LondonAreaJobs is 100% focused on and designed to assist people find jobs in London or to find jobs in the area of London. With the careers market now more competitive than it has been for some time, you need to give employers even more reasons to pick you when you get to the important stage of being asked to interview.
The first 30 seconds of a job interview are very important. Here are a few helpful tips on what to expect and things to think about for your job interview.
Job Interview checklist
- Make sure you double check the time, date and whereabouts of your job interview
- Plan the route the day prior, eg if you are being interviewed for a job in London you could get a route map from google maps so you can pin point the place to be before hand, or even make a trip there the day before to avoid any grief on the day
- Research the role and company before the interview, a few minutes spent typing the company's name into Google will be time very well spent. Scan through the company's about us page and any additional data you can find. Your interviewer will be impressed if you have some understanding of the company and its background
- Re read through the job advertisement to remind yourself what the job involves and what the recruiter is looking for
- your CV and have a hard think about exactly why you think you'd be a great candidate for this job
Look Good, Feel Better
Rightly or wrongly, looks sometimes make a difference, be smart and look professional. Bear in mind the company you are applying to - how do your potential future colleagues dress for work? If you already look the part then you're on the way to fitting in at your desired new job!
Be on time!
Try to keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a excellent first impression, so make sure you're prepared. Aim to arrive 20-25 minutes before your interview is booked to start, that way if your bus is late or you get stuck in traffic you'll still arrive bang on time. If you arrive early, you could wait nearby at a cafe or have a quick stroll around the locality thinking about what you plan to say in your interview. Aim to arrive at reception exactly 10 minutes before your scheduled interview time.
Smile and look the interviewers in the eyes
Eye contact is a very important aspect while on your interview and can make a real difference in how you come accross. If you often look away when speaking to someone, you might well be seen as lacking confidence or not interested or even being dishonest. So always answer their questions with eye contact, but without glaring.
Be enthusiastic and positive
During your job interview always be enthusiastic. Do not be negative or mention any bad points about previous employers. Focus on your achievements and optimistic views, remember to smile and be attentive.
Finally, don't give up your job hunt!
The fact is that that you are unlikely to be offered every job that you'd like to get, however well suited you think you may be for it.
If you do not get the job after an interview it is a wise suggestion to retrace the stages of the interview with someone and try to have them to flag up any areas where you could have done better. There will be more jobs to apply for in the future and any less that perfect interviews should be looked upon as part of a learning process.
Don't forget that performing well at an interview is a skill and it can be learnt and improved with help and practice. There are plenty jobs in and around London - the main thing is to find the right one for you!
LondonAreaJobs wish you the best of luck with you job hunting!
