Tips for nailing your next interview

9 Nov

You’ve taken the hard decision to apply for a new role, the interview is now looming and you want to make sure you nail it, right?

Or perhaps you’ve been for a few interviews recently, but you haven’t been successful. If that’s the case your confidence has probably taken a bit of a hit and you’re more nervous than you would normally be about how you are coming across.

There are reports indicating that HR recruitment is on the rise in the UK, so if you’re looking for a new opportunity it’s time to get yourself ready to give the interview your best shot. Whilst working in HR means that those outside HR think you can ace interviews because you’ve seen it from the inside, this is not the case in reality!

Here are a few tips to help you put your best foot forward.

First things first, why does this role appeal to you?

That’s me asking you, not the interviewer. Be honest with yourself. Is it a pay rise? Is it a toxic boss or colleague that you’re seeking to escape? Is it a step up? Is it because you feel you “should”? Do you love the company? Do you think it is a fantastic opportunity? Are you facing redundancy? The list goes on but whatever the reason, it can influence the way you come across. Depending on how much you have riding on this interview will impact the pressure you put on yourself.

Secondly, don’t forget that an interview is a two-way process.

Yes, the interviewer has the upper hand but don’t lose sight of the fact that this is your opportunity too. I’ve interviewed the very best candidates, and the very worst. I’ve interviewed the super confident, and the super nervous. During a recent coaching session my client came to the realisation that they were intimidated by the job description of the person who would be interviewing them, which is why they were coming across as nervous, and slightly unsure. That isn’t unusual. When faced with a CEO or a member of the Leadership Team in an interview (or anyone a few rungs ahead of you to be honest), it can feel intimidating. But remember, this is an interview, it’s not an exam and they want to find out about you, and you need to find out about them. Don’t be arrogant about it but be curious.

Let’s talk preparation.

For whatever your reason, you’ve applied for the role and you’re now going for the interview. Do your research. How much do you know about the company and their values? More and more I talk to clients about what their own personal values are and what they are looking for in their next role, from the kind of manager they want to the role itself, team, and the company.

In relation to the time of day, when are you at your best? If you’re more of a night owl, then setting up an interview first thing might not be to your benefit. As a morning person, I used to find that I didn’t perform as well in interviews I went for after work. I was fresher and more on my game in the mornings. This may be somewhat out of your control but if you can be mindful of it then you can take steps to get yourself in the right headspace.

Questions – for you to ask them.

Lots of candidates struggle with thinking of ‘the right’ questions to ask but how about thinking of it as an opportunity to really find out what you’re interested to know. Think about what you wish you’d known in previous roles and see whether that brings any questions to light. Thinks like: How do you see this role fitting at the LT table? What in your opinion will make this role a success? What is your vision for this role / team? How would you describe your leadership style? How would you like to work with this person going forward? What do you see as the single biggest challenge for whoever gets this role? What’s the number one priority for the person in this role? And you’ll also have whatever comes up in the interview.

Questions – from them.

I remember a US round robin many years ago, interviewing MBA candidates from Wharton, Harvard and Columbia. I sat in on an interview with one manager who put his shoes on the desk and his arms behind his head. The question he asked, “If you could invent anything, anything in the world, what would you invent?” was aiming to test the person’s creative thinking, but what a hideous question. What exactly can you tell from that? But you may get a curved ball and if you do, take a breath, give yourself a moment and then answer in your own words. If you fail to get a job based on the answer to 1 question (a non-technical one!) then really, I don’t think it’s somewhere you want to work anyway. More and more interview questions are based around “a time when” so think of a few strong examples from your cv that you can relate to the job description. Where you can, try to tell a bit of a story - you know that the interviewer is going to open with something along the lines of “What’s led to you applying for this role / tell me about yourself” so anticipate these and focus.

The dreaded pay question.

When I worked in HR and would ask a manager what the salary expectations were for a preferred candidate, they would often say they hadn’t asked and “That’s an HR question, you cover that”. Why is it an HR question, to cover in the final stage? Surely you want to know whether someone’s expectations are wildly over, under or in range before you decide they are the absolute favourite. And just because they may be wildly over, that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t take the job – it just means that there is some expectation management that needs to happen. And from your, the candidate’s perspective, front foot the question and ask what the salary bracket is for the role if the recruiter hasn’t already given you that information. It’s important to know. Don’t be afraid.

Most importantly in my view is to showcase YOU.

They’ll have your cv so can see what you’ve done. But what’s your secret sauce? That thing that makes you, YOU. There is an exercise I often do with clients that has them think about all their successes, not just the professional ones. The advantage of thinking like this is it gives you a holistic appreciation of things you’ve done. Not just what you’ve done for work. And it also helps bring out those times when you’ve been in the flow, and that’s something for you to be aware of so you can look for those contributing elements in your future role.

Here are seven succinct actions:

Do your homework but don’t over prep. Know your cv and have relevant examples you can call on to support the requirements for the role you’re going for.
Research the company, and the interviewer if you can - LinkedIn is a good place to see whether you’ve got any contacts who may be able to provide an internal perspective.
Follow up after the interview - say thanks to the recruiter or whoever your contact is.
Have some questions ready to draw on. A final question I always liked giving and was happy to receive at the end of an interview from a candidate was: “Is there anything else you’d like me to tell you?”.
Don’t be afraid to say if you don’t have an example - take a breath, don’t waffle and if you find yourself waffling, own it.
Notice your mindset. Embrace one of curiosity, learning and openness.
Before you go in / turn on zoom, take 3 deep breaths, drop your shoulders, smile and lift your head up. You’ve got this.

Helen Morphew