Job Seekers Hub | 6 tips to prepare for your first corporate job interview

The one thing we pride ourselves on is providing a consultative service to not only our graduates but to all candidates, we work with. This means we will give you the best shot at getting the job by informing you as much as possible about the interview process and how to prepare for them.

You don’t need to be a graduate to use these tips; they are great to use at any stage in your career!

1 – Research, research, research – You need to know as much about the company and what they do as possible. If you’re a millennial, this research should come naturally to you. Look the company up on social media as well as their website. Most companies use a social media platform to showcase their culture.  If you can’t find them on any social media site try searching their name in a hashtag.

2 – Prepare answers as to why you want to work in that industry and for the company – for graduates, this is a big one. Employers want to know that you’re not just throwing your CV around everywhere, you actually want to work for them. You need a clear and confident answer as to why you want to start your career in that industry and with that company. Any wavering can come across as you being unsure of what direction you want to start your career.

3 – Motivations – If you are interviewing for a sales role you need to showcase your motivations behind wanting to secure the role. This can be anything from, “I’m motivated to do this job for the extra earnings potential in commissions”; to “the ability to quickly climb the corporate ladder the harder you work”.

4 – Bring a notepad and pen into the interview. We tell every graduate to bring a notepad and pen into the interview with them. This will give you the opportunity to write down questions to ask at the end of the interview instead of interrupting the interviewer.

5 – Write down at least 5 open-ended questions – going back to #4 before the interview write down at least 5 open-ended questions on your notepad that you bring into the interview to ask at the end. Forget about asking what the working times are, the base salary, and how long lunch is, ask questions that keep the interviewer talking. Examples could be:

• Can you break down what an average day looks like, and how my time will be spent?
• What challenges do the current employees in this role face on a daily basis?
• What traits do the current employees in this role have that make them successful in the role?
• Do you have any concerns over my previous experience or ability to be successful in the role?
• What makes you stand out over [insert competitor]?
• What do you like most about working for this company?

6 – Close the interview – We see this time and time again when candidates have a great interview and don’t know how to close it off. If you’re interviewing for a sales role, this is crucial. If you are interested in the role, tell them. Ask them what the next steps are and that you are looking forward to hearing from them and moving on to that next step. Be confident even if you don’t make it through. Confidence is everything!