Taking part in a job interview is an exciting, but daunting, thought for most job applicants, even seasoned professionals. Attending an interview can be even more stressful for job candidates who are changing career paths, returning to the workforce after a break, or those newly arrived in Australia. Although Australia is famous for its relaxed, laid back culture, Australian employers and recruiters take interviews very seriously. So below is my personal blueprint of interview tips to give you the best chance of impressing your interviewer or interview panel.
1. Be prepared
- Arrive at least ten minutes early.
- Check the location of the interview in advance – if you don’t know the area, be sure to make a trial run beforehand to ensure you arrive on time, especially if you need to use public transport to get there.
2. Research the organisation and its industry
- As a well-briefed applicant, you will show the panel that you are taking the job seriously and are keen to be part of the organisation.
- There’s no use researching unless the interviewer knows you’ve made the effort to do so, so introduce points from your research into your answers to the interview questions wherever possible.
3. Address the panel members by name
- Take a notepad and write down the name of each interviewer after the introductions.
- Refer to your notes and use their names throughout the interview.
- If an interviewer introduces themselves with their first and last name, for example “Hi, I’m John Smith”, it is courteous to call them “Mr Smith” during the interview. If they would like you to call them “John”, they will invite you to do so.
4. Ensure you dress in a manner that reflects the occupation
- If you are being interviewed for a corporate role, or in a conservative business environment, it is advisable to wear a suit to the interview, even if you won’t be required to wear one on a daily basis.
- For other roles, a smart business look is generally acceptable; tailored if possible to reflect the culture of the employing organisation.
- If you are not sure what to wear to your interview, it is better to dress too formally than too casually.
- Make sure that your grooming is immaculate, even if you are applying for a role that doesn’t require customer or client contact. Grooming includes all of: hair, face, teeth, nails, perfume/aftershave, clothing, bags, shoes and accessories!
- If you are a smoker, do not smoke within an hour before the interview. If you walk into an interview with the smell of cigarettes on your breath and clinging to your clothing, it could leave a negative impression on a non-smoking interviewer or panel member.
- Wear an outfit that you are comfortable in, so you do not distract your interviewer by constantly fiddling with it, straightening it, tucking it in or adjusting it during the interview.
5. Answer questions comprehensively
- Take a copy of the job description, your CV, application letter and responses to selection criteria or claims against competencies along with you to the interview.
- Take a moment to consider each question that is put to you. Stay calm, organise your thoughts and give a focused answer, using the material above to help frame your responses if you need to.
- Wherever possible in your responses, relate your experience to the duties of the role you’re applying for.
- Answer questions comprehensively, but resist the impulse to keep talking after you have addressed each part of the question.
- Prepare at least one question to ask the interviewer when you are invited to do so towards the conclusion of the interview; it will be taken as a sign of interest in the position.
6. Watch your body language
- When you are introduced to the interviewer or panel, make sure your handshake is firm and confident. A weak handshake is as bad as one that it so strong it crushes the recipient’s hand. Neither will impress your interviewer.
- Make eye contact with the interviewer throughout the interview.
- If you are participating in a panel interview, each interviewer will ask you one or more questions in turn. Respond primarily to the interviewer who asked the question, but include the others in your response, by making eye contact with each of them as you respond.
7. Thank the interviewers
- At the conclusion of the interview, thank the interviewers and follow up by sending a brief thank you note within three working days of the interview.
An important thing to remember when attending an interview is that your CV and covering letter have already done much of the hard work for you – if you hadn’t already showcased yourself as a leading candidate, you wouldn’t be there. So at your next interview, take a deep breath, smile and follow the blueprint above to stay calm, cool and collected – with your interview nerves under control, you might even find yourself enjoying the experience!
