Preparing well before the interview will boost your confidence and enable you to deal effectively with the interviewers’ questions. 

Find out as much as you can about the organisation by looking at their website, reading any literature the employer may have, including their annual report, and making sure you’re familiar with their product.

If you know anyone who has worked (or still does work) at the company interviewing you, take time to chat things through with them – they may be able to give you an idea of what is expected of you.

Prepare written responses to a list of possible interview questions and make sure you read over them a few times – so that they are captured in your mind and will be easier for you to recall when you are in your interview.

Going through the advert and job description information may help you to discover what skills they will be looking for and allow you to think of examples of how you meet the requirements and possible questions that may be asked of you during the interview.

Ask a family member, friend or mentor to spend time putting you though a ‘practice interview’ so that you feel comfortable with your responses to questions.

If possible, ask someone to give their opinion on your choice of outfit for the interview – a second opinion is always valuable and can help you ensure you will be dressing appropriately for your interview.

If there are any discrepancies in your resume, for example long periods out of work, make sure you have the relevant answers prepared to satisfy these discrepancies.