Top tips for face-to-face interviews

It’s normal to get nervous before a job interview – particularly when it’s face-to-face. There are extra things to think about with an in-person interview, such as travel plans and the right strength of handshake. But it doesn’t have to be scary.

You won’t be able to enjoy the home comforts of an online interview, but most preparation tips are the same. Once you’ve worked out how you’ll get there and the just-firm-enough grip, it’s time to think about what you’ll say and do in the interview. That’s what matters most.

To help, we’ll run through our top tips to help you seal the deal:

• Practise and prepare
• Get to know your interviewer
• Make a good first impression
• Take your time
• Remember there are no exact answers
• Be honest
• Give examples
• Take note of your body language – but don’t overthink it
• Have questions

Like so many things in life, you do the hard work of an interview before the main event. The more you prep and practise, the easier you’ll find the real thing.

By doing your research and thinking about what you’ll say, you’ll be ready to face the interview. Taking the time to lay the right groundwork means you’ll be more relaxed. It’s the best way to ease those interview nerves. Plus, you’ll impress your interviewer with your knowledge.

So go ahead and brush up on interview questions. While you’ve got to expect the unexpected, knowing how you’d respond to common graduate interview questions is a great start.

If it’s a second-stage interview, you’ll already have an idea of what’s likely to come up. But don’t get too complacent – especially if somebody new will be interviewing you. Everyone has a different style, so keep practising.

Remember that pre-interview prep isn’t just about getting your responses ready. It’s also about improving your understanding of the company, the role and – most importantly – if it’s the right fit for you. And it’s OK if you come across things you’re unsure of. The interview is your chance to iron anything out before you take the job.

In an interview, it’s easy to only think about yourself. How am I feeling? Do I know ‘enough’? How am I coming across? But you’re not the only person in the room. There must be at least one interviewer – so don’t forget about them.

An interview is about getting the interviewer to say “Yes, we want you!”. And to do that, you need to adapt to them. So, tune into the person interviewing you – find out about them before, what motivates them and what they’re looking for.

While you need to stay true to yourself (after all, it’s the real you they want to get to know), it still helps to make small tweaks to suit the interviewer and the company you’re applying to. If you know your interviewer started their career in sports, feel free to bring up how hockey helped you develop skills. Just don’t dig too deep on social media. It’s best not to mention that you know you both stayed in the same holiday spot a decade ago... Always keep it professional.

First impressions matter. Your interviewer will remember your handshake and hello. So, make sure you make a great entrance – smile, be positive, give a good handshake and get off to a winning start.

If you do fumble over your greeting though, don’t give up. You’ve still got time to show your skills but it’s always best if you start strong.

One of our top tips to prepare for an interview is to think, speak and pause.

You don’t have to rush to answer every question. And you certainly don’t need to fill the air whenever there’s a silence. Take your time to think about the words you want to use.

Your interviewer will be looking for evidence of structured thinking. So, saying the first thing that comes into your head isn’t going to help you. It’s an interview, not a buzzer round on a quiz show.

Lots of interviewees keep speaking without thinking or pausing. You’ll have an advantage over the competition if you let your brain work first, deliver your response at a steady pace and then know when to stop.

Interviews aren’t about quizzing you to see if you’re ‘perfect’ and have ‘the right answer’. They’re more to do with seeing how you handle uncertainty and things you haven’t come across before (which in many jobs is the real test of the role).

That’s why interviewers ask questions like “How many aeroplanes are in the sky at the moment?”. The answer you give is irrelevant. What interviewers are looking for here is to see how you handle new ideas, stay calm under pressure and use logical and analytical thinking. Even if you don’t know the answer, you must always show a can-do attitude by trying to come up with a response.

And when they’re asking you about your experience, they want to get to know you as a unique person. Nobody else will be able to say the same as you, so hold your head high.

Interviewers will be able to tell if you’re stretching the truth – so don’t bother trying to lie. It won’t get you far.

When an interviewer asks you something you don’t know the answer to, it’s best to admit it. Ask for information to help you respond to the question. Sometimes, the interviewer will realise they’ve confusingly worded something. A potential employer will never mark you down for honesty and inquisitiveness.

Lots of interviews are competency-based. Employers are looking to see if you’re a good match for the role by learning about examples of where you’ve tackled relevant situations. For instance, if you’re going for a job in consulting, it’ll normally involve client interaction. That means the recruiter will want to see if you’re suited to handling clients.

A frequently asked competency question is “Can you give me an example of when you’ve dealt with a difficult client?”. Here, they’ll want to hear about a time when you had a tricky client and what happened. If you’ve never worked in a client-facing role, talk about customers in a service job. We recommend using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach to help you through these questions.

A lot of your communication is non-verbal so interviewers will notice your eye contact, how you sit and what you do with your hands. To show that you’re capable of doing the job, you want to look confident. Ironically though, focusing on your body language too much will make you appear nervous.

So, take a deep breath and smile. You’ll want to look the interviewer in the eye when you meet them, but you don’t need to constantly think about it. Gaze for long enough to work out their eye colour and then let yourself relax. You’ll end up meeting their eyes if you look in their general direction when you speak.

As for your posture, sit up as much as possible and resist the urge to slouch. But don’t worry if you haven’t got perfect posture. Nobody’s judging your shoulder height like you’re in a dance competition.

And when it comes to hand gestures, express yourself naturally. Some people gesticulate more than others so do what feels right. If you nervously fidget or fiddle with your hair, pop your hands in your lap and bring them up when it’s natural to emphasise a point.

Want to read more tips? Here are some body language mistakes to avoid during an interview. But remember, don’t focus on it too much.

An interviewer will normally ask you if you’ve got any questions at the end. Always prepare at least two interesting questions to ask your interviewer. Stuck on what to say? Think about asking for more details about the role or the team structure. It’s also a good time to find out about the wider business. So, consider bringing up an article you’ve read about the company or asking about its strategic direction.

Avoid questions that you should know the answer to. If it’s about something that’s easy to find on their website, don’t ask it. Asking well-informed questions is another chance to prove you go the extra mile (something all recruiters are looking for). Do your research and you’ll show you know your stuff.

Think beyond practical information that you’ll find out if you’re offered the job too (ie. starting date, finer details of benefits). There are more engaging things to talk about. However, it’s fine to finish an interview by positively asking about when you’ll hear from them again. It shows you’re already thinking about the next steps.

Whether your interview is online or face-to-face, there are some things you should always do in an interview such as be honest, give strong examples and ask well-researched questions. When it comes to an in-person interview, you also need to think more about your body language and the first impression you’ll make when you enter that interview room.

Follow our top tips and you’ll be ready to show why you’re the right person for the role. Best of luck!