Are you prepared for that interview?

Yes, of course you are, you’ve been waiting for this opportunity to shine, you know you can achieve in the role. That job is yours. 

It’s great that you have these high levels of self-motivation and confidence.

It’s also vital that you pass all that information on to the interviewer. You only have one opportunity to impress that person and encourage them to move you on to the next stage – the second interview.

Remember that an interview is a two-way thing. They are interviewing you for the job but you also need to be sure that this company is one you want to work for. You don’t want too many moves on your CV, it doesn’t look good. That's why preparation is vital.

When you receive the Job Description, check if there is a Person Specification sheet with it. If not, request one. 

This sheet lays out the required skills for you to successfully achieve within the role. It will show what is essential – you can’t perform in this job without these. Everyone invited for an interview will meet these requirements. 

It will also show what is desirable – this is where you can shine, not many people have all of these skills/experience but whichever you do have, be prepared to show them well.

Many good interviewers use the Person Specification sheet as a basis for their interview questions. Study it well and prepare examples of Where? When? What happened? Could you have done it differently? How?

Make a note of any questions you may have before you arrive and quickly jot down queries that arise during the interview. 

Learn as much as you can about the company before you go – that may be one of the questions – preparation is important. 

You can’t be prepared for everything, just remember, they want you to succeed. You know that you are ideal for the job, make sure they know that too.

Make sure you get that job – if you want it.