Preparing for an interview

Know yourself

Be clear on the dates you worked in previous roles, and be prepared to elaborate on what you have included in your CV, including achievements you have listed, projects you’ve worked on and even your interests.

Being clear on your strengths will help you to showcase them in an interview. Think about how these strengths equip you for the new role, and be prepared to give real life examples to demonstrate your point.

When talking about your strengths, you will have much more impact if you provide evidence to back up your claim. For example, if you identify your attention to detail as a strength, offer an example where this had a positive impact in your work, such as identifying a critical error in a report.

Similarly, having an understanding of your areas of weakness will demonstrate to your interviewer that you have self awareness (no one is perfect!) and will help you identify ways to overcome any areas where you are lacking.

It is also a good idea to be clear on your motivations for applying for the role and identify what is important to you. An interview is a two way street, so it is important to go into an interview knowing what it is you want in terms of experience, culture and career development.