Ros Kindersley, managing director, JFL Search & Selection

An invitation to an interview means that you have passed the first hurdle of the selection process, so well done. Your CV or application form will have given a good impression.


The first thing to bear in mind is that the interviewer wants you to give a good performance. No sane person would invite a candidate to an interview in the expectation that he or she will not make the grade. What a waste of time! Don’t think of an interview as an ordeal. It is an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, experience and attitude and at the same time find out more about the organisation and the role you are applying for.

Preparation is key

Consider the type of questions you are likely to be asked. These can range from closed questions, requiring ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, to direct questions to prompt straightforward, short answers for example ‘Where do you live?’. It's important that you recognise these questions for what they are and answer incisively. The main part of the interview is likely to consist of open questions and competency based questions, requiring a well thought out and descriptive answer.

What is a competency?

It is a combination of skill, knowledge and experience required to perform in a particular job. For example, a role might require project management ability, creativity and leadership skills. An experienced interviewer is unlikely to ask you: ‘Are you creative?’ as your answer will merely be your own opinion of yourself. 

Instead, you will be asked a more complex question such as: ‘Can you give me an example of a time when you have used your creativity to do something differently?’. This is where you need to give a well thought out answer and a specific example of a situation at work where you have met this challenge and succeeded. The best indicator of whether an individual is likely to perform well in a job is by referring to past behaviour. And this is what a competency based question will evaluate.

Job descriptions

Look carefully at the job advertisement or job description, in advance of the interview. Identify what you feel are the key competencies and then mentally prepare some case studies of real situations at work that demonstrate you can meet these competencies. When you are asked a question you should be able to meet it with a specific, detailed and incisive answer. There is no need to rush.  An experienced interviewer will allow you time to give a well considered answer.

Research is essential

Find out as much as you can about the organisation by looking at its website, the internet, reading the business pages of the broadsheets and any relevant trade press. Nearer the time of the interview, ensure you are up to date on current affairs and well informed of any issues that may affect the organisation. You may well be asked your opinion on a newsworthy topic, or you may be asked: ‘Why do you want to work for us?’. Try to give an interesting answer – engage the interviewer.

On the day

Remember the interview starts as soon as you walk into the building. Be punctual and allow time to sign in at reception, but please do not be too early. If you find you arrive at the building with half an hour to spare, go and have a cup of coffee and come back with just five minutes to spare. Make sure you are friendly to reception and smile at everyone you meet. If you are sitting in reception when your interviewer approaches you, stand up immediately. This is just good manners.

Watch your body language

Make eye contact, look alert, enthusiastic and interested. You may be nervous, but you need to overcome this. In most jobs you will be expected from time to time to work under pressure, so you should demonstrate this ability at an interview. Sit forward in your seat and think about the tone of your voice and the language you are using. Try to use active verbs such as explore, manage, motivate, solve, rather than passive verbs, such as tolerate, wait or ‘be asked.’ Above all, make sure you engage with the interviewer. However good your answers are, you are unlikely to make a lasting impression if there is no true rapport.

Asking questions

Towards the end of the interview you should have an opportunity to ask questions yourself. Try to ask something interesting about the organisation or the role. Find out about career progression and/or training opportunities. Leave questions such as salary, benefits and holiday to the second interview, unless these are introduced by the interviewer. At the very end of the interview find out about timescale and the next stage of the selection. This is a very valid question – and it is important that you know. You may have other opportunities you are interviewing for and you need to manage the process.

Dress code

Finally, although a lot of organisations operate a ‘smart casual’ dress code, I suggest you err on the side of ‘smart.’ If you turn up in a suit and everyone else is wearing jeans, you can always tell the interviewer that you normally wear jeans and joke that you feel as if you are standing out like a traffic cone. But if you turn up in jeans and everyone else is in a suit, you will feel an idiot. 

Interviews are universally acknowledged as a valid method of selecting candidates. They are also about performance.  Research, rehearse and do not forget to be yourself.  It is your career we are talking about.