A few months ago, I was invited to participate in a panel at Kings College to discuss breaking into the media industry, alongside representatives from Google, American Express, and a smaller business called Pip&Nut. The panelists were great, and the students were really engaged, but I was taken aback when students came up to me after the session to ask for interview tips.
This surprised me for two reasons; firstly the internet is awash with interview tips from all sorts of influencers, gurus, and self-professed ‘ninjas’, so I would have thought any new advice would be near impossible to impart. Secondly, when I was attempting to answer the request for advice, and prefixing my suggestions with, “you’ve probably heard this all before”, I was told that actually, this wasn’t the kind of advice that the students were used to hearing, as alot of their career guidance was more geared towards course recommendations, and apprenticeships vs graduate schemes etc.
Having dropped out of college at 16, I didn’t receive much guidance around interviews or career paths, so for anyone attending interviews in the early stages of their career, here are my tips that go a bit beyond “make sure you take a copy of your CV”.
- Be Yourself
I was particularly surprised to hear that this advice hadn’t been given to this specific set of students before, considering how important it is in any social interaction (and for your own peace of mind!). An interview is a chance for the potential employer to get to know you, and to make a call on whether you’re the kind of person they would want to represent their business, as well as spending upwards of seven hours a day with you. There is, to my mind, absolutely no point attending an interview and pretending to come across in a specific way, or in a way that you think will please the interviewer if you’d then go on to work with them and act completely differently.
This isn’t to say you should turn up effing and blinding, or treating the interviewer like an old pub buddy, but if you’re not usually a particularly formal person, there is little benefit in remaining stiff and distant. There is nothing wrong with making jokes (within reason), talking about things outside of work (family, hobbies, interests), and showing your excitement if you’re discussing a topic that you’re particularly passionate about. If the interview is successful, you’ll be spending a lot of time around your new colleagues, and you both need to know if it’s a good fit – not just for the next hour or so, but longer term.
2. You’re screening the interviewer as much as they’re screening you
Interviews are two way – yes, you need to impress the interviewer – but don’t forget that they’re also there to impress you. They might be giving you one of a number of roles in their business, but you might be giving them the next few years of your life, so you have just as much right to question them as they do you. Some of the things you might want to ask are:
- What are the development / training opportunities within the business?
- What are the growth plans for the business over the next five years?
- What’s the biggest challenge facing the business at the moment?
- What do you think the biggest challenge would be in this role?
You need to know what you’re letting yourself in for, so if the business is planning to expand and relocate, or if they’re facing a challenge in the market, such as digital transformation or challenger brands popping up in the market, you’ll want to think about how you could see yourself fitting in to that situation.
3. A suit is not always the best interview attire
Dress code tips are usually a bit outdated, and best suit formal administrative environments, however these rules don’t apply for everything. If you’re going for a role in a start up or in a creative industry, you’ll want to show your personality and show the part you’d play in the office dynamic. If the role isn’t a hyper formal Canary Wharf situation, smart jeans and a button-up shirt should suffice. Dresses and skirts should be a respectable length (not much shorter than knee length), but in terms of colour and pattern, don’t feel you need to stick to black, grey or navy. You want to be comfortable, so wear something that you feel reflects your personality – I, for example, go for skinny jeans, a button shirt with a collar, and clean, polished Chelsea boots.
If in doubt, have a look at the ‘meet the team’ page on the company’s website and see how everyone is dressed, to gauge how formal you’d be expected to be. Generally, I would suggest avoiding large logos, anything especially revealing, or anything ripped, scuffed, or worn. The ‘anything especially revealing’ point is a tricky one, as everyone’s standards are different; I personally wouldn’t want to make an interviewer uncomfortable by turning up in anything that would look at home in a bar(!) or for them to doubt my professionalism by turning up dressed for a night on the tiles.
4. Do your research
This is classic interview advice, but I would suggest taking a personal approach to your research, as well as looking into the company’s background. Find out your interviewer’s name, and have a look at their LinkedIn – make a note of any awards, work highlights, or achievements they’ve shared, and ask them about it in the interview. This shows a depth of interest in, and respect towards the person/people interviewing you, and can spark some great conversions that will help you understand the environment on a human level. This also levels the playing field, considering the interviewer will have a lot of information about you from your CV, recruitment agents etc, and it’ll help your nerves not to start the conversation on the back foot.
