Every interview is a valuable learning experience and to be successful you need to prepare.
Here are some areas to think about:
1. The company:
Do your homework, research the company, what are their values, culture, financial position, their products, history, staff, and management.
Use their website, social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. The more you know about the company, the more able you will be to provide relevant answers to questions and also ask relevant questions at the end of the interview.
Keep this relevant about the role you are applying for.
Get to know your interview panel, their names, job titles, understand who you are interviewing with.
2. Position Description:
Read the PD thoroughly understand it and pick out the key competencies and consider how your skills and experience match what the company’s looking for?
If you haven’t been provided with a position description, contact the company or recruitment agency and ask for one.
3. Your CV / Cover Letter:
Review your CV and Cover Letter alongside the position description and ensure if you have the same language and keywords in your CV/CL.
What experience can you provide that is relevant to the job?
Be informative but concise.
Secure your references and have these sorted before your interview.
4. What to wear:
Look the part – neat, pressed, and professional.
Plan what you’ll wear a few days ahead of time, factor in the weather; coat/jacket, umbrella etc. If you’re unsure of how smart to dress, it’s always better to dress “up” rather than down as first impressions do count.
5. What to take:
Less is better!! A portfolio (or iPad with examples of your work if it's a digital/media-related job you've applied for) and a hard copy of your CV, plus a notepad is fine. You may also want to have your referee details on a separate sheet of paper in case you're asked for these at the end of the interview.
6. Timing:
Leave yourself plenty of time so that you don’t arrive stressed as well as nervous and aim to enter the company’s building 10mins ahead of your interview.
Finally, this is your time to shine, ‘sell yourself’, why you?
Be polite, make eye contact and smile.