In last week’s blog post we explained the best ways to prepare for your interview. If you missed it, you can catch up here.

This week we’re looking at the final hurdle – the interview! Check out our tips below for making the best impression, and you could be starting your new job in no time..
BE EARLY
  1. Arrive in plenty of time so you aren’t rushing or panicking.
  2. Being early makes a good impression and reinforces your timekeeping skills.
STAY CALM
  1. Practice staying calm before the interview – employers will forgive nervousness but you want to make a calm, confident first impression.
  2. Give a firm handshake, speak slowly and clearly, and maintain eye contact to show your confidence.
BE YOURSELF
  1. Show your personality, while remaining professional and respectful – you want to be remembered above other interviewees. Your body language will say a lot more about you than words will, so sit up straight and look engaged at all times.
  2. Be positive about past experiences, even if you feel they may have been negative for you. Negativity never makes a good impression in an interview, so give these experiences a positive spin, or try to avoid mentioning them if possible. Don’t be afraid to say “that’s a tough one” to a question – the interviewer will give you time to think if you need it.
ASK QUESTIONS
  1. Think of some questions to ask at the end of the interview, because it confirms your interest and shows you are interested in the role and the company. Good questions include, “What do you think the best thing about working for this company is?” or “What are the opportunities for progression?”
  2. Prepare more questions than you need, as the interviewer is bound to answer some you have without prompting. Remember, this is your chance to find out about the role or organisation from someone with insider knowledge, so make the most of it.
That concludes our guide to finding a new job in 2016, we hope you found it helpful.
If you missed any of the previous parts, you can access them at the links below:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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