How To Prepare For An Interview: The Ultimate Guide To Interview Preparation
Your application was successful and you've been invited to a job interview for the perfect position - congratulations!
So, how do you ensure you make a good impression?
What are some typical interview questions you should know about?
What are good answers to common interview questions?
And what other interview tips are there to prepare ahead of time?
At Cummins Mellor, we're here to make sure you’re fully prepped and confident going into your upcoming interview.
Your success at the interview is our number one priority - so, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help you hone your skills and get offered the job.
Every interview is different but certain interview skills will always set you up for success.
Read our ultimate guide to interview preparation and prepare to secure your dream role.
12 most important interview prep tips
Being well prepared for your interview can help you step into the room feeling calm and confident. While there are different types of interviews out there, following these six key tips will help you prepare for every situation ahead of time.
1. Research the company
Spend a few hours in total doing research to find out as much as possible about what it's like to work there and what they do.
Take a good look at the company website and social media channels, as well as any news articles to develop an understanding of the business and its culture.
It’s important for you to know who you are applying to - plus, it's highly likely you'll be asked what you have learned about them. Bear in mind the employer might be doing the same thing - so give your LinkedIn profile a tidy so you project a good impression.
2. Read through the whole job description
It's good to spend time reading the job description until you are completely happy you fully understand the role. If they ask you what you know about this role, it is essential that you are able to clearly explain what it is you are applying for and whether you're interested.
3. PRACTISE interview questions
In this blog, we've put together a huge list of questions you might be asked. Think about answers to common questions so you're not put on the spot on the day.
4. Always ask questions
Make these questions relevant to the role, environment, and company. Write these down in a smart notebook and take them along to the interview with you. This allows you cover everything and it always impresses the employer to see how you’ve prepared.
5. Know your strengths
Think about these and how they apply to the role you are being interviewed for. When you talk about your strengths, you must be able to qualify them – think of clear examples where you have demonstrated these strengths.
6. PREPARE a weakness
Your interviewer is likely to ask what areas you think you need to improve. Try and find a way to explain how you try and overcome this weakness and flip it into a positive.
7. Check the location
If you're unsure of the location for your in-person interview, plan ahead by doing a trial run in the days leading up to the interview date, whether you're driving or taking public transport.
Check how long it will take you to get there and make sure you know where you are going, bearing in mind the traffic situation might change on different days.
If you're using public transport, check timetables, connections, and how far it is from the nearest bus stop or train station to help you avoid turning up late and flustered.
8. Arrive early
We always recommend arriving 15 minutes early for your interview - this allows you to relax in their reception, take a few deep breaths to calm any nerves, and make a good impression about your punctuality.
9. Come prepared
You must know your CV and employment dates back to front. You might want to take a hard copy along, as well as any written references too, but it's not essential. Depending on the role, it might also be appropriate to bring along other printed items, like a portfolio, so make sure you bring that along if it's relevant and helpful.
10. Be positive
Try to stay positive and not introduce negatives - think about how you can frame your responses in a positive way. For example, never criticise former employers or employees. You may be asked why you want to leave your current role. So, focus on your career goals and what you have to bring to the job and company, rather than concentrating on negatives about your existing employer.
11. Think of it as a meeting
Many people who suffer from pre-interview nerves benefit from reframing it in their minds as a meeting. This is your opportunity to learn more about the role and see if the company is right for you, just as much as it's about the employer learning if you're the right person for the job.
An interview is a two-way street, not an interrogation.
12. Be yourself
Keep in mind that the company has selected YOU for interview and therefore, they already like what they have seen – try and relax.
Hiding or masking your personality won't work in your favour - they need to see the real you not just to assess your skills and experience, but also to decide if you're a good culture fit.
How to dress for an interview
Make sure you look the part at your next interview to make a great first impression on the hiring manager. Here's what we recommend.
First impressions are important – don’t let someone judge you before you open your mouth!
Dress in appropriate clothing for the job (e.g. business attire like a suit or a smart skirt/dress and jacket for an office role with a smart dress code - making sure you clean and iron your interview outfit!)
