Attending job interviews can be anxious and stressful occasions, especially if this is the job you’ve been after for years. It’s natural to be nervous, and to want to impress, but keeping calm, clear and focussed is going to be much more impressive and successful than appearing flustered, agitated or over-excited. Here are some tips on how to nail that job interview.

Do your research

Once you have the interview confirmed, take note of the time, date and venue, and then do some research, especially if your initial interview is with a job agency or recruitment agency. Find out as much as you can about the position, the organisation, and its history. If you can obtain access to annual reports or past stories in the media, make yourself as familiar as you can with their policies, their values, and their future direction. It’s also a good idea to prepare some questions about the employer, to demonstrate you know what you’re talking about and understand the position and the workplace. Do some research on yourself as well, think about your own strengths and weaknesses, and what it is you’re looking for in this position.

The arrival

It’s always best to arrive 15-30 minutes before the scheduled interview time. It’s better to arrive early than to find yourself running late; this will just fluster you, and make your arrival memorable for all the wrong reasons. Make sure you are dressed appropriately, and that you are groomed and well presented. Do not smoke or drink before an interview, and make sure your breath is fresh before entering the venue, but do not chew gum. Make yourself known at reception, politely and confidently, and inform them of your purpose and who you are meeting.

Pay attention

As you enter the interview, make sure you meet everyone on the interview panel and remember their names. Shake their hands firmly and confidently, and wait to be asked before taking a seat. Maintain eye contact with the person questioning you, appear confident and alert, and use body language to reflect your interest and respect for everyone in the room. In your opening answer, keep it brief, to-the-point, and relevant. Try not to ramble, or get off topic. As each question is asked, listen to what it is, address it directly as you answer, and keep your responses to one or two minutes.

Prepare examples

Appearing self-confident will go a long way in an interview – as long as you don’t lapse into arrogance or cockiness. So make sure you have worked out your assets and experience, and prepare examples from previous positions, of situations and scenarios that demonstrate your work ethic, your skills, and your actions and responses. Having specific examples will always be more valuable than vague, directionless answers. Feel free to be yourself and engage the interviewers in a conversational structure in the interview, but never interrupt or talk over them interviewers. When you are asked if you have any questions, ask them politely and clearly, and then finish off with a closing statement about how you are suited to the position, and what you’re looking forward to when working for them. As you are leaving, shake all the interviewers by the hand again, naming them as you do, and make your exit a positive and confident one.