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16 Aug 2019 | Estimated reading time: 3 minutes |
Job interview

5 ways to prepare for a job interview

5 ways to prepare for a job interview

Practice and prepare for your important interview

Landing a job interview in today’s incredibly tough employment market can seem like the hardest task out there. For this reason, it seems all the more important to ensure it goes smoothly. If you have an important interview coming up, fear not, with a little preparation you will be more than ready for the big day.

The most crucial thing to remember is you have one shot to make a good first impression. For this, you simply need to demonstrate your interest in the company, job role, and the interview itself. So if you have an interview coming up that you want to excel in, keep reading for StudentJob’s 5 ways to prepare yourself for success!

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Memorise the job description

Since you have applied for a specific job role, it is important to arrive at the interview with a clear picture of the job description the company has provided you with. In your preparation take some time to analyse the job description and the skills and knowledge they are asking for from an employee.

Once you have an idea of the requirements from the company, you can look at your own skill-set and match the two together. For example, if the firm is looking for a candidate with good leadership skills, try to think of 2-3 instances where you led a team to success. When the interviewer poses a question similar to this, you will be prepared with an answer of why you’re the perfect fit for the vacancy.

Research the company

Imagine you are interviewing a candidate and they don’t know anything about the company - you wouldn’t be impressed right? To make the best impression with a recruiter, it is key to research into the company as much as you can. You should become increasingly familiar with their website and have a good idea of the products or services they are offering.

If you really want to stand out, it is worth going one step further and looking at the Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter of the company. This will give you an more in depth and detailed understanding of the firm and brand they are displaying to the world. It might even give you some talking points for the interview, e.g. any events or promotions they are taking part in or that you liked in particular.

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Prepare stellar responses

Once you have conducted thorough research into the job role and company, it may be time to take part in practise interviews with a friend or family member. This is an excellent chance for you to see how you deal under pressure with particular questions or topics. Practising your responses with someone you know will aid you greatly in your real interview, since it means the recruiter will not be catching you off guard.

You can hand your friend or family member a set of generic interview questions from the internet to quiz you on, enabling you to increase your confidence with the basics. Once you have an idea of how to answer a question, you should be able to apply the same approach to anything the interviewer can throw your way.

Plan what to wear

Since the first impression you make is so key, the outfit you wear to the interview could make a big difference. Try to aim for something similar to the clothes you would wear for the job itself. If the firm you are applying to is a corporate bank in London, you would most likely be expected to arrive in formal business clothing, as you would wear daily for the role. Alternatively, you may be applying to a company with a more casual dress code, where you could interview wearing casual business clothing e.g. black jeans and a white formal shirt.

If you are unsure of what to wear for your interview or what the dress code is for the company, it is perfectly acceptable to contact the firm and enquire to HR about this. This will also show the recruiters how prepared you are for the interview and how serious you are about the job on offer. Alternatively, if you are in doubt, remember it is always better to overdress than to arrive looking too casual. There is nothing worse than arriving somewhere and realising you are underdressed, especially for a job interview...

Arrive early

To make sure you feel prepared for the day, you should arrive for your interview at least 10 minutes before it is scheduled. This will show the employer you are serious about the job and how you are able to manage your time effectively. Furthermore, arriving early will give you a chance to grab a glass of water, go to the toilet and quickly run over any notes you may need to.

When you arrive, it is crucial to set a good impression from the minute you walk through the door. A lot of companies make a point to ask their receptionist what they thought of the candidates, so introduce yourself to every staff member you meet. To add to this, you never know, you could even meet your interviewer in the lift or as you enter the building. So, stay polite, prepared and you’ll be on your way to success in no time…

Written by Saffron Shergill at StudentJob UK. Student Job brings you into direct contact with interesting companies that are looking for temporary, part-time or full-time employees. Whether you are looking for an internship to compliment your education or a graduate placement to start your career, we have a wide range of opportunities.

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