Interview Prep Pack
Being recruiters, we’ve sent many people off for job interviews and have heard a lot of feedback from both parties. With that being said, we put together a simple and easy to follow resource pack sharing some of the advice we regularly give out.
Have examples ready to go
Go through the job description in detail and comb through the key responsibilities. You should have at least one example to talk about for each bullet point. While you might not have something for every single point, you need to be able to address it with something from your experience. Can you think of any transferable skills? Another time that you picked something up quickly?
Use the internet to your advantage
We will always let you know in advance who you’ll be meeting with for your interview. Use this information to your advantage by looking them up and checking out their LinkedIn profile. There might be something there you can bring up for some small talk!
Asking something along the lines of, “I saw on your LinkedIn profile that you’ve worked here for five years. What are the biggest reasons you love working here?”, shows you’ve come prepared and makes for better conversation than, “How long have you worked here?”.
Do your research
If it makes sense for the role you’re going for, try doing some research into some of their past campaigns – do you have a favourite? Jot down some dot points about what you particularly loved and have some questions prepared to ask them about it.
Alternatively, have senior team members written any articles or done any interviews recently about the organisation and the business’s future plans? Subtly referencing someone within the organisation is a perfect opportunity to show that you have done your research.
Finally, get familiar with the company’s mission statement (if they have one) and the values they hold. If you can share examples of your experience and talk about how it connects to their mission/values, you’ll be setting yourself up for success!
Be thorough
You’ve done all your preparation and have made it through the interview. If you get to the end of the interview and realise you could add something more to a previous answer, a good thing to ask is, “are there any answers you want me to expand on?”. Asking this gives you a chance to redeem yourself and mention something you might’ve forgotten to say earlier or clarify something you’ve said.
Show some genuine interest
When they ask the inevitable “Do you have any questions for us”, it would be great to come prepared with something you’d genuinely like to know (that isn’t easy to find online)! Try asking about their favourite campaign, the company culture, what a typical day in the role looks like or about the business goals and how they’ll impact the role you’re interviewing for.
Some final advice:
- Think of a time that has challenged you and have examples ready.
- Do you have an example of a campaign or piece of work you’re proud of? Jot down some dot points so you’re ready to talk about it.
- Bring your portfolio/examples of your work with you. If you’re doing a virtual meeting, have it open in another tab just in case you need to screen share.
- Think about and write down your strengths and weaknesses and have an answer prepared for both – there’s a good chance you’ll be asked this question.
After reading these tips, you should be in a much better place to ace that meeting and impress your interviewer. The key is being prepared and showing some genuine interest. Even if you have other interviews, you should be treating this as the only and most important one.
Ready to get some interviews lined up and put some of this into practice? Our consultants are ready and raring to help! Get in touch today at hello@creativenatives.com.au.