First Ever Interview? Or First One For A While? Flame Health's Tips For Success…Part One

If you have managed to secure your first ever job interview, or you haven't had one for longer than you care to remember, the prospect can be daunting either way. Something to consider, which may help with any nerves, is that you have been invited for an interview because the employer believes you are a potential fit for the role in question, and the meeting is your chance to prove that you are. An interview is not just about the company's assessment of you, it's also a chance for you to see if this is the kind of environment and business you would like to work for, so think of it as a two-way process.
Whether you are completely new to the job market or you have years of experience behind you, Flame Health's tips for interview success remain largely the same; here is part one - things to do before the big day, to be continued next week...
Prepare for common or difficult questions. There are certain questions which are bound to come up, so prepare your answers in advance and, crucially, rehearse them! If you can find somebody to help you with a mock interview this can be really helpful. Think about questions such as: why have you applied for this job? Why do you want to work here? Why do you want to leave your current role (if applicable)? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? Try to put a positive spin on your answers, and never speak badly of a current or past employer.
Research the company. You need to show that you want to work for this specific company, so make sure you know your stuff. An interviewer won't expect you to know everything of course, but you should have a good general understanding of what the company does, as well as reasons why the company appeals to you as an employer e.g. have they won any awards? Do they have a great reputation? It's best not to just visit the company's website for information, but look further afield too, for example on social media.
Plan your journey and do a test run. You could prepare and rehearse all of your answers until you know them back-to-front, but if you turn up to an interview late, stressed and dishevelled you will not make a great first impression. Always plan out your journey and, if possible, do a test run at the same time of day that you will be travelling to your interview so that you can judge the traffic. If something does go amiss and you are going to be late for any reason, always phone ahead and apologise. Plan what you are going to wear the night before too, to avoid any last-minute rushing; smart business attire is always recommended for interviews, unless you have been told otherwise.
These are the best things you can do to prepare before the day, for tips on how to make a good impression in the interview, come back on Monday!
Flame Health can help you with all aspects of the recruitment process, if you work within the following sectors, contact us today to find out more:
Optometry, Dentistry, Healthcare Sales Pharmacy, Veterinary, Care, GP, Nursing, Cosmetic Surgery, Pharma
Freephone on 0800 085 0858 or if calling from a mobile on 01158 114488 alternatively email [email protected]