Keep jewellery to a minimum and simple
If wearing nail varnish, ensure it is neat and not chipped.
If wearing perfume or aftershave, keep it subtle.
Hint: these also apply to video interviews! Just because it's over Zoom, Teams, or Skype, don't feel like your outfit doesn't matter.
Dressing smartly gives a great impression and makes you feel the part, too.
Possible interview questions
To set you up to answer every question well, it helps to have an idea of what kind of thing you might be asked at your interview.
Bear in mind you should answer questions fully and use your work history to give specific examples that demonstrate your qualities and experience.
General questions
Tell me about yourself (give a brief overview of your CV – stick to a two-minute run down)
What do you know about our company? (put your research to good use)
What do you think this job is all about? (summarise it in five key points)
Why are you applying for this role?
Tell me about your current/last role.
Team environment questions
What is a good team environment to you?
How do you contribute to a team environment?
Can you tell me about a time where you supported your colleagues?
If you see a colleague not working to the correct standards, what would you do?
Questions to sell yourself
Why should we employ you?
Why do you think you are suitable for this position?
Why do you think you are the right person for this role?
What do you bring to the company?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What motivates you?
Describe yourself in 3 words or how would your friend/employer describe you?
Questions about the future
Where do you see yourself in 2 years’ time?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
What are your ultimate career ambitions?
Questions about current/previous employers
Why are you looking to leave your present employer? (Hint: don't criticise them!)
Why did you leave your previous employers?
Why have you moved around so much?
Other possible questions
Have you ever had to make a difficult decision in your professional career?
Give an example of a time when you needed assistance in your work and there was no one available to you - what did you do?
Give an example of a difficult situation you have been in. What was it, and how did you resolve it?
What is your perfect role? (Hint: this one! Being enthusiastic about the job you're applying for is a great way to show your personality and eagerness.)
How do you learn?
Competency-based job interview questions
A competency-based question aims to get you to talk about a real-life situation you've been in - the employer is looking for proof you can do what you say you can do.
An example of a competency question might be: Name a time when you have overcome a challenging situation in the workplace and how you overcame it.
This style of question forces you to give situational examples of times in the past when you have performed particular tasks or achieved particular outcomes using certain skills.
It’s important that you have some examples pre-prepared before your interview that you can refer to in your answers. Try to use different types of situations for each of these questions rather than the same one every time.
What is the STAR method in interviews?
There are lots of different interview techniques out there. As recruitment specialists, we believe the best way to answer a competency-based question is by following the STAR approach.
The STAR method uses four key elements to answer the question: situation, task, action, result.
Here's a simple explanation with examples of how to use it.
SITUATION - explain the situation/circumstances to 'set the scene'.
TASK - describe what the task was that you and/or your team had to achieve.
ACTION - what action did you take? If it was part of a team, make sure you point out what YOU did as part of that team.
RESULT - tell the interviewer what the result was, thinking about how this relates back to the quality/competency they're looking for.
Using this method helps you organise your thoughts, stay focused, and illustrate your skills clearly and concisely.
Common interview questions for customer service jobs
How would you describe good customer service?
How would you gain a customer’s trust?
Give an example of a customer who has been unhappy with your service,
what was it, and how did you resolve it? (hint: show how you listened to the complaint, thanked them for raising it and did something about it)How do you build rapport with a customer?
Admin/secretarial questions
What responsibilities have you held within administration?
What systems are you familiar with?
Please explain where you have personally provided detailed/accurate work?
How do you generally manage your workload? (Hint: talk about lists, workflow tools, and prioritising)
Give an example of conflicting priorities - what were they and how did you resolve the situation?
Sample questions for sales roles
Please give me an overview of your sales experience
How would you open a sales call and what preparation do you do? (Hint: ask
questions and sell back how you can help)Have you ever missed your sales targets, if so, why and what did you do to
rectify this? (Hint: be honest! Interviewers like to see where you've taken opportunities to learn and grow)What do you see as the most important thing when making a sales call?
