Do’s
- Ask questions
- Asking questions will show your interest in the job and it will also keep the conversation flowing throughout the interview which is invaluable. You will have time to ask questions at the end of the interview which is important but as you are talking throughout the interview don’t forget to ask questions then too when appropriate.
- Use the interview to work out if the job is for you
- This is where asking questions come into play. It will give you the chance to work out if you really want the job and if the company and team are a good fit for your next move. It’s important to get a feel for how the interviewers react to your questions and the answers they give. It will tell you a lot if they are a fit for you.
- Dress well for the interview
- Businesses are becoming more casual but this doesn’t mean you should show up to an interview in casual clothes (this goes for online interviews too). You don’t need to wear a full suit or high heels, unless that is the dress attire of the company. For all other interviews business casual is important for interviews – avoid jeans, hoodies, etc.
- Show entheusium
- Interviewers do not want to have to drag information out of you. If they ask you a question, it will be expected you will expand on your answer rather than giving one or two word answers. Keeping the conversation going is important and if it becomes stop-start with questions and short answers, the interview will not flow well and there’s a strong chance it will be cut short.
Don’ts
- Don’t arrive too early or late
- Arriving late is an obvious don’t but not arriving too early is also important to note. It can show poor time keeping skills, and can be disruptive to the business when you aren’t expected at that time. Arriving approx. 10 minutes before the interview is the ideal time and allows the team to welcome you and show you to the interview room without rushing.
- Don’t badmouth past employers or colleagues
- It can easy to get comfortable and carried away, but talking poorly about past employers and colleagues will reflect badly on you and give an impression of a bad attitude. Keep things positive and talk about what you learned.
- Don’t oversell or undersell yourself
- Be prepared and ready for questions about your past experience. Keep a few key projects in mind and be confident in your answers. Don’t embellish on what you have done, it will be found out once they start digging with more questions. But don’t undersell yourself either, being prepared is key here.
- Don’t go unprepared
- Research the company and research the role. The more you can compare your past to what they are looking for, the better you will come across. If you can’t answer questions about the company or you can’t make any comparisons, you will be ruled out.
