Top 5 interview tips

Whether you like it or not, interviews are a necessary part of the recruitment process. You will be expected meet different stakeholders (some in person, others over the phone or video), and to answer an array of questions in the space of 45 minutes to an hour. During this short time, a decision will be made which could alter your career path and even your life!

However, there is an art to interviewing successfully, and here are 5 tips to help you get through your next interview unscathed:

1.    Nerves are normal 

Most people will feel nervous before and during the interview process, and this is perfectly normal. Experienced interviewers will likely expect some degree of nerves from interviewees, and it will not be held against you if some nervousness is displayed.

However, it will not be helpful if your nerves persist throughout the majority of the interview, affecting your ability to communicate.

I have received interview feedback multiple times where an interviewee started the interview poorly due to nervousness, but soon managed to compose themselves and rescue the remainder of the interview. The interviewers may have noticed the nerves, but the lasting positive impression was always that the interviewee was able to calm down and get into a rhythm, ending the interview well.

Treat the interview like a conversation between professionals, and remember that the person interviewing you also had to interview for their job once upon a time!

2.    Prepare 

We’ve all heard the old saying “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”, and this is very applicable to interviewing.

A good recruiter should help you in your preparation for an interview, but you will have to do your homework to avoid any embarrassment during the interview. For example;

(a)  Familiarise yourself with your interviewers by checking out their LinkedIn pages and online corporate bios.

(b) Research the company’s history and product offerings.

(c)  Update yourself with any relevant current affairs issues (such as regulatory changes, new legislation, mergers and acquisitions in your sector, and any other economic developments).

(d) Prepare for behavioural/HR type questions (e.g. Why are you looking to join us? Why shouldn’t we hire you? How would your colleagues describe you in 3 words? What motivates you? How do you manage conflict in the workplace? Etc).

3.    Always ask questions

A big misconception about interviews is that the interviewer should be the only one to ask questions. An interview should be a conversation, and by the end of it you should be able to walk away feeling informed.

The best time to ask a question during an interview is typically…during the interview! If the interview is flowing well, you may decide to ask questions in the middle of the interview when it feels appropriate. If the interview feels more structured and formulaic, you may wish to wait until the managers have finished asking all of their questions before you ask yours.

4.    Presentation is key

First impressions can make or break an interview. Walking into an interview a bit worse for wear after the night before won’t help – no matter how well you answer questions.

 Simply, get enough sleep beforehand, dress appropriately and everything should be fine.

5.    Short, Sharp, Clear & Concise

One of the hardest parts of any interview is remaining consistently focussed on what you are saying and how you are saying it, whilst also keeping the interviewer(s) engaged.

Ideally your answers should be short, sharp, clear and concise. This doesn’t mean you should sound like a robot, but verbal efficiency and clarity will never fail you.

This is something you could practice before the interview (you may even try recording yourself answering some mock questions). But ultimately, it will come down to common sense. The words coming out of your mouth should all contribute to directly answering the question. Anything else is wastage.  

Hopefully these tips have been useful, and good luck with your next interview!

Matt Marshall is a Director and founder of Greysilver, a recruitment consultancy specialising in providing staffing solutions within the banking & insurance sectors.

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