Be prepared –
online or in person.

Start by researching the company. What do they do? How did they start out? Who are their clients? How big are they? You can usually find the answers to all these questions on the company website. Then look at their social media accounts. What does their company culture look like? How do they talk about themselves? By doing this exercise, you’ll start to familiarise yourself with the company, so when the hiring manager asks, ‘What do you know about us?’, you’ll have a lot to talk about. It’s also helpful to have this information so that you can consider whether the company is right for you.

This will often depend on the role that you’re applying for. However, as a general rule and even if it is conducted via Zoom, clean cut and tidy is the way to go. If you’re unsure, you can always ask your consultant about the dress code beforehand so you can make sure you’re dressed appropriately. However, if your consultant does not advise a dress code, you can try looking at the company social media pages to see what their staff are wearing.

Three things play a major part in making a great first impression: eye contact, smile, and attitude. The hiring manager needs to feel like you want to be there, so make clear eye contact, be present and engaged, and remember to smile.

We all try our best to be on time to job interviews but sometimes, circumstances occur that make this impossible. If you’re running late, call the consultant before the interview start time to let them know your ETA. Our consultants understand that things don’t always go to plan, and as long as you get in touch with them and let them know, it generally won’t hurt your chances.

Every interview is different, but there are a few questions that seem to work their way into most job interviews. This is actually a good thing as it means you can prepare and rehearse your answers. Below we’ve listed some of the most commonly asked general and behavioural interview questions.

• Tell me about yourself.
• What attracted you to this role?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• This is a fast-paced environment. How do you manage competing priorities?
• What is your biggest achievement in your career to date?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Why are you looking to leave your current job?

• Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
• We all make mistakes we wish we could take back. Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond to get a job done.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure or extreme conditions.
• Describe how you used your problem-solving skills to benefit a team or company.
• Are you better at working with a team or working on your own?
• How do you handle unexpected changes or challenges?

Consultants and hiring managers will always ask you if you have any questions for them at the end of an interview. This is a good chance to show that you’re engaged and to find out more information about the role or the company. Here are a few questions you could ask:

• Can you tell me about the company culture?
• What would a typical day in this role involve?
• What are the career progression opportunities within the company?
• What is your favourite part about working for this company?

Your consultant or hiring manager will often let you know when you can expect to hear from them. If so, wait until after that date has passed before chasing them up. You want to let them know you’re interested but you don’t want to annoy them with relentless phone calls so try to find that balance.