The Interview | Prepare to be an Exceptional Candidate

If you’re lucky, it may have been a while since your last interview.

The following tips may sound obvious, but they are imperative in helping you secure your new role.

Your CV

Keep it up-to-date! A significant part of the interview is talking about what has been written on your CV. If it has been some time since you wrote yours, we would advise giving it a run through before attending the interview to keep it fresh in your mind.

Do your research

To give your potential employer the best possible impression, research the company thoroughly by: checking their website and social media, reading company news, keeping up-to-date with industry movements and knowing their business, products and main competitors.

The job description is a good tool to help you understand new employer’s expectations. Look at how your skills and experience match their requirements.

Honesty & positivity

Answer interview questions in an honest and truthful manner. We’d advise you to be genuine, don’t feel the need to hide your weaknesses and appear open to learning and development.

Just having good technical knowledge may not be enough if you don’t show the right attitude. Cultural fit is very important to most companies. Ultimately, you’ll want to like the people you work with. A positive and team-playing mind-set will get you far.

Dress code

In Manufacturing, smart casual is perfectly acceptable for an interview. An example being a clean-cut shirt paired with trousers or a skirt. For senior management or client-facing roles, we advise that a suit would be a safer choice.

Sample work

When applicable, bring your sample work or portfolio. This is the most effective way to showcase your experience in such a short period of time.

A client once told us: “We will be discussing technical matters. They are often more comfortable and confident presenting these through their past projects. It is therefore better for them to bring their sample work.”

Be punctual

Finally, as amusing and patronising as this might sound, BE ON TIME! Not only does it give the prospective employer a good impression of you, it also allows you time to breathe, fix your clothes after travelling and be ready for whatever is asked of you.

After all, you don’t want the interview to be over before it’s even started :)