Preparing for Your Face to Face Interview
Dress to impress
There has been a dramatic shift in recent years and particularly with an increase in hybrid working to a more ‘casual’ attitude to work attire. Whilst some industries and businesses are now taking a more relaxed attitude, it’s still important to wear suitable interview attire. First impressions count! It also indicates you are taking the opportunity seriously and demonstrates how you could be a brand ambassador for the business, especially within a client facing role. If you’re unsure on what to aim for, business casual is a good standard.
Plan your route
It sounds simple, but not allowing yourself enough time to get to your interview is an easy mistake to make and can be incredibly stressful if you find yourself running late. You need to allow for additional time beyond just your travel time, if arriving by car you need to allow extra time for traffic, finding a parking space and walking to the interview location. Check you have enough fuel the day before so you don’t have to waste time filling up the tank! Similarly if you are travelling via public transport, delays happen, so plan ahead and catch the earlier bus or train to give yourself plenty of time.
It’s always better to be a little early as you can utilise this time to grab a coffee and do some final preparation. Aim to turn up 10 minutes before your interview, this is generally considered acceptable.
Prepare
Preparation is key, research the business, the opportunity and how your experience and achievements align with this, the industry, who you’re meeting, core competencies needed for this role, and importantly a list of questions to ask.
You will want to demonstrate you have an understanding of the role and competency profile and how you can help the business to meet its goals. By preparing in advance for expected questions your conversation will flow naturally without you searching around for a scripted answer, or searching the depths of your memory banks for a suitable example to share.
Authenticity and body language
The interview process is for both sides to assess if there is a suitable fit between both parties which goes beyond experience and capabilities. It’s also about cultural fit, do your visions and values align, and do you share a common goal. Therefore it’s important to establish and build rapport and utilise body language and facial expressions that indicate confidence and your personality. You are trying to demonstrate why you’re the best person for the job and great fit for their team, good eye contact, a smile and taking a poised moment when answering questions and allowing the communication to flow.
Follow up
After your interview, plan to send a well-timed follow up thanking them for their time. Liaise with the representative who is running the recruitment process to give your feedback and gain employer feedback.
And of course, be prepared for competency based interview questions, check out our guide here - Preparing for Competency Interview Questions