If we can impart any wisdom whatsoever to help you with your job search, it would be these 7 tips!

Interviewing, for many people can be nerve wracking! Your jacket is a little too tight, you’re feeling too hot waiting in the reception and you’re trying to remember the name of the person you are interviewing with. All the while thinking did you lock the front door when you left the house!

At LHR we do a lot to help job seekers prepare for their interviews, we get asked a lot about interview techniques and how to go about acting at interview.

Here are a few tips to help you along your way.

Turning up late

Set your watch an hour early if you really need too. This should be pretty obvious, but people still make the mistake of not leaving enough time to get to their interview. On the flip side, you don’t want to be sat in their reception area an hour early so ensure to think about your timing.

Leaving your phone on

Nobody needs to hear your phone ring whilst in your interview, especially if you have an awful ringtone! It’s simple enough but turn your phone off before arriving.

Not doing your research

Please do more than look up the address. If you turn up at an interview not knowing anything about the company or role you are applying for, you are just going to look silly and more importantly the interviewer will not be impressed! Make sure that you have done your homework and know about what the company does, where it’s heading and what they are trying to achieve. You should know about the role you are applying for and also about the people who are interviewing you.

Critiquing your current/former employer

Big NO NO! It can be difficult to explain why you left a previous company or why you are looking to leave. However, please resist the urge to badmouth a previous boss or colleagues.

Talking too much

Point. Answer. Explanation – keep it simple. Trying to over complicate your answers can lead to waffling.

Listen and respond to questions

Part of being prepared is anticipating questions and coming up with possible answers, but you won’t be able to predict every question. Many candidates get flustered by interview questions and then make the mistake of saying whatever first pops into their head. Please remember it is more than acceptable to take a minute and think about your response to then provide a fitting response to the question.

The most important thing to remember is to be yourself, relax and be honest!

Good Luck!