![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-01.cms-eu-v2i.applyflow.com\/identifi-global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/InterviewPrepTips.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\tApplying for a new role can be daunting – particularly for those who\u2019ve not been through the process for a while. Even if you\u2019ve seen your dream role advertised, you may be put off applying if you feel you lack the skills the employer wants or needs. <\/span><\/p>\n \n\tIn truth, a large part of any employer\u2019s decision will come down to the interview, rather than the CV. They\u2019ll be looking at how an individual could fit into the organisation, their willingness and ability to learn and adapt \u2013 and they\u2019ll be making decisions quickly. <\/span>Research from Totaljobs<\/a> shows that 19% of employers decide whether to progress further along the recruitment process after one minute of interviewing, while 44% decide within 15 minutes. <\/p>\n \n\tThe key to a successful job interview is preparation. A prepared interviewee is a more confident interviewee – and therefore more likely to succeed.<\/p>\n \n\tWith that in mind, here are our top ten tips for interview preparation.<\/p>\n \n\tDiscovering what the company is all about has multiple benefits. It identifies areas where you have further questions to ask at interview; you\u2019ll come across as more prepared and knowledgeable; and it will help when answering the interviewer\u2019s questions. Check the company\u2019s website and social media feeds, and trawl Google for news or press releases about the business: the more you know, the better. <\/p>\n \n\tRe-read the job description before your interview, and make sure you understand it intimately. Sure, the role might have a similar, or even the same job title, but different companies will have a different view on exactly what that role means. It can be worth taking a printed copy into the interview with you, highlighting areas you\u2019d like to discuss or have questions about. <\/p>\n \n\tAlso, note your successes that match the company\u2019s requirements. If there are any criteria you don\u2019t meet, don\u2019t panic: the company will be aware of gaps in your CV but have still decided to interview you. Instead of worrying about what you <\/span>can\u2019t do, instead think about how you\u2019d meet your perceived shortcomings, and be prepared to discuss this in the interview.<\/p>\n \n\tYour recruitment agency should be able to give you information about the format your interview will take. Businesses operate so differently now that you might find yourself in a standard question-and-answer scenario, a competency-based interview or even technical tests. Find out beforehand.<\/p>\n \n\tThere are certain questions that crop up time and time again at interviews: \u201cWhy do you want to work at [company]?\u201d, \u201cWhy do you want to leave your current employer?\u201d, and \u201cWhat are your strengths and weaknesses?\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tYou\u2019ll also find many employers will ask questions about your experience in your current or previous roles: situational questions such as \u201cWhat was the most challenging project you worked on?\u201d, \u201cTell me about a time when you\u2019ve experienced conflict with a colleague\u201d, or \u201cGive an example of a project you\u2019re most proud of\u201d. So prepare properly, but beware not to write a script. Having a pre-prepared answer can come across as stilted and unnatural. Instead, keep answers succinct – one to two minutes for each question – but with enough detail to sell yourself to your potential employers.<\/p>\n \n\tFinally, be prepared for tougher questions: <\/span>one Microsoft candidate was asked<\/a>, \u201cHow would you explain cloud computing to a seven-year-old?\u201d, while a Palantir Technologies interview included, \u201cDescribe your biggest weakness. Then describe another.\u201d Curveballs are becoming more commonplace, and while you can\u2019t expect the unexpected, you can find a few of these random questions online and ask friends to fire them at you. <\/p>\n \n\tThe word \u201cinterview\u201d is misleading: the questions and answers should go both ways. Asking questions shows you\u2019re interested in the company and the role, that you\u2019re up to date with the latest developments, and that you have the desire to do the best job possible. <\/p>\n \n\tQuestions could include things like, \u201cI know that you use [x technology], why did you choose this over [competitor]?\u201d, \u201cHow do you organise software testing?\u201d, \u201cWhat sort of career development opportunities does [company] offer?\u201d, and \u201cWhere do you see this company headed in the next five years?