Hopefully you will have read our recent article, 5 Tips when preparing for your next job interview, which featured some great tips about what revision and preparation you can do to secure your next role. This article goes one step further, focusing on ensuring you’re at ease and feeling confident. 

 

Think about timing

If you’re lucky enough to be offered a choice of interview time think carefully about your decision. Think about the time of day you are most productive and feel most at ease. If you are the type of person who gets nervous choose an earlier time so that you don’t get wound up throughout the day and are at your most confident. If you tend to hit that “3pm” slump after lunch try to avoid this time. 

 

Plan your journey

Ensure you know exactly how you are going to get to your interview and how long it is going to take. If you are arriving by car consider where the nearest parking is and if you are arriving by public transport, factor in delays. It’s always better to arrive early so consider aiming for an early arrival time so that you can grab a coffee and calm your nerves before walking into the building. 

 

Dress appropriately

Even if the office environment looks to be a casual one, dress up for the occasion. A good way of gauging what people in the office might wear is looking on any ‘about us’ or ‘company culture’ pages of a company’s website. Make sure you look slightly smarter than the pictures online. Another option is to ask online- if there’s a Facebook group or similar for applicants in your field you may be able to ask what the best thing to wear is. 

 

Eat beforehand

Hunger pangs can be a huge distraction so make sure you don’t go into the interview on an empty stomach. Make sure you eat something that will keep you full for a long time in case your interview overruns. If you have a series of interviews with one employer, consider packing some small healthy snacks and a bottle of water to keep yourself energised.

 

Think about smells

Avoid any overpowering smells when you go into an interview so if you smoke or tend to use a heavy perfume, make sure you avoid this beforehand. This can create a bad first impression. Similarly avoid any food that might leave a bad smell behind, or even worse- something in your teeth! If you’re conscious that you smell of tobacco for example this can distract you from wowing the people interviewing you. 

 

Tie your hair back

If you have long hair there is nothing more distracting than fiddling with your hair. Avoid this by tying it neatly-ensuring any stray hairs are out of the way. It may sound silly but this can be a great way of ensuring you appear confident under pressure. 

 

And finally, SMILE!

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Interview Tips That Will Help You Get the Job

Experts from the best companies in the UK share their experience and advice on how to boss the interview process

interview tips

Jazz Panesar is a Digital and Technology Apprentice at Severn Trent. Read Jazz’s story here.

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