(Hint: asking questions – information gathering)How do you overcome objections?
How do you manage consistent sales activity on a daily basis?
What are your achievements within sales?
What makes a good salesperson in your opinion?
How do you overcome rejection?
Accounting and finance INTERVIEW questions
Talk me through the volumes of transactions you’re handling on a daily basis
What finance packages have you worked on?
What do you feel are the biggest priorities finance needs to deliver
back to an organisation?
Questions for supervisory and management roles
Tell me about your supervisory/management background.
What are your management abilities, style, approach, and philosophy?
How do you breed positivity and success?
What challenges have you faced as a supervisor/manager?
What types of staff, size of teams/departments have you been responsible
for?Tell me about where you have recruited, trained, coached and
developed staff.What are your key achievements as a supervisor/manager?
How will you help staff change from a “this is how it’s always been done”
to new process that you implement?How do you reward excellence, innovations, initiative and teamwork?
How to answer questions about strengths and weaknesses
Many interviews include questions about strengths and weaknesses, which some people struggle to answer.
Consider some of the ideas below, see which applies to you, and think about how to talk about it.
Examples of strengths to talk about in a job interview
Communication skills
Time management
Being a team player
Problem-solving
Computer literacy
Customer service
Sales targets and deadlines
Working under pressure
Following policies and procedures
Developing excellent relationships
Reliability, loyalty and flexibility
Accuracy with information
Examples of weaknesses FOR A job interview
Can lack confidence at first
Patience
Shyness
Saying no
Asking for help
When considering your strengths and weaknesses, think about the following:
Have you understood the job description in full?
Have you highlighted the requirements that closely suit your skills?
Have you thought about your responses where you do not have the skills?
When you sell your skills, be prepared to explain why they are your skills
17 ideas for questions to ask the interviewer
As part of your prep work, try to select a few meaningful questions to ask your interviewer. We recommend sprinkling these throughout, so it feels more like a conversation than an interrogation.
Remember, your interview is a chance to explore whether the company is a good cultural fit for you, as well as the other way around.
So, use this as your opportunity to see what the company can offer you and whether it works for your personality type, career goals, and lifestyle.
Why are you recruiting for this position?
What plans have you got for the growth and development of the business?
What do you want to achieve by making this appointment?
What challenges do you think I’ll face in my first few months in the role?
Why do you like working here?
What keeps/brings you to work for ‘X business’?
What is the culture of your business like?
When are you looking for someone to start the position?
Talk me through an employee success story. What was their journey? How did
they progress through the business?Tell me about why you like working here? What has been your journey so far?
If you could, what would you improve about working here? Is there anything
you dislike?If I was to accept this position, what would success look like?
Who will I be reporting to?
Tell me about my direct team. Can I spend some time with them?
From what I’ve told you today is there any reason that you wouldn’t offer me
the role? / Do you have any reservations from what I’ve told you?Aside from salary, what other workplace benefits do you offer your staff?
What training opportunities are there? Would there be any opportunity for
further study?
Tips for ending an interview
Thank the interviewer for their time and for answering your questions
Tell the interviewer that you are interested in the role and that if offered you
would certainly accept the positionConfirm with your interviewer what the next steps are going to be, letting them know you look forward to hearing from them either way
If appropriate, ask if you could potentially have a look where you would be working and meet some of the team.
Free interview guide PDF to nail your future interviews
You've scoured the company website to find all the necessary info, given yourself time to figure out your route and get to your interview on time, and laid out the perfect outfit - well done!
Hopefully, this blog will help you to prepare and feel your most confident self walking into the building or firing up Zoom, so you walk away with that all-important offer.
To make sure you implement all our tips so your job search comes to a successful end, download our free interview guide PDF and keep it saved on your phone.
Download your free interview guide for candidates here.
Now, all that's left to do is get a good night's sleep (after all, sleep deprivation is not a good look!).
Are you looking for your next career move? Contact us and let’s talk.