First thing’s first. Always prepare in advance for your interview . It is paramount that you research the company beforehand. This will show that you are able to use your initiative, that you take an interest in your work and will stand you well with your interviewer. Remember to ask questions too.

The thing to remember is that an interview is a two way process. You should be interviewing them as well. Here are just a few tips on how to cope when you get that interview you have worked so hard for.

Attitude - The word that sums up the key to a successful interview, your attitude determines whether you will “make the cut” or be refused. If you act like you are disinterested, then you will not get far. However if you come across as too eager, you risk appearing desperate. Try to relax and talk confidently.

Practise - It is helpful to go through a mock interview first. The mock interview is not only a chance to work out your interview jitters, it is an opportunity to practice your interviewing technique and answers live. It gives you constructive feedback and allows you to improve your interview technique and presentation. To prepare for the mock write down exactly what the employer wants from you (you will find this in the advertisement for the job) and ask the person testing you to put their interview experience together with these details to come up with some questions for you. If you get stuck, contact us on 08454 30 40 40, as we can offer some examples to help you.

Many interviews fail because of lack of proper communication. But communication is more than just what you say. Often it is the non-verbal communication that we are least aware of, yet speaks the loudest. Following are the top five non-verbals, ranked in order of importance, when it comes to interviewing:

• Eye Contact - Unequalled in importance. If you look away while listening, it shows lack of interest and a short attention span. If you have difficulty maintaining eye contact, try this simple technique to lock in a strong first impression. Concentrate on noticing (and remembering) the colour of the person's eyes as you shake hands. Remember, try not to stare though!
  

• Facial Expressions - Simple. Smile.

• Posture- Posture sends out a signal of your confidence and power potential. Stand tall, walk tall, and most of all, sit tall.

• Gestures- don’t use artificial gestures to try to heighten the importance of the issue at hand, it will merely come off as theatrical. When you do use gestures, make sure they are natural and meaningful.

• Space- For most of us, merely the awareness of our personal space is enough to consciously prompt us to stand firm when speaking with someone. If you have a smaller than average personal space, make sure you keep your distance so that you do not intimidate someone who possesses a larger personal space.

Everyone uses body language during the interview (whether they realise it or not). Following are some typical interpretations of body language cues (look for key signs in yourself!).

• Openness and Warmth: open-lipped smiling (shows confidence), open hands with palms visible (gives impression that you are not nervous), unbuttoning coat upon being seated (shows you are comfortable).

• Nervousness: pinching skin, fidgeting, jiggling pocket contents, running tongue along front of teeth, clearing throat, hands touching the face or covering part of the face, pulling at ear, running fingers through hair, wringing hands, twiddling thumbs.

• Untrustworthy/Defensive: frowning, squinting eyes, tight-lipped grin, arms crossed in front of chest, pulling away, chin down, darting eyes, looking down when speaking, clenched hands, pointing with fingers, chopping one hand into the open palm of the other.

As you can see, there are far more negatives than positives… maybe more than we are consciously aware of.

Completely eliminate phrases such as "To be honest with you..." "Just between you and me..." and "Well, I'll be completely honest about this...". A person who uses such a qualifier typically is not being honest. If you are being honest all the time (which you should be), there should be no need to use these kinds of qualifiers.

If appropriate bring samples or copies of your work to the interview as examples of your capabilities. It’s easy to say "I developed a report" but completely different to actually show the report you developed. Be fully prepared not only to "show" but also "tell" about your sample.

Success in interviewing involves being fully prepared. But it is more than that. You must stand out in a world of plain job candidates. What particular strengths make you uncommon? What makes you unique? Be ready to differentiate yourself and explain why you are different if they ask you to. Be ready to show your "competitive advantage."

Whom Would You Believe?

Before you can possibly convince the interviewer that you are right for the job, you have to believe it yourself. Remember, you are all alone once the interview starts. No one will hire you if you do not sell yourself, don't expect the interviewer to tell you why you are right.