The internet is a wonderful place to start, so do your research on the interviewer and the company. LinkedIn is a great place to start in the professional workplace, so if you know who is interviewing you, then why not check out their profile. You cannot help but find good content about most companies on the internet whether it be their website, review sites such as Google Reviews or Feefo, Companies House or even searching for News articles. These all help when demonstrating your research of the company during your interview.

• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Plan your travel route.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.
• Prepare your attire well in advance.
• Check the weather (no one wants to see a drowned rat turn up on their doorstep).
• Eat well and feel energised.
• Take a notepad and pen. Making notes is a great way to replay the interview in your head once you’ve left the building.

• You need a confident introduction and handshake.
• Smile.
• Maintain good eye contact.
• Smiling, eye contact and head nodding is the most influential body language, according to research from Goldsmiths University.
• Don’t cross your arms as crossing is considered very negative.

Its perfectly normal to feel the fear factor before an interview, because after all there is a lot riding on it. This is a perfectly normal emotion and one interviewers should empathise with, because don’t forget a Hiring Manager was once sat where you are.

Try and channel the nervousness by remembering that your interviewer may actually be more nervous than you.

No one will mark you down for being nervous in an interview. It even shows a certain amount of respect. You’re more likely to make a poor impression by appearing complacent or superior.

Although you have been successful enough to make it to the interview stage, just remember that an interview is a two-way thing and that you need answers to.

You may be in the fortunate position of being interviewed by multiple companies and therefore you need to decide which company best meets your aspirations.

There is one way to do this and that’s by preparing questions beforehand, because you know that one final question will arrive just before your interview concludes……”do you have any questions?” and the answer to this should always be ‘YES.’ There will undoubtedly be more questions that arise during your interview but make sure you’ve kept something back and if you’re unsure on any part of the process then don’t be afraid to ask.

Don’t be afraid to ask about what the next steps of the process are. If you have arranged your interview through a recruitment agency, the next contact will likely be from the Recruiter, but don’t be afraid to swap your direct contact information with the Hirer if requested, this is normally a good sign!

The Recruiter is in a perfect position to ascertain feedback from you and the Hirer and will be able to offer that feedback to each party. The Recruiter can also offer clarity from any questions left unanswered or questions that required some further clarification.

Don’t be afraid to ask about timescales for feedback or when the whole process is due to conclude, because after all its your life and you need to be planning for your future and not hanging around on a coat hook, therefore this is a perfectly reasonable question and one you should be sure to ask.