How to prepare for a job interview

CHECKLIST

unticked Do your homework

unticked Identify how your skills relate to the job description

unticked Prepare answers to some common and hard interview questions

unticked Practice, practice, practice!

unticked Plan what questions you are going to ask

unticked Plan what you are going to wear

unticked Plan how you are going to get there

unticked Print off 2 copies of your CV, a copy of your references and your education/ qualification certificates and a copy of the job description and highlight key points and take photo identification.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

If you’ve reached the interview stage, you should now be confident in the knowledge, skills and experience you have to offer commercial businesses. Whether this is the first interview you have had since you left the military or the 10th, you are still going to want to get it right and the first thing to note is that preparation really is key! 

Firstly, it is important to know about an employer’s recruitment process, which does vary widely. Most commonly, once a job has been advertised and the deadline has closed, employers will create a short-list and successful candidates will be invited for interview and/ or assessment.

Ensure you know as much about the interview as possible: what format (panel; one to one, competency-based); who will be conducting it (research them via LinkedIn) and expected duration. 

Make sure you understand the breadth of what the company does and what the job you are being interviewed for requires from you. You must be fully prepared to answer any questions about the company and the job role. Nobody is expecting you to be an expert, but you must show the employer that you have done your research. We also recommend researching the interviewer/s so you know who you are talking to. 

Make sure you can answer the below questions!

Visit the employer’s website, what does the company do? How does the company make money? What are the different parts of the business?

Click in each text box to start adding your thoughts …

What is their mission statement? What are their values and how closely do they align to yours?

Who are their 3 closest competitors? 

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How is the company performing? Read their annual report, if available. How did it perform over the last 3 financial years? Is the sector it operates in growing? What challenges does the company and sector face over the coming years? Where does the job you’re applying for fit? 

Has the company signed the Armed Forces Covenant? If so, what has it pledged to do? Is it actively recruiting ex-military people?

Look at news articles, read their blog and social media posts to get a real insight into the company you could be working for. Find out about recent news stories that have been published about the company that would be suitable to discuss at the interview.

 Write down your key findings below. 

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Use LinkedIn to gain an insight into your interviewer/s. This will help you pitch your answers appropriately. Write down your key findings below.

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IDENTIFY HOW YOUR SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE TRANSLATE TO THE JOB ROLE

Make sure you have analysed the job description and the job’s requirements so you understand how your own skills and experience make the right candidate for the role. 

Working out the relevance of your military skills for a civilian job and then translating them into the language of a civilian employer can be one of the most challenging parts of your journey into civilian employment. We have found a number of veterans who believe that they don’t have the right skills and experience for a certain industry - when in fact, they are a perfect fit! The non-technical skills - the ‘soft skills’ - are seen by many employers to be a real strength of ex-military people and are just as important as technical skills or ‘hard’ skills. 

Read our guide on translating your military skills here to give you a great head start. 

In competency interviews you’ll be asked questions such as ‘Tell us about a time when…” or “Describe how you…”. So make sure you prepare some examples of how your skills and experience match those of the job.   

PRACTICAL EXERCISE

List all the requirements outlined in the job description in the left column (skills, qualifications and experience), start with essential then move onto desirable. In the right hand column, write down how you can evidence each one for those that you can. Put a star next to the ones that you think are most relevant/ important to bring up.

REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN JOB DESCRIPTION

EVIDENCE




















PRACTICAL EXERCISE

Do some honest self-analysis and think about what hard and soft skills you have under your belt. Try to avoid a standardised list of skills ex-military are known for; identify those skills that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Here are a few pointers:

  • Try to use civilian rather than military language.

  • Try to avoid ‘bog standard’ military skills, such as communications and teamwork unless you have exceptional skills and can back them up.

  • List in order of relevance.

  • Your skills don’t always come from your jobs - you may have developed skills from additional courses you’ve done or activities that you do in your spare time, such as leading or participating in sports teams. 

  • Look back over your work, studies or leisure activities and think about the skills you used to complete tasks. 

  • Ask your colleagues and check your appraisals to see what attributes they see as your strongest.

OTHER SKILLS YOU HAVE THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT

EVIDENCE OF YOUR SKILLS




















STEP 3. PREPARE AND REHEARSE

You must be prepared to answer, with confidence, a range of questions on yourself, the role, your skills and your career ambitions.

PRACTICAL EXERCISE

STEP 4: BRAINSTORM SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK

At the end of an interview, an employer will ask if you have any questions. This is a great chance for you to show the employer you have done your homework - and prove you really want the job. 

Be prepared for a two way conversation - don’t forget to think about the things you want to know about the company and the job. You can ask these questions to find out if this is the right company and right job for you. Have a good look at OUR 12 best questions to ask in a job interview. 

STEP 5. GET ORGANISED FOR THE INTERVIEW 

ACTIONS:

  • An interview will be the first time an employer is meeting you so it is important to dress the part, look clean and be tidily groomed. We advise you to wear business attire - and make sure your overall appearance is professional.

  • Research which method of transport will be the most reliable for getting to the interview location - if possible recce the location beforehand and make sure you arrive at least ten minutes before your interview slot.

  • Switch your phone off and if possible, leave it in your car or coat pocket. 

  • Ensure you take the required documentation. As a minimum it is advisable to take photo identification, a copy of your references and your education/qualification certificates. 

  • Always take two copies of your CV. The interviewer should have it already but if they don't have it to hand, it looks great when you're able to hand them a copy and have one to reference yourself. Also print off a copy of the job description and highlight key points, make sure it is visible to the interviewer so they can see that you've done your research and highlighted the skills you have.

  • So you’re fully prepared - now it is time to showcase why you are the best candidate for the job. GOOD LUCK!

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

You won’t be successful at every interview but you can learn from them to improve for the next time. 

  • Think about what went well and what didn’t. Where do you need help? 

  • Most companies are more than happy to provide feedback on interviews so don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer when they let you know if you’ve been successful.

THE JOB OFFER

Up to the point an offer of employment is extended by a company, the balance of power is with them. They can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to you at any stage of the process – but the more time they spend on you, the more that balance begins to shift in your direction. Once the offer is made, the power shift is complete – now it’s your chance to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. So the first point to appreciate is that you are no longer a candidate – they want you, which gives you a degree of leverage. But don’t abuse that power! Be sure to run through our checklist before accepting a job offer to get help with making this crucial decision.

SALARY NEGOTIATION

Then there’s the salary. Many people find conversations about salary extremely awkward but it is important to get it right. Remember, it is a routine conversation for HR people and they expect you to negotiate: so don’t be shy! To help you best prepare for the discussion, our careers consultants have produced a top tips guide full of advice on how to negotiate your salary.