Irrelevant of whether you are an experienced interviewee or brand new to the job search, proper preparation is essential if you want to have a successful interview. Take a look through our top tips to help you prepare effectively for your next interview:

The week before

Research the company

Interviewers will expect you to have an understanding of what the company does. Things you should consider include; the size of the company; who their customers are; who their main competitors are and how they compare; plus any recent developments or plans within the company.

Using all of this, you’ll be able to add value to the conversation and show that you have a genuine interest in joining this company.

Read the job description

When it comes to interviews, the job description is going to be your best friend. Not only will the duties and requirements help you to understand more about the role, it will also let you know exactly what attributes the employer wants for this role.

Match up your CV with the job description, so that when you answer questions, you can tailor your answers to demonstrate how you are the best person for the position.

Make notes

Unfortunately, you don’t know exactly what your interviewer will ask you. However, if you prepare a list of relevant skills, attributes and experience and how these relate to the role, you can use the questions you are asked to provide the interviewer with more of this information.

This way, you don’t have to memorise everything or rely on certain questions being asked. You can add to these notes throughout the week as and when you think of things you would like to highlight.

The day before the interview

Although you may have completed the majority of your preparation and just be reviewing, there are still things you can do to ensure a smooth interview day.

Here are a few things to do:

• Pick out your outfit – make sure it is clean and fits so there are no surprises on the day!
• Check where you are going, how you are getting there and how long it will take.
• For virtual interviews, make sure you have downloaded any software you need (e.g., Zoom, Teams), make a test call and get familiar with where everything is.
• Collate useful/important information (e.g., CV, portfolio, notes, examples of your work etc.)
• Review your research and personal notes

This will mean you know you are ready to go and your interviewer will be able to see you are physically prepared when you arrive. Even if you don’t think you need examples of your work, they may end up being helpful when trying to demonstrate an answer.

The day of the interview

By this point, you should feel fairly well prepared. All you need to do is show up and put your preparation into play. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your interview – and if you’re going to be late, let your interviewer know as soon as possible. For virtual interviews, make sure your device is charged and ready well before your interview and set up in an appropriate workspace (you don’t want to be interrupted by a family member or have anything inappropriate in the background!). Have your call log-in details or link easy to access.

We hope this guide was helpful, but if you have any other questions please feel free to call in and speak to one of our friendly recruitment consultants who can give you additional help with your interview preparation.

Written by

Izzy Mackenzie

I started in marketing over 4 years ago, joining Mainstay at the beginning of 2022 as their Digital Marketing Manager and now as their Marketing Manager.

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