How to Ace Your Next Job Interview
So, they liked your CV (thanks to our trusty tips!) and now you’ve been invited to interview. In today’s ever-competitive communications and marketing landscape, it’s critical that you stand out from your competition, to give you a better chance of moving forward in the recruitment process. Whether online or in-person, here’s some of our top tips that can help you ace your next job interview and bring you one step closer to your dream communications, marketing, digital or change role:
Do Your Homework
Before stepping into the interview, make sure you’ve researched the company as much as you can. Looking at their website, social media and recent achievements can give you a better understanding of the organisation’s culture and values and help to convey a real passion and interest in joining their team! Nearly 50% of recruiters would not offer the candidate the role if they had a lack of knowledge about the company they applied to (Twin Employment). This is such a simple but crucial preparation step, so be sure you leave some time to do so. Don’t be afraid to mention what you know about the company in the interview, even if you’re not directly asked.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Rehearse your responses to the most common interview questions and ensure you can back up your answers using examples of your own scenarios where you have demonstrated certain skills. The STAR method is a useful tool to use in doing so, to ensure that you answer the question in full and keep the interviewer engaged.
For example, ‘Tell me when you solved a problem at work’:
Situation – What was the specific situation? e.g. In my previous role as a marketing manager at a small start-up tech firm, we were struggling to gain consistent traffic on our company website.
Task – What were you required to do? I was required to boost the number of monthly visitors to our website, with the goal of in turn, increasing leads.
Action – What action did you take? In order to boost our traffic, I initiated a review of our website’s keywords and content, with the aim of improving our website’s overall SEO ranking.
Results- What were the results of you action on the initial situation? My actions resulted in our website moving up two pages on Google’s search page results, therefore uplifting traffic by 30% in one month, and as a result boosting our website leads by 10%.
Practicing these answers with a friend or family member, recording yourself or even talking to yourself in the mirror are great ways to prepare. There’s no such thing as being too prepared, practice really does make perfect!
Be Inquisitive
Ensure you have a few questions prepared that you can ask at the end of the interview. Not only does this demonstrate a genuine interest to your interviewer, but it also allows you to find out what you want to know and see if they’re a company that YOU want to work for. As well as the more generic and common questions that some may ask, perhaps come up with a few more unique and targeted questions based on your research – it may help you to stand out against other applicants.
Back Yourself and Be Confident
Easier said than done, we know… Just remember that you’ve been invited to have the interview for a reason – they’re interested in you! Considering only 1 in 5 job applicants get offered an interview (Forbes), you’ve already made it past that first big hurdle. Make sure that you are clear on what you have to offer and the value that you can bring to the role.
Body Language Matters
One of the easiest way to show confidence without even saying a word, is body language! Maintaining a good posture, avoiding unnecessary fidgeting and keeping a smile on your face are all ways of displaying your engagement and creating a lasting impression. However, most importantly, 67% of recruiters agree that making an appropriate amount of eye contact is vital in making a good impression (Jobspin). Even if this is something that doesn’t come naturally to you, it can go a long way in conveying you as a friendly and confident individual so don’t overlook it.
Our specialist recruitment consultants are happy to help in guiding you through the interview process and ensure you are best prepped to showcase your best side. If you’re looking to develop your career in communications, marketing, digital or change, please do get in touch.
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VMA GROUP is a leading international interim, contract, temporary and permanent recruitment and executive search specialist. We are specifically focused on providing support to the communications, marketing, digital and change communities.
Our specialist practice areas cover: communications, corporate communications, internal communications, change communications, PR, media relations, financial communications, CSR, public affairs, investor relations, marketing, brand, digital marketing and agency services.
We have a reputation for providing expert consultancy services and advice, supported by in-depth knowledge of the professions we recruit for. Our thought leadership and benchmarking studies have become go-to resources for the communications, marketing, digital and change industries, supporting planning and decision-making for organisations of all shapes and sizes.
In the UK, VMA GROUP has offices in London, Bristol and Manchester and in Europe, VMA GROUP has offices in Amsterdam and Brussels, but we work with organisations and individuals on a global basis.
VMA GROUP is committed to equal opportunities and is a Diversity Pledged Recruiter.