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Interview tips are a dime a dozen across the web. Our mission on the Speller Blog is to convey advice and information that cuts through…so, we recently asked our consultants for some of their top interview tips, without any fluff.

And here’s what we uncovered…

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. 

Benjamin Franklin

It goes without saying that you should do your homework before an interview. You must develop an understanding of the company, its culture, values and specifics of the role so that you can craft relevant answers. But don’t forget where possible to do your homework on the people interviewing you as well. Your interviewers’ job titles, LinkedIn profiles and, where available, website bios, can provide you with many clues as to their motivations. The more you can relate to the individuals in the room, the better your chances.

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On arrival…

Always greet your interviewers with a firm handshake whilst making eye contact. On the topic of eye contact it is important you engage your interviewer, as you speak throughout the interview, with regular eye contact. But sometimes this advice is taken too literally; it’s about being natural.

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The proof is in the pudding…

When highlighting your achievements focus as much as possible on tangible and measurable results. Be as specific as possible; for example, numbers can make your case more concrete and persuasive.

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Never, ever…

…speak negatively about past employers. Even if you feel justified, an interviewer will always hear alarm bells.

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With common cents, the dollars look after themselves…

Or did we mean “sense”? Well, either way please heed this next message. Remember to follow protocol and leave your salary and rate negotiations to your recruitment consultant. We ensure we work in your best interest to get you a rate which is as much right for you as it is the client and managing the process from start to finish will allow us to achieve the best result for all.

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Strength in weakness…

The “weakness” question is a common stumbling block in job interviews. A lot of popular advice holds that you should use this opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. For example, you might provide a thinly veiled negative by saying that…you work too hard, or that you have perfectionist tendencies, or that you’re too passionate. Our advice differs somewhat. Pick an area you’re actually not that strong in and illustrate how you have (or plan to) address it. The purpose here is not to demonstrate how creatively you can answer, but how sincerely. If you do this right, you will prove to your interviewers that you have excellent self-awareness, which is a vital skill in the workplace.

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The power of questions

We often think of questions as representing our lack of knowledge on a topic and sometimes we instinctively shy away from them for this reason. But here’s another way to look at it… In an interview setting who’s in control? The interviewers are. Or shall we say, the people asking the questions hold the most power in the room. A courtroom is another example.

The great thing about an interview setting is that you have the power to ask your own questions and by doing so you immediately place yourself on a more equal footing with your interviewers. It is a powerful way to gain respect and demonstrate some smarts. But in order to do this, your questions must be well informed. For example, instead of simply asking a general question about the project/s you might be working on, you would ask specific questions based on knowledge you’ve acquired during your research.

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But there’s more gold in them there wells…

If you enjoyed our interview tips be sure to keep visiting. Next time we will be discussing the STAR Method…curious? Well, stand by!

If you have any questions about best preparing yourself for interviews or simply wish to add to the discussion, feel free to do so in the comments section below.