by Julie Hetherington, North-West News Group HR manager

Remember its perfectly normal to be a bit nervous before an interview and a little nerves can actually help you to perform better.  By the interview stage, you have successfully applied to the Company and they want to meet to find out a little more about you.  That’s all, so always keep a sense of perspective, as there really is no need to be overly nervous.

When you arrive, smartly dressed and 5-10 minutes before your interview time, use the waiting time to read the Company literature and have a look around the reception area.   Keep calm and say hello to anyone who passes by.  On meeting the interviewer for the first time, shake hands firmly and greet them with a warm, confident smile.   At this point, a good interviewer will welcome you to the Company, explain who else will be interviewing and have a general chat on the way to the interview room.   Typically 2-3 people interview although this can vary depending on the profession you are applying for.

Try to relax on meeting the panel, sit comfortably (no slouching!) and maintain eye contact with all of the panel throughout the interview, not just the interviewer asking the questions.  Avoid crossing your arms, fiddling with jewellery (remember not too many accessories girls) and at all costs never talk over the interviewer asking the questions.  Let the interviewer lead the conversation, listen to the questions and answer openly and honestly.  Maintaining eye contact throughout the interview engages the interview panel with you while you are talking and its OK to ask an interviewer to repeat or rephrase a question once or twice during the interview.

Don’t be negative about previous employers, misrepresent yourself or your experience, or give answers that are too short or too long.   Do show interest by asking questions about the tasks involved in the job, what its like to work for the Company and when you are likely to hear what the outcome of the interview is.

The interview should always end on a positive note, and use the end of the interview to reiterate your interest in the post by saying something along the lines of, “I like what I’ve heard about the Company today.”   Thank the interviewer before leaving and leave the room with a smile.

I know from experience that not all interviews go smoothly, you can have a bad day and if it happens, put it down to experience and move on.  Don’t let it stop you from applying and practice will eventually make perfect.

That’s me, thanks for reading and wish you well with the job hunt and all that comes with it.  Don’t forget to come along to the job and careers fair to meet and talk directly with local employers.

 

Interview Tip from Linda Watson, HR Manager, Oriel Training Services

Read the job advert and job description, be prepared to answer questions in 5 key areas of the job description, for example, skills needed for job, working with people, IT, problem solving ability, initiative