The Secret to Preparing for a Job Interview
By Matthew Ward, Founder and Director30 May 2021
Interviews have shifted a lot in recent years, with video calls becoming the norm for a stretch. Preferences on virtual versus in-person are genuinely mixed, but face-to-face meetings still tend to happen at some point in most hiring processes, and each format has real advantages: in person, it's easier to get a feel for workplace culture and read body language properly, and it works both ways, recruiters get a clearer sense of attitude and fit too.
The real secret to interview preparation isn't rehearsing answers, it's researching the company properly beforehand so you can speak to their actual priorities, not generic ones.
Research properly, not just quickly
Whatever the format, proper preparation is what actually settles pre-interview nerves. Start with the company website and take real notes: is there a clear mission statement? What goals do they talk about? Do they support causes that line up with your own values? Patterns across the site tend to reveal what the business actually prioritises, not just what's on the careers page.
Read their blog if they have one, it gives you something concrete to reference in the interview itself. Check their social presence too, starting with LinkedIn for professional context, then broader platforms for a sense of tone and personality. A quick search for recent press coverage is worth doing as well, both to understand positive stories and to be aware of anything less flattering, since an interview is genuinely a two-way evaluation of fit, not just you being assessed.
Where we can help
If you're working toward a marketing graduate role and want to talk through what's out there, get in touch and introduce yourself, we're always happy to point people toward relevant opportunities. Once the research is done, this interview advice covers the rest of the conversation.
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