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5 Top Tips for a Successful Interview!
#1 - Study the website.
It may sound obvious to say you should study the company's website, but you need to spend a good hour or two learning everything you can about them - and off by heart too so you can recite it back to them. Things like what services do they provide? What's the company's history? How many staff do they have? What projects and market sectors do they work in? Have they won any awards? And who are their clients? And make sure you check out their social media pages to learn about staff activities, supported charities, and staff rewards as well.
#2 - Beyond the website.
Studying the website really is a bare minimum. You should also search the internet for any articles in newspapers or publications about the company. It's fantastic to be able to say, "I was reading about your (project/service/award etc.) in Building Magazine/Property Weekly/The Times. It shows you've done your research and that you are well-read.
#3 - Look up the interviewer.
I always recommend looking up the interviewer(s) on LinkedIn to see if you share any connections, previous employers, or hobbies/interests. Having a mutual friend/colleague or sharing something in common can create an instant rapport between you and the interviewer. It's absolutely priceless when it happens, and it's so simple to check!
#4 - Handling questions about salary?
Firstly, never bring up salary unless they do, but if they ask something like "what are you looking to earn?" or "can you tell us your salary expectations?" what is the best way to answer that question?' These questions often catch people off guard, so it's essential to give this some thought and think of the best way to respond before the interview. You don't want to end up saying something like "what are you looking to pay?" or "talk to my agent about this" or feel awkward and find yourself rambling on for five minutes without actually answering the question. My advice is to always provide a figure and to keep it short. It can be a range, say £35,000 - £40,000 or a precise number, but you should always give a number. It's not always obvious how much they should offer, and there are no rule books to follow, so just be helpful and let them know. But we don't want to come across as demanding, so it's important to soften the answer as well. I would suggest saying something like, "finding the right company with the right opportunity is the most important thing to me, but my salary expectations are X... (and then stop talking!) The temptation is to keep talking as you feel awkward, but really do try not to. If you're not looking for a significant increase from your current salary, you could also tell them what you are currently earning, but I wouldn't volunteer this information if you are looking for more than a 10% rise. In either case, if they ask what you are presently earning, I would always just say, but being asked this explicitly is far less common.
#5 - Dealing with nerves and anxiety
Getting nervous is to be expected, and a certain level of nerves is good; it keeps you on your toes and helps focus the mind. But sometimes, the feeling of nervousness or anxiety can take over and get in the way of a good interview. There are some clichés out there about imagining the interviewer sitting on the toilet or other such variations, but most are unhelpful and probably more distracting than calming. Surprisingly, the best way to deal with nerves is to merely accept them. There is nothing to fight or push away, and trying to will only make you more nervous. Take a breath, settle in your chair, and be in the present moment, and don't become associated with your emotions or let them take control of your thoughts so that your mind runs away with worry. Instead of becoming nervous, just relax and let the physiological sensation of nervousness or anxiety run over you. Try to disassociate yourself from that physical feeling and merely observe the emotion rise within you with a sense of curiosity rather than being consumed by it - that way, you're just feeling what it feels like to be nervous without actually *becoming* nervous. If the nerves set in, connect with the present moment by focusing on your breath, or feeling the soles of your feet, or your back in the chair. These will help ground you in the present moment, which will help calm you and stop your mind from running with its own thoughts. This practice is commonly known as Mindfulness, which you can research if you want to look into it further.