Lindsey's Interview Preparation

Interview Advice

• Please dress smartly to your interview. First impressions count and you are expected to attend an interview in a suit, even if it is for a Car Mechanic job!

Trouser or skirt suits are acceptable, with a plain shirt and polished shoes. You need to look the part!

• Always arrive at least 10minutes early to an interview. You want to show that you are punctual and reliable.

• Be confident and smile and when you shake the hand of your interviewer, make sure it is a firm handshake – not bone crushing, just firm and assertive.

• Keep eye contact throughout the interview, show your feelings through facial expressions.

• Always try to use relevant examples for questions asked. If possible, use an example from your previous work history, if not, then from your past/present (as long as it is relevant)

• Prepare a few questions that you would like to ask the interviewer. See following sheet for examples. It shows that you have prepared for your interview and that you are keen to find out more about them.

• Research the company. Most of the larger companies are on the internet. Try and find out the following:

• Company history – how they started etc
• What have the company achieved
• What are the company aims / targets
• What do the company actually do?!!!!!!
• What is the company’s mission statement

• At the end of your interview thank the interviewer for their time, firm handshake and enquire as to when you will find out whether or not you have been successful. Show enthusiasm for the position:

E.g. Thank you very much for taking the time to see me today, I am very interested in the position, when do you think that I will find out whether or not I have been successful?

Interview Example Questions

• What are your strengths?

(Organisation, reliability, punctuality, determination to get a job done, accuracy, time-management, computer literacy, loyalty, communication skills (verbal, written – face-face, phone competency, IT skills etc)

Choose skills that are relevant to you and always give an example e.g. communication skills – I am able to communicate with people of all age groups, from any background etc, and can adapt to the individual in order to get a message across or understand their needs. In my last job…….

• What are your weaknesses?

(IT skills, specific skills for specific roles, confidence, phone manner, communication etc)

Decide on what areas you would like to improve on or something you would like to learn. Always try and turn the question into a strength though e.g. although I wouldn’t consider it to be a weakness, I do feel that I could improve on my IT skills, especially excel. I have used my IT skills through my working and educational history however is always room for improvement. I am very keen to learn as you can see by my grades/extra courses taken etc.