5. The Interview

This is your opportunity to make a favorable impression with the interviewer. It is also your opportunity to determine if this is the right position for you and if you wish to continue with your application for this position.

If you get to the interview stage it is certainly worth putting in some time and effort to be as prepared as possible. Given it is a position that would suit you your aim is to get on to a shortlist for the position.

Make sure that your dress is appropriate. This generally means in a conservative fashion and definitely in a neat, clean and tidy manner. It is important that your dress does not distract the person interviewing you from the skills and experience that you want to get across.

In the interview there are five basic questions that the person interviewing you will be trying to obtain answers to by the various questions that they ask.

• Why are you here?
• What can you do for the company they are interviewing for? What are your skills and fields of knowledge?
• What kind of person are you? Do you have the right personality/values to fit in with the culture of the company?
• What distinguishes you from other applicants?
• What are you worth, in dollar terms to the company – how much will they have to pay you.

Interviewers are likely to ask you questions based on the resume that you have submitted. These are likely to be a mix of both open and closed answer questions.

The interviewer should also allow you the opportunity to ask questions as well. Make sure that you take the opportunity to ask questions to ensure that you can get your knowledge and points across to the interviewer.