Preparing for an interview

How to prepare for an interview

An interview is a conversation between you and the employer to see if you are the right fit for the job. They are usually conducted face to face but can also be over the phone, via video call, or at an assessment centre.

How you perform in an interview will depend on how well you prepare; before your interview, you should:

- Reread the job description to understand what skills and experience the employer is looking for; you should be able to explain the role, why you want it and why you are a good match.
- Research the company: look through their website and LinkedIn to understand what the company does, what projects they’ve been working on, what their culture and values are, etc, to show that you have a genuine interest.
- Think about how you’d answer the interview questions and prepare some questions to ask the interviewer.
- Make sure you plan how you will get to the interview 5-10 minutes before if it’s face to face, or make sure you have the correct equipment if via video call.
- Get a good nights sleep before the interview and eat a healthy breakfast.

What to wear and take with you

What you should wear will depend on the company; a small creative company will have different dress standards than a large business firm. It’s better to dress too formally than too casually, but if you are unsure, you can ask the company before the interview.

If you cannot afford to get any appropriate clothing for an interview and do not own anything suitable, there are sites such as Smart Works that will help you, make sure that you do not leave it too late to get support.

For the interview and journey, it is recommended to bring:

A pen and notebook
Your CV and interview invitation
Your academic certificates and work examples, if requested
Photo ID
Breath mints or gum
A bottle of water
Money for transport and food
Anything else mentioned in the invite

What happens during an interview

Usually, the interview will start with the interviewer(s) introducing themselves and explaining the role. They may tell you the structure of the following interview or the types of questions they will ask. During the interview, you will be asked questions related to you and the role. You can answer most of these questions using the STAR method:

- Situation – the situation you had to deal with
- Task – the task you were given to do
- Action – the action you took
- Result – what happened as a result of your action and what you learned from the experience

Remember also to ask the interviewer(s) the questions you prepared, and at the end of the interview, thank them for their time and ask when you can expect to hear back from them.