How do you prepare for an interview? Mike Pincott Picture this.

Picture this. You’ve spent hours applying for jobs, uploading your CV and connecting with people on LinkedIn and now you’ve finally got an interview - the hard work has paid off. Here is your chance to impress but how do you prepare for an interview? What can be done to ensure you succeed? Luckily, there are many steps you can take to be successful and ensure you are calm and confident throughout your whole interview.

Practice interview questions

One of the best ways to prepare is by researching common interview questions and practicing how you would answer them. Some of the best questions include things such as, “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” and, “why do you want this job?”. Also, be prepared for the unexpected. Once you have chosen some questions, you can start to prepare and practice your answers; this can be done by using a mirror, asking a friend or family member or recording yourself asking them - mimicking what would happen in the actual interview. Although you don’t want it to sound like they have been rehearsed, it is good to have some idea and understanding of what you might say - there is nothing worse than sitting with a blank face in the interview.

Research the company

Although you will have an idea of who the company is and what they do, it’s important to dive deeper into the company’s background - looking at their achievements, projects, the team and any additional information you feel could be relevant. By having this deeper understanding of the company, you are demonstrating your interest in the role and it helps to establish whether you will fit into the team's dynamic. Researching also gives you the opportunity to establish whether there is anything you don’t understand or anything you’d like to ask your interviewer.

Line up your questions for the interviewer

At some point during your interview, you will be asked whether you have any questions. The worst thing you can do here is say no. Even if it’s just one or two, make sure you have questions lined up ready to ask the interviewer. This not only helps to demonstrate your interest in the company but also gives you the information you might need to know if you even want the role. These could include, “where do you think the company will be in five years?” and, “can you tell me about the day-to-day responsibilities of the position?”.

Prepare travel arrangements

There are three things you must know; where the interview is, how you are going to get there and how long the journey takes. Getting to your interview on time is a must; it demonstrates good time management to your employer, a sense of care and allows you to run through any last minute things before the interview. It is recommended to get there 15 minutes before so ensure you know how long the journey is going to take you. We recommend leaving time for any traffic delays. It is also good to have the interviewer or company's phone number so that if an emergency were to occur, you can let them know in advance rather than not showing up at all.

Choose the correct outfit

Whether it’s for a business conference or a weekend away, choosing the right outfit in advance is a must - this is no different for an interview. The last thing anyone needs is to be stressing over what to wear on the day. By planning ahead of time, you can focus on interview preparation - whether that's preparing questions, answers or your travel schedule. Ensure that your outfit is smart and professional. Always check the company’s dress code. When you feel good in yourself, you will also radiate confidence throughout the interview.

Have a hard copy of your CV prepared

Although your interviewer may have seen your CV, they might not have one to hand on the day. Having hard copies of your CV is a great way to show you are prepared. You can have a copy of your CV placed in front of you to refer back to, follow along with and remind yourself of any achievements or experiences that you would like to discuss.

To be successful you must be prepared. Follow these steps to give yourself the confidence that you can go in and ace that interview. Having questions prepared, answers thought out, the right outfit and a strong understanding of the company could be the difference between getting the job or not. Remember, you are there because they think you’d be a good fit for the role - use your interview time to prove this.