Being asked to come for an interview is exciting, but it is also something that many people get nervous about. It’s understandable; after all, the interview needs to be done right if you want a chance at being offered the job that you are keen on getting.

It is often less the interview experience that is daunting than the pressure people put themselves under to perform well because of what is at stake. In order to relax a little more and to do well as the interview itself, we’ve put together some useful tips.

Research

If you go into an interview without any knowledge of the company you are potentially going to get a job with, then you could come up against problems. There might be questions asked in the interview that are specific to the company, and if you can’t answer them, then your interviewer will know that you haven’t taken the time to read up on them. Not only does this look bad in the interview, but it gives an overall bad impression because it throws up a query that if you aren’t focused, dedicated, or willing to put any time or effort into the interview process, will you be the same in your work? As well as learning about the company, make sure you have knowledge of the sector you are interviewing for if you’ve never worked in it before.

Check Your CV

Your interviewer will have a copy of your CV, and they will have read it thoroughly, but have you? It may have been many weeks, or even months (perhaps longer) since you wrote your CV, and it is possible that you have forgotten some of the information that is on it. It is a good idea to read through it and remind yourself of the things your potential new employer will have read. This will make answering questions about it much easier, and you won’t be left searching for any answers.

Anticipate Questions

Although it is impossible to predict exactly what questions you will be asked during your interview, you can anticipate some of them. It is likely, for example, that you will be asked why you want the job and what experience you have. You might be asked what you can bring to the company, or where you see yourself in three years’ time. Having the answers to these questions to hand will help you feel more confident and show that side of yourself to your interviewer.

It is best to be prepared for questions about your previous work or the skills that were mentioned in your application. If you are tech savvy and are an expert in using CircuitStudio or you helped to design a successful marketing campaign, make sure your interviewer knows about it. If you were the person everyone always came to for advice, don’t shy away from sharing this. An interview is no time to be shy or modest.

Ask Questions

At the end of every interview, you will be asked if you have any questions. It can be tempting to say no and leave as quickly as possible, but remember that this is still a part of the interview, and the questions you ask (or lack of them) could help the interviewer make a final decision. Think of some questions beforehand so that you are ready for this final stage of the interview, and try to come up with some more as you go through the interview as well.