How to ace your job interview: top tips from six of the best

Job interviews can be daunting for even the most confident candidate. And with employers today looking beyond a candidate’s CV and experience, you should be prepared to speak about more than what’s written on your CV.

We asked some of our recruitment experts from across the globe to share their three top tips on preparing for a job interview, the types of questions to expect and how to tackle them.

Grant Carter, Talent Acquisition Manager, London

• Take notes during the interview – these will be valuable in preparation for the next interview stage, and it will show you’re serious about getting through.
• Be prepared to demonstrate agility by asking questions based on the content of the interview.
• Show enthusiasm for the role and the interview. Follow up the interview with a ‘thank you for your time’ email.

Colin Dunn, Global Talent Sourcing, London

• Check out your interviewer’s LinkedIn profile to find out where they are in relation to the rest of that business area.
• This is your chance to find out more about the role and what your responsibilities would be, so ask questions.
• If you have to prepare a presentation, keep it simple, with not too many pages.
  

Posed by models. © Getty Images.

Laurène Hondius, Talent Acquisitions, Lausanne

• Save the job advert and review it before your interview. 
• Be prepared to explain why you want to leave your current role, although this shouldn’t be the main reason for applying for a new job
• Ask questions: What is the culture like? What do the interviewers like about their jobs? What are the challenges of the role in their opinion? 

Céline Huguenin, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, Lausanne

• Learn as much as you can about the company by browsing its website, and speaking to people in your network who work there.
• If you need to work on a presentation, PowerPoint is not the only way. Think about using Prezi or Canva. Be passionate, and not too wordy on your slides.
• Make sure you sell your experience and who you are.

Magdalena Kadziela, Global Talent Sourcing Specialist, Lausanne

• Check out the company’s website, LinkedIn (for the company’s profile, as well as those of current employees), and the Glassdoor review (for the culture).
• Job interviews can be a daunting task, so manage your stress: breathe in and relax as much as you can.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a glass of water if you need one. They want you to do well!
  

Altyngul Karatleyeva, Supervisor Talent Acquisition, Otegen Batyr

• First impressions matter, so think about eye contact, handshakes, energy levels, staying friendly, positive, and confident.
• Ask for clarification on the interviewer’s questions if you haven’t understood. It shows you’re listening.
• Always thank them at the end of the interview and let them know if you’ve enjoyed meeting them.

Posed by models. © Getty Images.

Guillaume Lhote, Senior Global Talent Sourcing Specialist, Lausanne

• Learn the basic company information, such as turnover, number of employees, HQ location, business departments etc.
• Prepare questions concerning the company business model, and about the position (key stakeholders, responsibilities, tools).
• Be a good storyteller, but don’t go on for too long!
  

Matthew Reeves, Talent Acquisition Manager, London

• Ensure you understand the role, its responsibilities and objectives, and how you can contribute to the success of the organization.
• Ask about the company culture and illustrate your knowledge of it when providing examples in answers.
• Leave early to ensure you’re not late.
  

Posed by models. © Getty Images.

Nataly Trister Ben Zeev, Manager Talent Acquisition, Tel Aviv

• Don’t be shy to highlight your strongest skills or achievements.
• Speak about your previous employers/bosses/colleagues with respect.
• Make sure that at the end of the interview the interviewer has a clear understanding of who you are.

Take this advice onboard and you should walk into your next interview well prepared. And why not make that next interview one for a role at PMI? Take a look at our current available roles  and see if the next page of your career could be with us.