Walking into a job interview at any age can be intimidating, but especially after you’ve graduated and you’re looking for your first job in your chosen industry. For anyone looking to land the role of their dreams straight out of university, the team behind all-in-one human resources software www.factorialhr.co.uk have laid out 5 of the best tips to help graduates preparing for a job interview.
Know your (potential) future employer
Proving your knowledge about the company that you’re trying to join can go a long way towards showing your interviewer that you’re committed, dedicated and serious. Granted, this isn’t to say that you should just recite the company’s Wikipedia page (if they have one) during the middle of the interview – you shouldn’t. However, a little reading to familiarise yourself with the history of the company will make it easier to precisely explain how you can help the company to achieve its goals. You should also look into the current situation of the company; what they’re doing well, any opportunities for improvement. If you work in marketing, this could mean looking at the messaging and social media channels, whereas if you work in product or web development, perhaps you can add more interactivity or automation to their product or service. This not only shows that you’ve done your research, but also puts you at the top of the list of candidates.
Read the job description, then re-read it, and read it one more time
Similar to researching the company before the interview, also take the time to acclimate yourself with the job description. It might sound silly, it goes without saying that you wouldn’t have applied for the job if you didn’t feel qualified enough, but any employer will want to feel confident in your ability to perform in the advertised role. Knowing exactly what the job description is asking for will help you answer the interviewer’s questions with exactly what they’re looking for. It’ll also help you to answer the inevitable question of why you want to work for the company you applied for. Have a clear answer into why you would like to join the industry and how you see your career developing over time.
Dress to impress, but don’t go overboard
If you show up to a job interview at a bank in a hoodie and jeans, you probably won’t get through the door. On the other hand, if you showed up to a job interview at an animation studio wearing a custom three-piece suit, you’d be laughed out of the building. By the time you finish your course, you should have a good feel for the industry that you’re trying to break into (hopefully through some work experience) and know how to look the part.
Don’t be late
Being late to a job interview gives them a terrible first impression. Any sense of reliability is gone in a matter of minutes, literally. Not being late might be the type of advice that you’d roll your eyes at if your parents said it to you – but it is true. Plan your journey with at least 10-15 minutes to spare in the event of traffic or getting lost. Ideally, you want to get to your interview 10 minutes ahead of time.
Maintain eye contact and be engaged
Imagine if you met someone for the first time and they spent the entire conversation looking in every other direction and didn’t stop yawning. What would you think? Not a lot of good, and neither would the interviewer if you did the same during your job interview. Maintain eye contact with the person who’s interviewing you and remain engaged throughout the interview. It’s also worth shaking the interviewer’s hand at the start and end of the interview, keeping a good posture and smiling! Finally, almost every interviewer you face will ask if you have any questions for them. This isn’t a trick – they want you to ask questions to show that you’ve read up on the role and have thought about whether it’s the right fit for you, and why. Asking thoughtful questions will indicate interest, knowledge and proactiveness.
Bernat Farrero, CEO of www.factorialhr.co.uk, commented: “Walking into your first job interview after graduating can be really intimidating, but there are simple and stress-free ways to prepare yourself for the interview. As long as you’re authentic, personable and polite, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t do great. You only have one chance to make a first impression, but these tips can help anyone nail it.”
