How to: make the most of your interview

Have you been to interview after interview being rejected and not really coming away with anything from the experience? This can leave you feeling deflated, so we have complied a few pointers to stop this from happening. By learning from your mistakes, you can often leave the interview feeling as if you have gained something even if you aren’t successful.

By getting the basics right you may find that an interview can go in your favour. It is essential to arrive on time, dress smartly and be positive and professional. These will lay down good foundations for the interview. Not showing proper interview etiquette can lead the interviewer to believe you aren’t serious about the role.

No two interviews are the same so be prepared for change, the most common interviewers are Directors, HR managers, line managers and all of their interview styles will be different. Try and find out who will be interviewing you beforehand to get a feel for what the interview is likely to be like. One of the best ways to make the most of your interview is to ask a lot of questions as you can find out if you are suited to the role. Remember the interviewer is just trying to find out if you will suit the role and the company culture. With this in mind you should use your interview to find out if you really want the role and find out things which aren’t on the job specification. By doing this you can really get to know what the company culture is like, to see if you would fit in.

Ensure you have fully researched the company, the role and have read the job specification in depth. Having an understanding of what the company are looking for and expecting will allow you to come fully prepared with examples of how you can demonstrate this. This will take the pressure off in the interview and will allow you to ask questions you want to know about the role in order to see if it is good for you.

The follow up to an interview is an important stage so make sure you clarify when you should hear by and when it’s over thank them and ask about what next steps to take. Ask to connect on LinkedIn and do that if they agree.

Ensure you are getting feedback from each interview, finding out what went well and what didn’t is essential for making the most of your interview. Once they give you an answer you can ask for feedback, especially if you are unsuccessful this is great information to have.