How to nail your next interview
Prepare to share
Aside from sharing your weekend plans with colleagues, an interview is probably the time you’ll be asked the most questions about yourself – personally and professionally – in a work environment. Be prepared to be share the reasons why you’re interested in this role, why you’re leaving your current position and where you hope to take your career. If you have employment gaps – own them! Let the interviewer know how the year you spent travelling focussed your goals, how the time you took off to take care of a family member honed your skills and knowledge or the period you spent learning to line dance scratched an itch and now your mind is reset and you’re ready to get back to hard work. And don’t forget – an interview is your time to ask your potential new company questions too, so use this opportunity to get to the heart of why they do what they do, and how that can be beneficial for both parties.
Join the club
As soon as you find the job you’re interested in, get to know the company better by reading through their website, attending an event or webinar, following their social media channels or subscribing to their newsletter. This means that by the time you meet the hiring team, you have knowledge of their style, tone of voice, the type of events they run, and how, what and when they communicate with their audience. An interview isn’t a quiz on how well you know the company so don’t memorise their About Us page - but knowing enough about their recent work to hold a conversation and offer your own take will help you to stand out.
Know your why
If your career has been spent in the private sector and you’re applying for a role in the public or third sector, be prepared to be asked why. If you’re passionate about a role in this new space, make this clear to your interviewee through your cover letter or personal statement, and in person. If you don’t share the reasons why you’re making the leap to a new sector, level, field – or even town, city or country – they can’t read your mind and won’t understand why although on paper you may not be right, in practice you’re their perfect hire.
Take control – but take care
Make yourself memorable by following up your interview with an email to thank them for their time, or to ask or answer any questions around next steps. This allows you to feel in control of the process and leaves the conversation open for continuation. But also be careful not to pin all of your hopes on getting the job after the first interview. Finding a role that captures your imagination and making the decision to leave the company you’re with can lead to a heady mix of emotions, so make sure to manage your expectations – and emotions – for every outcome.
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