Those who can interview well, find the interview process a walk in the park, in securing a new job. Those who constantly get rejected at the interview stage, for whatever reason, begin to, understandably, feel that they will never be able to secure the job they want or really need…

Coupled with the tough economic conditions and the fact that there are at present more short-listable candidates to interview, understanding why you may fail at interview, has become more and more important. This list is not definitive, but aims to give you some basic tips on how you can improve your interview skills and what you can do better in helping to succeed at interview.

1. You are as good as the person who interviewed before you and the candidate that will interview next…

When you are shortlisted for a job, there are typically between 5-10 candidates on interview for the role. However, there may have been 100+ applications, so at the point of interview, you have already demonstrated on your CV, many of the skills, attributes and experience they are looking for in a potential employee. Remember this, and take this into the interview with you! Each shortlisted person, is on interview for a reason, and at that point, it is a clean sheet!

2. Treat your interview like a Poker game…

Some people show nerves, others don’t. Often I have spoken to applicants and they immediately
 apologise for coming across as nervous. Don’t apologise for something that is a natural feeling and also as much as you might be feeling nervous, you might not be showing it! Imagine an interview is a little like a poker game, don’t just give your hand away and admit what bad ‘cards’ you have. At the same time, don’t tell the interviewer everything you have to offer immediately, keep a few ‘aces’ back and show your hand at the appropriate time.

3. Like the Scouts, “Be Prepared”

This is an examination; so study! Study your CV and yourself, study their website, study their products and services, study the job specification, and be able to answer the questions you think they may ask. Did I say study? There are plenty of ‘interview question generators’ online and they can help you to prepare for interview questions.

Check out the interview generator under the Job-seeking section on http://www.reed.co.uk/ as this might help you in the right direction: http://www.reed.co.uk/cms/CareerTools/JobseekingAdvice 

Importantly, show that you have studied for this interview and you have treated the process with respect. Even if the interviewer does not ask you directly what you have done to prepare for the interview, or what you know about the company, show them that you have taken the time to be ready. Relate an answer you give, to the values you feel that the company has.

4. Handshake!!

There are two types of handshake, a right one and a wrong one! Sorry to be so non-specific, but there is probably no one rule to this. However this is where I am at;

Too limp a handshake, can symbolise fear, lack of respect and being non-committal. I will give you an example: I was once ‘told’ to start a new staff member by my Regional Manager. They had the weakest, worst handshake, EVER. I was not impressed, and although they kept giving me the right answers at interview, there was something not quite right. My judgement, I will be honest, had been made in that first five seconds, and based on that limp, weak handshake, and nothing after that could make me change my mind. In my gut, the handshake gave away a part of the character I could not quite work out. On the day the staff member was due to start, my ‘new staff member’ phoned me from the car park outside of the office as they had had second thoughts and decided the role wasn’t for them. Point Proven.

However…too strong a handshake, can demonstrate (in my mind that is) that the interviewee wants to be in control. As a manager, the one thing you look for is respect, so I always felt that if the grip of the handshake was too hard, there was a lack of respect of your position and an edge of cockiness that came out in the persons body language! Maybe I am wrong, but reading handshakes became a little bit of a bug bearer for me, so beware!!

Good luck and get studying!! Need more employment top tips click here…

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