Blog
How to Succeed at Interviews - Part 1
6th October 2016
This is the first part in a three-part series looking at how to succeed at interviews. At Lawrence Dean Recruitment we have helped thousands of candidates through this process enabling them to find temporary and permanent jobs in Hertfordshire. We are keen to share some advice with others through our blog that will help them to secure the right job.
Preparation
You have found yourself in a position where you have secured an interview. You may have been phoned or received a letter but the prospect of attending an interview can be frightening and make many people nervous. However there are something's you can do to control these feelings and using different techniques to prepare will ensure you feel ready and confident at the actual interview itself. A first-class candidate prepares to succeed and with a few carefully planned actions will leave nothing to chance.
There are some basics which can easily be forgotten. These include knowing the company name, address and importantly how to get there. Make sure if a companies has multiple location, you know the right address as some companies will have a number of locations in a town. Refresh yourself on the names of people doing the interview and the exact title of the job you're going for. Check through the documentation you received that you have all the required paperwork.
Preparation
You have found yourself in a position where you have secured an interview. You may have been phoned or received a letter but the prospect of attending an interview can be frightening and make many people nervous. However there are something's you can do to control these feelings and using different techniques to prepare will ensure you feel ready and confident at the actual interview itself. A first-class candidate prepares to succeed and with a few carefully planned actions will leave nothing to chance.
There are some basics which can easily be forgotten. These include knowing the company name, address and importantly how to get there. Make sure if a companies has multiple location, you know the right address as some companies will have a number of locations in a town. Refresh yourself on the names of people doing the interview and the exact title of the job you're going for. Check through the documentation you received that you have all the required paperwork.
Some companies will require you to complete application forms, others require you to bring ID or complete tests prior to arrival. Occasionally the company will confirm the length of an interview, if so this will give you valuable insight into the style of answer they are looking for. If it is a shorter answer the company may be looking for a more concise answer, however if the interview is longer it will likely be competency based. Ideally you would have examples in mind, however if needed it is acceptable to take a professional notepad in with you some questions written down and a few notes.
Double check you have a job description, preferably with the skill sets required so that you can make a closer examination of what could be asked of you. This will also help you to prepare relevant examples to discuss with the interviewer.
What is the time of the meeting? Is it during peak travel periods? If it is give yourself plenty of time, nothing creates a poorer first impression then arriving late. Allowing extra time will also help you cope with unexpected delays and give you just a bit more time to prepare before you going into the interview, ensuring you are calmer rather then flustered.
Do you need an employer to make specific arrangements, or any reasonable adjustments allowing for a disability? If you do contact them before your interview, make enquiries guaranteeing that the necessary arrangements can be made.
What additional research could you do that will help your preparation?
Visit the company's website. This is a really easy option and will provide you with lots of useful information about the employer. Go further and explore the company's social media pages and you may well find more current and relevant information. You can also sample a product or service supplied by the employer and therefore talk specifically about your experiences. Ask yourself who are the company's competitors, what are their prices and read some of the press releases. These are all things that are easy to access and follow-up. It would also be good to consider what difference you can make for your potentially employer, after all this is what the interviewer will be asking themselves.
Next week we'll be looking more closely at the types of question which you could be asked at the interview.
Lawrence Dean Recruitment Group website can be found here http://www.lawrencedeanrecruitment.co.uk/ We work in Hertfordshire and are based in Stevenage and one of the areas we specialize in is hr jobs in areas such as Hatfield, Welwyn and St Albans.
