Interview Guide 

Introduction
Congratulations on getting an interview! This is the hard part overwith. Now is the time to put in the work so that you can clinch the job at the interview stage. We are presenting several guidelines to interviewees to follow that will give you every advantage to land the job!

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
Depending on how much time you have before the interview, use this time wisely to do your homework.
• Familiarize yourself with the company by use of their website and company literature (if available).
• Make sure that you are familiar with the job specification so that you will be ready to highlight your key skills and achievements that relate directly to the skills as per the job specification and indeed, so that you can answer any question that you may be asked.
• Make sure that you know your own CV inside out, as the interviewer can ask you questions about any aspect of our CV. If required, bring a copy of your CV along with you to the interview. Do not worry, this is common practice and will not look out of the ordinary to the prospective employer.
• Make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview, allowing for traffic or any other unforeseen circumstances.


First Impressions
First impressions are generally formed in a matter of seconds, therefore give yourself every opportunity to make a positive impression on the prospective employer.
• Presentation: Irrespective of the dress code of the organisation, a full suit is recommended.


Interview
It is now make or break and this is your time to shine. You can do it!
• Make sure you speak clearly and adopt a friendly yet professional tone.
• Be as honest as possible and try not to exaggerate
• Be confident, but not aggressive
• Do not criticize your current employer, it doesn’t look or sound well to prospective employers
• Always have a couple of pre-prepared questions for the end of the interview as you will invariably be given the opportunity to ask them. E.g.” Where could I see myself in 3 years time working here”? and not, “How much does the job pay”?.
• Refrain from cutting across or interupting the interviewer.
• Refrain from using expletives.
• Give direct, to-the-point answers and try not to ramble.
Body language is critical: Obviously this comes naturally to some and not to others, however, it is something that can be easily worked on.
• Avoid folding your arms and try not to fidget.
• Keep good eye contact with the interviewer, especially if they are speaking or asking a question.
• Throw in a smile from time to time, it won’t hurt!

Post-Interview
You will obviously feel a great sense of relief after the interview, however, doubts may start to creep in:
• You may question some of the answers that you gave.
• You may wish that you had answered a particular question differently.
• You may have inadvertently cut-across the interviewer
• You may have only spent 20 minutes in the interview

This kind of ‘post-mortem’ is needless and will only serve to make you more anxious. The best thing to do is to put the interview to the back of your mind. More often than not, people actually do a lot better than they initially give themselves credit for, so don't be too disheartened if you do not feel that you did yourself justice. You have given your best and there is nothing you can do at this stage. You simply have to wait for your feedback. But after assimilating all of the above, it should be good news!

Best of Luck!