Turning an Interview Into an Offer

Preparing for your interview can feel overwhelming; however, the more prepared you are, the more confident and comfortable you will feel in the interview.  Here are a few things you can prepare for before even getting to the interview:

Route:

Determine the fastest route to the interview beforehand, just in case there’s roadworks or traffic, so you can plan accordingly.

Phone:

Bring your phone into the interview but ensure it’s off or on silent; the last thing you want to do is interrupt the interview.

Rest:

Sleep well the night before. Ensure you gain proper amounts of rest before your interview. Doing so ensures that you are more aware and more alert when answering questions.

Mental Preparation:

Prepare for different types of interviews. Do you need to prepare any notes or a presentation for the interview? Is it a formal interview with lots of questions or a more easy-going culture fit interview?

Ensuring you are prepared, comfortable and confident will help you stand out from the talent pool.

Consider your answers to a set of commonly asked questions, this can help you feel more prepared and confident. Even though you can’t guarantee the exact questions they will ask, you can think about commonly asked questions in an interview and prepare for them. Some of these may include:

• “What are your main strengths?” – Think about what you’ve learned in previous roles and how those skills will act as strengths in your future role.

• “Why do you want this job?” – Use this to be positive about your past roles and that you are looking for a new challenge. This is also a way to show your enthusiasm about the company you’re applying for.

• “Why do you want to leave your current position?” – Like the answer above, be positive about your current role, even if it isn’t, and explain your eagerness to learn more and work on your skillset in a new environment.

• “What are your weaknesses?” – You may feel hesitant answering questions about weaknesses, but focus on a minor area for improvement and frame it as you are actively working on and committed to developing further. Employers will respect your honesty.

• “Tell me about yourself” – This question isn’t to ask about your upbringing and family life, but to get a personal glimpse into your professional journey and what has led you to interview for the position.

• “Recall a time when you….” – These questions can put you on the spot, so prepare some examples that highlight your key skills. This may be a situation when you’ve had to work quickly or had something go differently than you anticipated. Having these ready shows that you’re prepared and adaptable. When answering, use the STAR (link to Indeed page about this) method to structure your response clearly and effectively.

Remember, no one else can represent your skills and experience as you can, so make sure you demonstrate why you’re a strong fit for the role. Whilst maintaining a professional approach is essential, it’s equally important to be yourself. Letting some of your personality show can help you and the interviewers feel at ease and give them a sense of what it would be like to work with you.

Honesty is also key in an interview. Interviewers value genuine responses, whilst it’s important to remain positive, you can frame challenges or setbacks as learning experiences. Avoid exaggerating or misrepresenting your skills or experience may become apparent later on and cause issues. Being honest even when you don’t know something demonstrates integrity and willingness to learn, which employers will appreciate.

Need any more tips? Look through our Blog page and find the answers to what to say and not what to say, how to answer tricky questions and more.

If you’re feeling unprepared for your interview and need any more pointers or advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of recruitment experts and you’ll soon be turning that interview into a job offer.