Interview Tips

Coby Philips – helping you reach your potential

Interview Tips

Be Punctual

There is no excuse for being late to an interview. Know where you are going, how long it will take to get there and add a reasonable amount of time to account for delays. Aim to be at least 10 minutes early and if you don’t know where you are going, do a practice run beforehand. It is also handy to take an A-Z along with you.

Preparation

• Have you familiarised yourself with the job specification?
• Have you researched the company, looked at their website and know what they specialise in?
• Knowing a bit about the company, have you thought about how you can benefit the organisation?
• Can you predict what sort of questions you will be asked?

Create a good first impression

• Always wear a suit to an interview unless told otherwise.
• Look clean and fresh!
• Remember, ‘first impressions count’. Most interviewers will make up their minds about you in the first 10 minutes.

Selling yourself

• Be confident and friendly.
• Speak correctly avoiding slang and colloquialism.
• When answering questions, look for opportunities to express your strengths.
• Ask questions to gather more information about the company, making it easier to align your attributes to fit the role and company culture.
• Always believe in yourself!

Questions you might be asked in the interview

• What do you know about our organisation?
• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses? (Always try to convert a weakness to a strength)
• Why did you choose that particular qualification?
• What was it that interested you about the position?
• What problems did you have to face within your previous positions and how did you overcome them?
• How do you spend your evenings or weekends?
• Why should we offer you the position?
• What are your long term goals?
• Why are you looking to leave your current position?
• Why do you want this position?
• Do you have any questions?

Questions you might want to ask

• Can you expand on a certain area of the job description?
• How many people are in the team?
• What benefits do you offer?
• Why has this position become available?
• Are you planning to grow and how?
• Please discuss your company culture.