Tips for job interviews

So you’ve landed the job interview – congrats!! We know job interviews can be stressful so we’ve gathered together some of our best tips to help you breeze through even the toughest interview.

1. Look the part‍

This is one of those times when appearances matter. You may only have a short time with your interviewer so you need to make the most of it; how you look can say a whole lot about you quickly.

2. Be early

‍Not hours early or anything (that would be weird), but plan to turn up 5 minutes before your interview time and give yourself a moment to take a few deep breaths and calm yourself. Speaking of which…

‍3. Smile‍

It’s so simple, but can make such a difference. A warm, genuine smile can help set the right tone for your interview and get things off to a good start. While we’re on this one, remember your manners – your gran was right, they’re important!‍

4. Be prepared‍

Before you go to the interview take some time to think about the job. Do you know what you will be doing? Why do you want this job? What do you know about the company? If you responded to a job ad, look at the ad again and review what the employer is looking for. Why are you the right person for the job? This can help you answer interview questions and might also highlight questions you could ask your interviewer.

‍5. Ask questions

‘Do you have any questions?’ Your interviewer is likely to ask this at some point and aside from any questions you have from your pre-interview prep, it can be hard to know what to ask. Here are a few we prepared earlier…

a. What skills or attributes are most important to this role?

b. What do you like most about working here?

c. What do your customers like most about your company/product?

d. What does a typical day/shift involve?

e. Is the role part of a team? Can you tell me about the team?

f. What is the next step after this interview?

6. Follow up‍

It might seem over the top to you, but a short note or email to thank the interviewer for their time can help to make a lasting impression.

7. Practice‍

Finally… get in some practice if you can. Ask one of your grown-ups to give you a hand with this one. Answering some questions in advance just might help you feel more confident when you get to the actual interview.

Good luck! You got this!!

Check out writing a resume or head back to Earning an Income.