When it comes to an interview, you can
never be too prepared.
Thorough research & effective preparation
is absolutely essential to guarantee
interview success.
Getting started
First things first, you need to know what to prepare
for. Aside from giving you an insight into the role
and organisation, good interview preparation will
also give you confidence.
Key things to cover:
● Research the company
● Read the job and person specification
thoroughly
● Find out what the interview format will be
● Know your CV
● Practice answers to commonly asked
questions
● Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
Research the company
Interviewers expect candidates to have a good
understanding of what their organisation does
– find out how big the company is, who their
customers are, and who their main competitors
are – as well as any recent developments or plans
within the company. Find out who your interviewer
will be and try finding them on the company
website and LinkedIn.
Read the job description
When it comes to interview preparation, the job
description is your best friend.
Not only will a thorough examination of the duties
and person specification help you to understand
more about what the role entails – it will also
help you to recognise exactly what the employer
is looking for. Then, you can tailor your answers
accordingly – coming up with examples that prove
you’re the best candidate for the role.
Figure out the format
Interviews can take a number of forms – from
telephone interviews to one-on-one and group
interviews, to position-specific tests, role plays,
and psychometric questionnaires. Each one will
require a different type of preparation. Often,
this will be explained when you’re invited to the
interview, but there’s no harm in asking for more
information if needed.
Know your CV
Make sure you know your CV inside out before the
interview, so that you can answer any questions
around dates, career history and qualifications
without hesitation.
Preparing for an Interview
Practice answers to commonly asked
questions
See our guide to commonly asked questions and
practice your answers. Make sure that you have
specific examples at the ready. Factual information
is always best. Rehearse out loud or ask a friend /
your Lloyd Recruitment Services Consultant to do a practice interview
with you.
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
There is nothing worse than getting to the end of
the interview and going blank when asked if there
is anything else you’d like to know. Make sure that
you have 3 questions prepared to ask, so that if 1
or 2 are answered during the interview, you’ll still
have 1 on standby.
The day before the interview;
Although you should have the bulk of your
preparation done by now – there will still be last
minute things to do;
● Pick your outfit and try it on
● Make sure that you have the address and
check where the nearest car park is
● Do a trial run to check the journey time
● Put important information into a folder
(e.g. your CV, portfolio, certificates, or
any other examples of your work and/or
qualifications and your passport or driving
license)
● Read and review the research you’ve done
Sorting out all of the above in advance will mean
less stress on the day of the interview.
The day of the interview
By now, you should feel prepared.
All that’s left to do is get there on time, and put
your preparation to good use.
Plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your
scheduled interview time – and if you’re going to
be late for any reason, make sure you telephone
your Consultant at Optima, who can notify the
company on your behalf.
Your Consultant is available at
any time to provide you with additional
advice and coaching before your interview.
