Companies will use interviews to find out about your skills, if you’d be a good fit for the company and the main thing, if you’re the best person for the job.

Executing an interview well is an important skill that can always be worked on, so here XCL Group have some tips and techniques you could use in your next interview.

Be Prepared

One of the first things that will set you in good stead for an interview, is preparation.

Think about interview questions you could get asked and how you would potentially answer them, including any examples of skills that will back up your answers. An easy way to plan for this is to use the STAR method to explain the details of the:

Situation

Task

Actions

Results

Make sure to also keep referring to the job role and that your examples are relevant to its description. It is also a good idea to practice your answers, so they’re well ingrained in your mind and the interview flows – however it is always acceptable to take a minute to think during the interview, because you’ll give a much better answer if you don’t rush.

Finally, as part of your preparation, make sure you know your CV well, as it isn’t uncommon for the person conducting the interview to ask about your CV and certain parts of it, so make sure you know what you’ve sent them.

What to wear

The dress code for an interview, will depend on both the type of job you’re interviewing for and the business itself but whatever the kind of interview, it is important to look smart and presentable with clean, ironed clothes and neat hair.

Providing it’s a formal interview, that will be where you may be specifically required to wear a suit/dress with smart shoes.

However, if you’re ever unsure about what to wear to your interview, you can always ask the employer before you go, or if an agency such as XCL Group has put you forward for the job role, you can always ask them and they will liaise with the employer on your behalf.

Plan your route

It is important that you plan your journey ahead of your interview – maybe even do a test run before the day so you have an idea of where you’re going and how long the journey has taken you.

If it’s public transport you’re going to be using, then it may be an idea to plan to get the bus or train before the time you think you’ll need, just to allow for any potential delays.

A tip to also keep in mind is to think about what time your interview is and how this may affect your journey, i.e. if it is at 9am, you may need to account for school traffic.

It doesn’t matter if you’re early, it’ll only show you to be punctual - and could also give you a bit of time to calm any pre interview nerves you may have!

Research the company

During an interview it is highly likely that the employer will ask you what you already know about their company and why you want to work for them. Therefore, it is always good to do some research on the company before the interview and make sure you have a good level of understanding about them and what it is they do. Pick out key points of interest about them that you could mention during the interview, and try relate the information to your own experiences and how they as a company could help you move forward in your career.

For a lot of people, the process of interviewing for jobs can be daunting and sometimes feel intimidating, especially if it’s not something you’ve experienced often.

But making sure you prepare ahead of the interview and learn how to highlight your skills & experience, you should be off to a good start!