CANDIDATES
Preparing for an Interview
Preparation is key for any interview process
Whether you have had loads of interviews or this is your first one, every business is different and it’s really important to go in to an interview confident that you have done your research. Here are some tips to ensure you thoroughly prepare yourself for future interviews.
Career Advice
Research, Research, Research
Learn everything you possibly can about the company. Don’t rely on them to brief you in the interview, the interviewers want to hear that you have thoroughly researched their business from their size, their brand, their ethos through to their geographical footprint, their results and their people. Check the news and social media for any changes or developments within the business, look at online reviews of the company on websites such as Glass Door. Research the interviewers on LinkedIn or the internet so that you know their level, career history, qualifications and experience. It's also worth researching the industry, the sector or the skill set as this could be a discussion topic for the interview. For example a change in legislation or rules.
Questions
Prepare a handful of questions to ask the interviewers in the interview. It’s likely than many of your questions will be answered throughout the interview. Typically at the end of the interview the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions and by asking questions, it shows you are engaged an interested in the opportunity. Typical questions can be around the business, the job, training, how you performed in the interview, the company vision and progression prospects, to name a few.
Attire
Prepare a relevant outfit and don’t dress too causally. Here at TPF Recruitment we know our clients inside out and can advise you on the culture and approach of each individual business. As a rule of thumb we feel that you can never be over dressed.
​
Location
Test the journey, look at various different routes and transport options to make sure you are comfortable with the journey and can give the interviewer's assurance that you have done your due diligence.
Practise
Do as many practise interviews are you can. Run through the interview, potential answers and your prepared questions with your friends, family or even in a mirror. Typically you will be interviewed in one of three ways; a personality interview, a technical interview or a competency based interview. As part of your practice, it’s important to refer back to the job description to remind yourself of their expectations and to run through your CV to make sure you can remember your job history as well as any gaps in your employment history.