\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tBut check the employer\u2019s website first to see whether your questions can be answered online. If so, cross them off your list. <\/p>\n \n\tYour interviewers will have done their research. As well as scrutinising your CV and cover letter, they\u2019ll have checked out your LinkedIn profile to get a good picture of your career history, achievements, education and more. In fact, <\/span>57% of employers<\/a> state that they are less likely to interview an applicant that they can\u2019t find online.<\/p>\n \n\tThis will form the basis for the majority of your interview, so you need to be prepared. Re-read your CV, along with the cover letter you sent with your application (if this applies) and look at it through an interviewer\u2019s eyes. Are there any obvious areas that they may question, such as gaps in your employment, frequent role changes or experience missing from their list of requirements? <\/p>\n \n\tSocial media profiles may also be scrutinised, so ensure you\u2019re projecting an image you\u2019d be happy for your prospective employer to see.<\/p>\n \n\tThink about the required skills listed in the job description, and how you can demonstrate your skillset matches the employer\u2019s requirements. Head into the interview armed with examples of projects you\u2019ve worked on, initiatives you\u2019ve launched and elements of your previous roles that fit with what\u2019s on the job spec – and if you have any (non-confidential) examples you can bring with you to demonstrate, all the better.<\/p>\n \n\tPreparation doesn\u2019t just boil down to the contents of the interview itself. Think about how you present yourself to your potential new employer too. Choose, wash and iron (if needed) your outfit the day before, ensuring that you hit the right mark when it comes to the degree of formality required. Trim your nails, polish your shoes, and dress to impress: the way you look will have an impact on how you\u2019re seen by your interviewers – and is proven to help with confidence, too.<\/p>\n \n\tPlan your journey before you leave. If walking to your interview, work out how long it will take. If taking public transport, check the route and factor in extra time for potential delays. The same goes for those who are driving – and you\u2019ll also want to check out nearby parking too. Failing to prepare for any eventuality can mean arriving late, flustered, sweaty and red-faced – and that\u2019s not the first impression you want to make. <\/p>\n \n\tAnd pack it well in advance, too. Print out the directions to your interview location and contact details in case of any phone battery fails, and take a notepad and pen so that you can jot down answers to the questions you ask. Pack any samples of your work that you feel will help during the interview, and if you\u2019re taking a phone or tablet with you, be sure to set them to silent before you walk in. <\/p>\n \n\tThe difference between a good interview and a bad one is in the preparation. Nerves are to be expected, but ensuring that there are no nasty surprises means that you\u2019ll not only feel more confident: you\u2019ll come across as more confident too. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cBelieve you can, and you\u2019re halfway there\u201d, Theodore Roosevelt once said. It worked for the President of the United States of America, and it works for us too. <\/p>\n \n\tWith your newly-found interview confidence in place, it\u2019s time to find your ideal job. <\/span>Find out how we can help<\/a>. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Applying for a new role can be daunting – particularly for those who\u2019ve not been through the process for a while. Even if you\u2019ve seen your dream role advertised, you may be put off applying if you feel you lack the skills the employer wants or needs. In truth, a large part of any employer\u2019s… Read More »Identifi Global\u2019s top 10 tips for interview prep<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14404,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/14404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.identifiglobal.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n\t1. Understand the business<\/h2>\n
\n\t2. Understand the role<\/h2>\n
\n\t“If there are any criteria you don\u2019t meet, don\u2019t panic.”<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n\t3. Research the interview format<\/h2>\n
\n\t4. Prepare for expected questions<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-01.cms-eu-v2i.applyflow.com\/identifi-global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/InterviewQuestions-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n\t5. Prepare questions for <\/span>you to ask<\/h2>\n
\n\t6. Review your CV (and cover letter)<\/h2>\n
\n\t“Are there any obvious areas of your CV that interviewers may question?”<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n\t7. Examples, examples, examples<\/h2>\n
\n\t8. Lay out your interview outfit<\/h2>\n
\n\t9. Check travel arrangements<\/h2>\n
\n\t10. Pack your bag<\/h2>\n
\n\t <\/div>\n\n\tImages via Pixabay<\/a> and Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"