The Secret to Preparing for a Job Interview

As lock-down starts to ease and employers are starting to see their workforce return to the office, so brings the return of the in-person interview.

If you have had a job interview in the past year, chances are that it’s been held online, via Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. Although 52% of respondents to our poll said they’d prefer for interviews to be held virtually post-pandemic, chances are at some point in the hiring process the employer will want to meet you and have a chat, face to face.

After all, having an in-person interview means you can get a better appreciation of the culture in the workplace by visiting! You will also get a better opportunity to clarify your answers, as sitting face-to-face with the hiring manager means you’ll have a better ability to read the room, gauge their reaction to your answers and read their body language. Additionally, you will have more room to clarify your answers, improving your question-answering ability.

On the other hand, it’s beneficial for the recruiter sitting across from you. They’ll be able to assess your non-verbal cues which will allow them to better evaluate your attitude and preferences - giving them a better idea if you’re the right addition to the team!

Preparation

Regardless of the type of interview, in-person, virtual or telephone, we all know that preparation is essential. But how do you prepare for an interview and combat pre-interview nerves?

Start by looking on the company website, grab a pen and paper and jot down some recurring themes.

• Do they have a mission statement?

• What are their goals?

• Do they support causes that are similar to your values? It’s great to understand these as they can tell you a lot about a company.

Also, dive deeper into the website, do they have a blog? If so, what do they write about? It’s good practice to read a couple of articles whilst you’re there (you never know - you might be able to bring up something you have read during the interview and impress the recruiter!)

After you’ve successfully scoured the website and you feel confident that you know the company a bit better, head to their social media, what sites do they use? LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram?

It’d be best to start with their LinkedIn since you’re wanting to get a better understanding of the business in a professional capacity. However, don’t dismiss their other social media sites as by having a scroll through their profiles, you will have a better understanding of what they’re currently working on and what’s happening behind the scenes at head office.

At this point, you’ll be feeling much better, like you’re ready to take the interview on! But to go the extra mile, we would recommend Googling the company (stick with us here…). Head to Google and click the ‘articles’ tab, has the company had any recent press coverage?

Is it a positive story about how they recently helped a local charity or are they having negative reports about how they treat their staff? REMEMBER - an interview is a chance for you to evaluate whether you want to work for a company or not. It’s best to have an understanding of their culture and how they look after their staff, as you don’t want to end up in a toxic workplace.

Don’t forget, as in-person interviews return, so does the extra preparation! Make sure you have everything for the interview beforehand by using our helpful interview preparation checklist:

And, unlike a virtual interview, you’re going to have to dress the part (no longer can you be wearing pyjama bottoms to an interview!) So have a rummage around your wardrobe for your professional attire, make sure it’s smart and presentable and give the interview your best shot! Good luck!

With this level of preparation, you will be feeling more confident in yourself and your knowledge of the company. And, when you demonstrate your in-depth understanding of the company, the hiring manager will be extremely receptive, so it’s good practice to get into the habit of following these steps before an interview! It’s never a bad idea to search some common interview questions and have a go at answering them in your own time ahead of the interview either! Chances are, you’ll be asked something similar in the real interview.

How Lead Kinetics can help:

Wanting to secure an interview for a marketing graduate position? Get in contact and introduce yourself to learn about the opportunities we have available! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to keep updated with interview tips, marketing advice and memes.