Interview tips to help you land your dream career

You’ve made the leap and decided that this position isn’t cutting the mustard anymore. All the signs are pointing to the inevitable: it’s time to move on.

If you’re thinking of starting the new year with a new career, we’ve got your back with the best interview tips in town. But first, let’s rewind a little…

It starts with you…

Before rocking up to an interview or hitting ‘send’ on that job application, take stock of how you’re feeling. If you’ve just left a role, question yourself on why it wasn’t working for you.

• Were the hours too long?
• Did you feel over-stretched?
• Was it keeping you from your family?
• Was it a toxic environment?
• Was it in a field you no longer connect with? 

Have a long, hard think about what you need in your life to ensure your own happiness. Perhaps that might be an entirely new career path, rather than just a job-change. If you’re craving a really big transformation, it’s time to start investing in yourself.

Your CV

 

• Get creative with your CV. Not only will you have a better chance of getting an interview, but you’ll have a great talking point to get started with.

• Pay attention to the key criteria. Are there areas of your previous job role that might slightly echo the one your applying for? Make it stand out. Ensure that the responsibilities of your past roles are listed, but make sure they are relevant.

• Give your CV a detox. We don’t just deliver excellent training; we aim to provide the job market with highly-skilled and career ready candidates. With our help, your CV will stand-out, be job relevant and give you the best possible chance of landing that dream job.

The Interview

Once you’ve nailed the job application, it’s time for the main event. You’ll be confident and prepared for the face to face interviews with these helpful tips.

• Fail to prepare, prepare to fail – Know the job spec inside out, but know your CV even better. We’ve all seen The Apprentice and shed a tear for the contestants whose CVs are ripped into tiny little pieces. Know your stuff and strut it.

• Know the company. Ahead of time, have a little Google session about your potential new employer. Look out for: how long they’ve been in business, any accolades or awards, press content, mergers and who the big-fish are. If you can, research your interviewer too, an understanding of the interviewer’s perspective will set your mind at rest.
• Get ready the night before – Don’t sleep in your suit, but have it out and ready. Shine your shoes, get an early night and triple check the alarm. If you are late, follow this protocol:

1. Let them know – give them a call (not an email), explain why you are late, suggest an approximate arrival time, offer them the chance to reschedule and apologise profusely.
2. Take a minute – if you’re late, you’re probably also flustered. Take a minute outside the building to compose yourself. Remind yourself of your revision and take some deep, calming breaths – everyone is human.
3. Utilise the lateness – use the fact that you were late as a nice ice-breaker. ‘Thank you, finally, for having me today’.
4. Follow-up – send a courtesy email to thank the interviewer and apologise one final time. You’ll leave them with a positive impression of you, despite the hiccup.

Above all else – stay calm. Everyone, at some point, has had to be interviewed and we all know it’s a tough ride. Mostly, employers are sympathetic and understanding. Remember, they want you to be the right person for the role because they need it filled by the best possible candidate – they’re hoping that’s you. Be polite and courteous, say thank you and always follow-up afterwards. Good luck.