Preparing for an interview is a fulltime job in itself. Doing it well takes many hours & includes lots of detailed steps:
- Understanding the role
- Researching the organisation
- Being well informed and up to date on the industry or professional field
- Writing an accurate and relevant CV & statement or cover letter
- Ensuring you meet the competencies in what you write
- Proof reading and careful editing to ensure there are no errors of spelling or grammar
- Checking your social media entries reflect the image you want for the role
- Knowing the format of the interview & who the panel will be
- Deciding what questions you might be asked
- Determining the best evidence to prove your competencies
- Practising for the interview
- Getting feedback on content, delivery & confidence
- Preparing your presentation and visual aids well in advance
- Checking the venue location, how long it takes to get there &, if feasible, visiting in advance to be sure where it is and the journey time involved.
Get ready the night before…. at least
There are also many practical things to think about and how important it is to prepare these at the latest the day before and not leave anything to the morning of the day of the interview, with resultant crisis management: “Where did I put my phone?” and “Now I can’t even find my glasses to find my phone!”
Have you charged your phone? There’s no point remembering your phone if it’s out of juice!
Put together ready for the day:
- CV, cover letter, portfolio, presentation notes & aids – anything you may want to refer to
- Official documents as required such as passport, educational and professional certificates/evidence of qualifications
- Address, name of contact, contact phone number, map (hard copy or on your mobile)
- Decide on and make ready your clothes, jacket, coat – are they clean & ironed? Shoes – do they match your outfit, are they comfortable and clean?
- Have you got your phone, watch, umbrella, bag, briefcase, money, credit cards, travelcard?
On the morning
- Check your local transport service, such as TFL (Transport for London), for live updates for bus, tube, overground etc
- Check for traffic holds ups & diversions
- Revise your route if needed
You don’t want to miss your train or get stuck in traffic!
Before you go into the interview room
Turn off your mobile – better than putting it on silent in case an occasional buzz of a message distracts you and the interviwers – they will not be impressed.
First impressions count
Ensure you arrive in good time, with some time to spare. Arriving dishevelled, stressed and out of breath because you left things to the last minute, won’t impress or allow you to give of your best. Good preparation helps you give an impression of someone who is calm and organised, characteristics they will seek in a candidate.
Looking ahead
It helps to keep a checklist rather than reinvent the wheel for each interview so you may wish to adapt the above to your own needs and situation and keep it for future reference. After all, it will come in useful not only for interviews, but for meetings, presentations and delivering training.
If you are interested in honing your interview skills or CV to land your dream job, please contact me.
