Preparing for an interview

Interviews don't get any easier.

They're a long-standing method of deciding whether a candidate is right for a company and, of course, whether the company would be a good move for the candidate to make.

The pressure's on. You've got an hour to make that all-important first impression. But how do you do it?

Before you go

Do your research. Sounds obvious, but walking in there showing that you have actually made an effort to find out about the company and- if they're high-profile enough- your interviewer can work wonders. Why survive on wits alone when there's the web to help you?

Prepare some questions. There's nothing worse at the end of an interview when 'Any questions?' is met with a stony silence.

Put your outfit together. Think carefully about to wear. Dress smartly and make sure your hair and nails are neat and clean.

Know where you're going. Making sure you know exactly where you're going will ensure you'll arrive stress-free and, most crucially, on time. if you've got time, do a trial run the day before.

Call them to confirm. Ask if you need to bring anything or, if you have to present something to them, what equipment is available, such as laptops, projectors etc.

In the interview

Keep calm. Try not to talk too quickly. Answer questions in a considered, clear way.

Listen carefully to what they're saying. Don't recite answers you've prepared, but try and adapt them to the question.

Don't panic. If you don't know the answer to a question, don't sit wide-eyed in terror. Fill the dead air by saying 'Now, I'm really going to have to think about that one' or similar. Start talking and you'll soon arrive at a spontaneous answer. Don't mentally rake through the filing cabinet in your head looking for a stock response.

Consider who you're up against. Going for graduate schemes, you'll be competing with people with very similar educational backgrounds. What's special about you? What have you done that's different? Be able to provide evidence to back this up.

Don't tell jokes. There's nothing wrong with some light humour but don't relax to such an extent that you look like you don't care. Leave the jokes for the bar.

Keep body language to a minimum. Make sure you have a good posture as it makes you look like you have self-control. Slouching looks negative.

Maintain eye contact but don't stare. If you're not comfortable doing this, staring at someone's nose has a similar effect

Be positive. Never be tempted to criticise former employers, universities, your hometown or anything. Keep it 'up' and light. Reflect an all-round positive attitude.

On leaving

Shake hands. This should be firm but not a death grip. If you're likely to get sweaty palms, hide a tissue up your sleeve and quickly dab at them before the handshake.

Say thank you. It's a common courtesy. Something like 'Thank you so much for inviting me in to meet you' will do.

Don't be afraid to ask what's going to happen next. Questions like 'Is there a next stage?' or 'When can I expect to hear from you?' are fine. Ones such as 'Did I get it?' and 'How much money will I get?' are an absolute no-no.

After the interview

Ask for feedback. If you haven't heard back in the allotted time, give it another day and ask if you can have any feedback. They might just have not got round to selecting a candidate yet. Asking won't affect your chances as long as you're polite.