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How to: Prepare for interviews

Well done for securing an interview! This means the employer liked what they saw on your CV and application. The interview is your chance to impress them further and secure the job. Job interviews can be scary, but don’t let nerves get the better of you. By preparing well, you’ll have lots to talk about and it helps boost your confidence.

Find out how to prepare for a job interview and impress employers with your answers.

Do research

Make sure you know what you’re talking about in the interview. Here are three areas you should read up on before the interview.

1. The company

Read the company’s website, search for stories in the press and look at their social media to make sure you know what they do. Familiarising yourself with their latest strategy is another good way to equip yourself with knowledge of the company’s plans and can help you to build genuine excitement about the role you might play. It can also be helpful to know who their main competitors are and the market they’re in. Knowing the state of the market means you can answer questions about the future of the industry or your ambitions.

If you know who will be interviewing you, reading their bio on the company website or their LinkedIn profile can also be useful. Knowing their background and interests can help you feel more comfortable or find questions to ask in the interview.

2. The job

Make sure you know what’s in the job advert and find examples of what you’ve done that fits the description. Basically, you’re trying to prove that you have the experience to do the tasks listed in the advert and think about some of the examples you hold for the key skills required. The STAR method is a great way to structure examples. You can also ask parents or friends to give you ideas of what your strengths are.

3. Yourself

The interviewers will base their questions on what your CV and application says, so make sure you remember what you wrote. When they ask you questions about your past, you should be confident about what you did. You should also know how to apply your skills to the job you’re applying for. Some interviewers want you to prepare a task or do a test. Make sure you understand what they expect from you and ask if anything is unclear.

Make a good impression

Knowing your stuff is important, but so is the way you behave and look. Here’s how to impress interviewers with more than just your answers.

1. Be on time

Nothing starts an interview off worse than poor timekeeping. So, make sure you arrive early, even if it means sitting in a cafe across the street for half an hour. Turning up late is disrespectful and shows that you can’t organise your time.

If your interview is online, being on time and organised is just as important. Ahead of the interview make sure you have the relevant software downloaded, e.g. Teams, Zoom, etc and test your audio and video before the interview to avoid any technical glitches on the day.

2. Dress appropriately

Make an effort to look smart and presentable. The job you’re interviewing for might have a uniform or a casual dress code, but looking smart shows respect for the people you’re meeting. Remember: one day the employer may have to present you to clients – they want to know you’ll be ready for that.

3. Be yourself

You want to work for a company that fits your personality, so show them who you are. If you work somewhere you don’t fit in, you’ll be unhappy. Feel free to ask them what the culture is like – it shows that you’re thinking about all aspects of the job.

4. Be enthusiastic

Even if this is the tenth job interview you’ve had and you’re starting to feel a little drained, don’t show it. Instead tell them how great the job sounds, how keen you are to work for them, and how useful your past experience has been. People want to hire someone with a positive attitude – which you can show from your DofE that you have! Remember to smile, it’ll relax you and the person interviewing you.

5. Be discreet

If they ask about your past employer, be positive and do not reveal anything confidential. Talking badly about past employers signals you might do it again or that you’re unreliable. Keep to generalisations and focus on the positives.

6. Listen carefully to the interviewer

Don’t rush into an answer to make yourself sound good, you could end up stumbling over your words and not making the point you wanted. Taking time to gather your thoughts before answering is ok! Remember you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you; you need to hear more about the job and the company to decide if it’s a place you want to work.

7. Ask questions

At the end of every interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions for them. Make sure you have prepared five and ask two, in case the two questions you’re planning to ask have already been covered. Asking questions after the interviews shows you’re interested in the job and want to know more. It could be what a normal day looks like, what the office culture is like or what the interviewer’s favourite part of their job is. If the salary was not in the job advert, you can ask about it in a tactful way. You don’t want the interviewer to think you’re only after money.

Common interview questions

Interviewers want to find out if you have the right skills for the job and if you’ll fit into the company culture. Often, they’ll use similar questions each time, so it’s a good idea to draft out your answers to these beforehand.

1. “Tell me about yourself”

Give a summary of your background, experience and skills. Be sure to tailor your response so you show skills that are relevant to the job you’re interviewing for.

2. “Why have you applied for this role/to this company?”

Concentrate on how this role or company fits in with your career aspirations. The research you’ve done will be useful here. Show that you have knowledge of the company and the industry. If they have a reputation as a good place to work, mention it.

3. “What are your strengths?”

Explain what qualifications and work experience you have and how they relate to the job. You should also mention skills that you’ve learnt through your extra-curricular activities, such as your DofE. The skills you get from doing your DofE are attractive to employers, so showcase them here.

4. “What are your weaknesses?”

The question dreaded even by the most experienced worker. Don’t be tempted to say, “I’m a perfectionist”. Instead, think about a weakness that’s irrelevant to the role, or a weakness you’ve taken active steps to overcome.

5. “Tell me about a difficult situation you’ve managed”

The purpose of this question is to find out how you problem solve. It comes up in a lot of interviews, so prepare your answer beforehand. Your DofE will no doubt be an excellent example for over-coming problems. For example, during your expedition you may have had to resolve problems within the team or around your route or equipment in a pressured and unfamiliar environment without your Leader’s help.

Begin by explaining the situation, the options that were open to you and the action you took. Always mention what the outcome was – they want to see how you managed the situation. Make sure to highlight the skills you used to solve the situation.

6. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Some people have a plan, others don’t. It’s ok not to have a plan, but it’s always good to have direction. If you don’t have a career path planned out, concentrate on the things you hope to learn. This tactic demonstrates your willingness to pursue new challenges. If the job is one you really want, focus on the goals that surround it.

7. “What are you most proud of?”

This may come up early in your career and it’s your opportunity to shine. There will be an achievement that you’ll always hold dear. Completing your DofE Award is a great example – it’s a huge accomplishment and one employers’ rate. Or it may be an achievement from a professional situation, an academic qualification or a personal one. When you tell them about it, don’t just explain the situation. Tell them what you gained from it and try to fit this to the job description.

8. “Tell me about a situation where you worked as part of a team”

This can be a tough question to answer, but your DofE will have given you the opportunity to work within a team. Being a team player shows you’re committed to working well with others to achieve common objectives. You’re also prepared to share responsibility when things go well and when things are tough, and willing to co-operate on projects. Make sure you show these things through your answer.

9. “How would your friends/past managers describe you?”

Be honest. They’re looking for a candidate who fits in the company culture. If that’s not you, then you’re not right for the company and they’re not right for you. Being honest does not mean you have to tell them everything, though. Focus on the positives and try to include adjectives from the job description.