Interview advice from our consultants

Interviews can sometimes be difficult to prepare for, we don’t always know what advice to listen to. To help you feel more confident and equipped, below are some valuable interview tips from our consultants who have a lot of experience both interviewing and knowing what hiring managers like.

Before the interview

• Prepare your answers. Even though you won’t know for sure the questions that will be asked in an interview, questions such as ‘Tell me about yourself’, ‘Why do you want to join this company?’, ‘What can you bring to this company?’ are common questions which you should have well-prepared answers for.
• Research the company background. This demonstrates that you have knowledge of what the company does and shows that you are taking the job interview seriously. If you know the name of the hiring manager interviewing you, check them out on LinkedIn.
• Make sure you arrive 10-15 minutes early. Any earlier and you run the risk of waiting for a long period and making it awkward for the interviewer and receptionist. Arriving late shows a lack of professionalism and punctuality (unless there is a good reason, and, in that case, you should notify the interviewer as soon as possible). To avoid this risk, plan your route to the interview location and take the MTR if possible. Buses and taxis are unpredictable and can cause delays due to unexpected traffic or road accidents.
• Prepare questions of your own to ask the interviewer.

During the interview

• First impressions are important. Dress to impress and make sure you are wary of your body language. Good eye contact, a firm handshake, a good posture and no fidgeting indicates a confident person.
• Pace yourself. Don’t speak too fast (or too slow) and keep your answers precise and to the question.
• Back up what you say. Give examples of your past experience and how it relates to the job you’re interviewing for.
• Ask questions! At the end of the day, it is a meeting between two interested parties. Whilst it is the interviewer’s job to get to know you better, it is equally just as important that you have a good understanding of the company and role.
• Avoid talking about salary. Your first interview is about demonstrating your suitability to the job and what motivates you. Talking about salary on the first meeting just shows you are only in it for monetary gain.

After the interview

• You should have a good idea of what to expect from the role and company you’re being interviewed for. If you don’t, then you didn’t ask enough questions.
• Follow-up. Send a short follow-up email to the hiring manager and you will most likely leave a good impression on them. It shows your enthusiasm for the position.

Don’t be afraid to get into a great conversation with your recruitment consultant about what you can do to stand out in an interview. We hope these tips help you feel more confident going forward into your next interview!