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Career Centre > Succeeding at interview > Preparation

Preparing for the Interview

Research has shown that over 80% of interviewees do little or no preparation before an interview. Increase your chances of success and put yourself in the top 20% with these tips:

Research the firm

  • Visit the company's website for general information and recent press releases
  • Use search engines to get a wider view of the company and how it fits into its industry
  • Contact the firm's marketing department for up-to-date literature
  • Use your network to get a behind-the-scenes view
  • Research the company’s main competitors

Know your CV

Make sure you know your CV inside out and are ready to expand on any choices you’ve made regarding your education and career. Be confident talking about your key achievements.

Prepare some questions and answers

  • Take time to consider questions you might be asked and practice your responses.
  • Prepare a brief career overview in response to the popular starting question 'tell me something about yourself'. Be ready with plenty of examples to illustrate your skills and how you could contribute to the company.
  • Think about questions you'd like to ask. Questions which invite thought and comment are more memorable to the interviewer than those which request specific detail. This is also an excellent opportunity to illustrate your understanding of the firm.

Research the interview process

Find out the format of the interview:

  • How many interviews will there be?
  • Does the firm carry out psychometric testing?
  • Who will be conducting the interviews?

The day of the interview

If you're going to be late, call the company and let them know. Make sure you know roughly how long the interview will last. You don't want to be fretting about your next meeting.

Arrive a little early for the interview. Ten minutes spent in the reception will give you time to collect your thoughts and a chance to read the firm's brochures and study recent press releases. Listening to the receptionists and watching the comings and goings can provide a valuable insight into the type of firm you might be joining.