Interview 101: how to prepare for a job interview

For both the candidate and the company, preparing for an interview is an important part of the hiring process. For the candidate, it’s an opportunity to sell their skillset and learn more about the culture of the business. For the company, it’s a chance to sell themselves and see if the interviewee is the perfect fit for the role.

There are some common questions that crop up in interviews so preparing for these, as well as thinking about how to sell yourself as a business and candidate, is an important process.

This article will explore the steps of preparing for an interview, including what to say, what to avoid and how to sell yourself.

What questions do interviewers ask and why?

Interviews are an opportunity for the business and the candidate to get to know each other, with the main focus being on the interviewee. 

It’s also a chance for businesses to assess how you would react to different scenarios that might crop up in the role to understand whether you could be a good fit for both the position and for the team.

Some of the most common interview questions are:

Preparing for the most common questions can help you feel more confident coming into the interview knowing you’ve practised your responses.

How to prepare for an interview

There are four elements to consider when preparing for an interview as a candidate: the company, the role, the common questions and any questions you may have for the interviewer. Let’s look at each.

The company

It’s important that you can demonstrate a clear understanding of what the company does and why you want to work for them. Research the business and any recent achievements to refer to, or find something in particular about the company that you’d like to compliment such as a social media post or website design.

Here’s an example for a candidate interviewing for a role at a business that helps other companies meet their sustainability goals:

“I wanted my next employer to be in the sustainability space and I really like how your mission is to help businesses become more sustainable, which aligns with my values too. I also really like your approach to advertising your business in a fun way via funny and engaging social media posts – I’m particularly a fan of your TikTok account. I’d love to get involved and bring my experience to this role with you.” 

The role

Ahead of the interview, reread the job description and, if applicable, your cover letter to refresh your memory. Now it’s time to consider how your experience reflects the main responsibilities of the role and why the employer should choose you over other applicants. 

Let’s look at an example for a candidate interviewing for a creative director role:

 “In my current role as creative lead, I support the design team in fulfilling briefs to the deadline and help them work through amends. I support the creative director on client calls and ensure all feedback is passed on to the right team members, and cover for the creative director when she is away.

“I really like leading a team and helping designers improve their professional skill set, which is something that attracted me to your job advertisement.”

The common questions and your questions

We’ve covered some of the most common questions above, but be sure to check out our detailed guides on how to answer interview questions like ‘Can you tell us about yourself?’ 

An interview is also an opportunity for the candidate to learn more about the business and work out whether it’s a good fit for what they’re looking for in terms of core values and culture. Asking your own questions shows you’re serious about working for the business and want to find out more.

Here are some great questions to ask an interviewer:

• How would you describe your company’s culture?
• How would you describe a typical day in this role?
• What are some of the key plans and goals for the business over the next few years?
• What are you most excited about for the business over the next year?

Dos and don’ts of preparing for an interview

Knowing what to do and say in an interview is important – and so too is understanding what to avoid. Let’s look at some of the key dos and don’ts for interviews.

Do:

• Arrive on time – ten minutes early is even better.
• Dress smartly and look tidy. Even if you know you’d be dressed more casually should you get the job, first impressions are important and looking presentable is an easy way to inspire confidence in your professionalism.
• Prepare for the common questions and chatting about yourself in a concise and informative manner.
• Be conversational throughout the interview.

Don’t:

• Interrupt or talk over the interviewer – it’s rude!
• Speak poorly of your current employer or manager – instead of calling out a bad boss, simply say you are ready for a change or new challenge.
• Lie – it usually comes out in the end and will make you look unprofessional.

Preparation is key

For businesses, preparing for an interview ensures you get all the information you want to know from a candidate on both a professional and personality level. Plan your questions and be ready to answer some of their questions too – particularly on topics like business culture and future plans.

For more tips, check out our hiring and recruitment guides.

Kirstie Pickering – business journalist

Kirstie is a freelance journalist writing in the tech, startup and business spaces for publications including Sifted, UKTN and Maddyness UK. She also works closely with agencies to develop content for their startup and scaleup clients.