea to put your research to work, but if what you say is incorrect, you run the risk of seeming ill-informed at best and, at worst, utterly incompetent.

Interviewer Profiling

With the organisational research now out of the way, you should next move on to profiling the interviewer. This may be the director, HR manager, or (in some cases) the person vacating the position you are applying for.

At a minimum, you will need to discover:

  The job title and duties of the interviewer;
  How to pronounce and spell their name;
  Their personal interests outside of work.

For the title, duties, name spelling and interests, revisit the organisation's website. For the pronunciation of their name, telephone the receptionist, or speak to the person who set you up with the interview.

Compiling Your Research Results

Your research is complete—congratulations! The final step is for you to put everything you've learned together.

To do this, just list the high points of your background studies on a single page in your notebook or journal, and
then mark that sheet so you can find it again quickly. On the morning of the interview, whilst you're waiting for the ordeal to begin (and straining to look nonchalant about it), pull out your notebook and review your research.

When your name is called, close your notebook, put down the cup of tea you accepted from the receptionist but were far too nervous to drink, take a deep breath, and step forwards with a renewed feeling of confidence. You are more prepared than any other candidate—a fact that the interviewer cannot fail to notice.

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