You got through all the hurdles in your way, from the application to the telephone screening and you landed the all-important interview. Your ideal job could be literally just an hour or so away from being yours. Hmm, no pressure!

So how do you make sure you give the most amazing impression you can and absolutely nail that interview?

1. Preparation

The interview itself is obviously important, but doing all the preparation you can beforehand is what builds your confidence and ensures you do your absolute best on the day:

Do your research on the company you could be working for. Find out as much as you can about the way they present themselves in the media and online. We’ve written before about how your social media profiles can affect your interview chances, but now it’s your turn!

Go through all of the company’s social media accounts and look at what they post, what sort of language they use, and what image they are trying to present.

That will give you a good sense of how the company sees itself and what sort of people are likely to fit in well there.

Look at commonly asked interview questions, such as ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses?’ and think about what you’re going to say. It’s also important to think about what you want to ask so you aren’t left with nothing to say when that comes up in the interview.

Practice your interview, either with a friend or by videoing yourself to see how you come across and get used to answering questions and telling great stories about how you’ve worked well in the past.

Get everything together the night before the interview then you’re not rushing on the day and you can relax.

2. The Interview

On the day, arrive in plenty of time so you don’t feel rushed and stressed.

Don’t forget to make a great impression on everyone you talk to, not just the interviewer. Not only might you be working with anyone you meet, but you don’t know what influence they have on who is chosen for the job.

Bring a copy of your CV with you and any work examples, if needed. Also, bring a notepad and pen so you can write down any notes and answers to the questions you want to ask.

When you go into the interview, smile and make eye contact with everyone in the room. You’ll look confident and it will put the interviewer at ease as well as making you feel better.

Watch your body language and your posture and make sure you create a good impression by leaning forward and being enthusiastic. While it’s good to relax, no-one wants to see a candidate who slouches and doesn’t seem interested.

Speak clearly and take your time. You don’t have to rush to answer the questions. It’s perfectly okay to take time to think about your answer, and to ask if you need the interviewer to repeat the question.

When the interview is over, don’t forget to thank the interviewer and restate how interested you are in the position.

3. Follow Up!

It’s absolutely fine to send a quick email after your interview to say thank you, and to make a couple more points about why you are the best candidate for the job.

We know interviewing can be nerve-wracking, but don’t forget that you have valuable skills and experience that can make a great deal of difference to a business, and that they need great employees as much as you need a great job!