Research the business, and don’t be afraid to question anything you’re not sure about – this could include the team structure, changes that have occurred within the company or roles and responsibilities.
5. Be honest
Again, this is (hopefully) something you will have been told before, but never ever try to blag anything in interviews. If you’re asked about something (a system, company, industry) you know nothing about, don’t play along for the sake of it – you can say something like, “I haven’t heard of them, but they sound interesting…”, or “I know of X, Y, Z provider, but I haven’t come across that one”. You’re not expected to know everything (especially if you’re in early career stages), and it will be come very apparent very quickly if you’re only pretending to know what’s going on. You’re aiming for genuine social connection, but you’ll never achieve that if you’re pretending to know something you don’t.
If you’re discussing a certain aspect of the role, don’t be afraid to say there are some aspects you’d enjoy more than others. Everyone has their interests and specialisms – you won’t be expected to wax lyrical about how excited you are about admin work, but recognition of its importance, whilst stating the areas you’re more interested or excited about will come across much more honestly, and you’ll get a better feel for whether the role is right for you.
6. Watch your body language
Before the interview, sit in front of a mirror and practice answering some questions (yes, I’m serious). When I’ve done this before, I’ve noticed that I look away a lot when answering questions about myself, and I gesture far too much for the interviewer to pay any attention to what I’m saying. Keep an eye out for these kinds of mannerisms (which usually get worse when you’re nervous), and try to train yourself to act more naturally.
My hands shake when I’m nervous, so I don’t like gesturing as much when in nerve-wracking situations – to help with this, I’ll take a notebook and pen with me to the interview (good practice anyway) and hold (not fiddle with) the pen whilst I’m answering questions. This keeps the shakes at bay, and makes me feel more relaxed, instead of trying to sit to attention whilst trying to come across as ‘natural’.
7. Proactively greet with a handshake
Generally the first time you meet someone in a business setting, whatever gender you identify as, you’ll shake hands as an initial greeting. The exception to this can be when meeting a friend of a colleague, if in a more relaxed setting, but if you’re turning up to an interview, stand up when you see the interviewer coming (or when they call you), and hold out your right hand to shake (even if you’re left handed). Don’t wait for the other person to initiate this (so you don’t get caught off guard), and never go in for a peck on the cheek etc, unless there are some extenuating social factors that would make this okay!
8. Keep your phone on silent, and in your bag or pocket
We’ve all been guilty of having our phone ring at inopportune moments, but even having your phone on the table can make it seem like you’d rather be elsewhere. You’re not going to answer your phone during an interview – keep it tucked away so as not to seem distracted.
9. Be polite to everyone
There are several stories online about candidates who have been rude to the receptionist, only to find out they’re married to the CEO, or have barged in front of someone on the way to the interview, only to find their barging victim on the other side of the desk when they arrive. It doesn’t matter what job you’re going for – on that day, you’re a guest, and you don’t factor in the hierarchy at all, so don’t assume yourself to be ‘above’ anyone. Treat everyone with the respect you would expect to be treated with (although this is more of a ‘life tip’ as opposed to interview advice!).
10. Accept a drink from the interviewer, if offered
When offered a tea, coffee, or glass of water at an interview, I used to politely decline, thinking I was avoiding inconveniencing anyone. Once I started accepting the offer of a drink upon arrival, the conversation seemed more natural, and everyone felt more relaxed, as you’ve broken the ice by accepting the interviewer’s hospitality. Turning down the offer of a drink can come across as wanting to leave as soon as possible and refusing anything that could keep you there any longer than necessary. If you’re being interviewed by two people, one of them leaving the room to get a drink means you a chance to have a bit of a natter with the other interviewer, which should make you feel a little more relaxed when the interview starts.
So there you have it – if there’s anything you’d like to add, please do comment below. Good luck with your interview!
Pea Pea Sea Digital Consulting 