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HOW TO ACE YOUR INTERVIEW

By Cindy Etsell

Congratulations on making it to the interview stage!

Your CV has done its job by capturing the recruiter’s attention – well done! Now it’s time to prepare for the next big step: the interview. Whether it’s virtual or in- person, this guide is designed to help you make the most of every moment and give you practical, easy to-follow steps to help you stand out.

As a Career & Executive Coach, I’m often asked for interview tips, especially for online settings. My clients want to know how to appear confident on camera, where to focus their gaze, how to dress appropriately, and how to use body language and posture to their advantage. They’re eager to make a strong impression, and I’m here to share the strategies that have helped many of them shine.

When it comes to in-person interviews, the stakes can feel even higher, as first impressions begin the moment you step into the room. From offering a firm handshake to maintaining engaging eye contact, I’ll also cover the nuances of in-person meetings to ensure you project professionalism and authenticity.

In particular, this guide will cover:

  • Preparing for the interview
  • Documenting your success (STAR)
  • Making that first impression
  • Body language
  • Using your voice
  • Sample questions and how to answer
  • Closing the interview
  • After the session – follow up

First Impressions Count

You have about 9 seconds to make a positive first impression in person – and even less online. So, how do you make that impression, capture their attention, and secure the job?

Preparing for the Interview

You should have already covered many of these steps when you were creating your CV and highlighting your achievements. However, it’s essential to reinforce these points, showcasing your results and the actions that led you there. Thorough interview preparation is crucial.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”

This famous quote by Benjamin Franklin is so true. Planning is everything. Here are some of my expert tips that I have successfully used in coaching over 2000 professionals in the last 6 years, to help you maximise your success at your interview.

  • Review the job description
  • Identify the core competencies, experience or skills for the role
  • Categorise the skills/ experience essential for this role and how these relate to your background
  • Review each competency and match each of them with a tangible example (see STAR Chart below)
  • Document your achievements in a methodical way using the STAR technique.

You may have already done this exercise when creating your CV.

How to create a STAR analysis

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result and Skills.

Write down as concisely as possible a situation you found yourself in, then document the 2-3 tasks that you had to overcome to solve the problem. Using action words, write in a methodical way every step you took to solve the problem (This is important as it demonstrate your thought process).

Example:
Make sure that you can demonstrate a numerical outcome based on what you were measured on, either from your KPI or MBO’s. This shows you understand the impact of actions you take on the rest of your team and the business.

Consider the following measurements:

  • Improving efficiency
  • Improving productivity
  • Helping improve employee retention
  • Increasing customer satisfaction
  • Time to market
  • Competitive advantage
  • ROI (return on investment)
  • Changing a process that saved money, time and what was the cost benefit of doing that? (An example could be sales people could spend more time in the field getting new clients).

If you are unsure or need help, please get in touch. This is an area I specialise in and I have a 95% success rate with my clients!

Now you have created your STAR

The next step is to carry out background research on both the Company and the interviewer. When you have the interviewer’s name, check your contacts on LinkedIn to see if someone in your network is connected to them and get in touch (this is gold dust – as they will also put a good word in for you with the individual, giving you an advantage). Be sure to show those results in a numerical way using percentages or numbers. Many clients say they cannot do that, but I guarantee you can! If you find this difficult get in touch with me: [email protected]

Example:
A sales executive observed that account managers were spending an excessive amount of time – about 4 hours each day – extracting information from their content management system to prepare for client meetings. With ten account managers on the team, this was significantly impacting productivity. The root causes of the delay were investigated and a solution was implemented, which successfully reduced the prep time from 4 hours to just 10 minutes.

RESULTS:
Output time decreased from 40 hours to 1 minute and 40 seconds. Efficiency increased by approximately 98%.

The cost benefit of doing this was that account managers can now spend more time with clients to drive pipeline and revenue.

Researching the Company

What can you find out about the company? What makes them tick? What are their Corporate Values? What is their culture like? Do your research. Read their website, look at their Social Media pages. Identify if they have a defined Employer Brand and how their employees regard them.

This shows your commitment to the company when being interviewed. It is vital to understand company culture to make sure this is a fit for both you and them. Preparation provides a clear picture of what is working well for the company and any concerns they may be experiencing. It also enables you to ask relevant questions.

How to Stand Out from the Crowd

Men
Wear an attention-grabbing tie, coloured shirt (NOT BLUE), interesting cufflinks/glasses (if you wear them) or tie clip. In-person, add personality with fun socks and polished shoes, keeping the look professional.

Women
For women it is easier! Scarf, nail polish, lipstick, blouse, jewellery (all of this helps you create your unique brand).

Dress appropriately, depending on the industry. A splash of colour works but you can get away with more if you are working in a creative role versus within professional services. But this doesn’t mean you still have to dress like everyone else.

‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken’ ~ Oscar Wilde

Smile as you walk into the room and be open. This also applies when you are doing the interview online. A big smile makes everyone feel welcome and it makes you feel better: Smiling increases mood-enhancing hormones while decreasing stress-enhancing hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. It also reduces overall blood pressure. And because we typically smile when we’re happy, the muscles used trigger your brain to produce more endorphins, the chemical that relieves pain and stress.

The Power of Smiling | Walden University

Did you know there are 19 different smiles but only a few that are real? Smiles and facial expressions are closely linked. Lots of research has shown how we may come across, as documented in this link: https://bit.ly/3efxirv

How to Stand Out from the Crowd

  • Shoulders are back
  • You need an upright posture, which allows you to breathe from your diaphragm. As we know many people breathe from the chest, a little trick to maintain your posture is to think sternum up. That will keep your spine in the right position and posture.
  • When sitting down be sure your bottom is at the back of the seat so when you sit down your spine is straight. Remember, do not slouch.
  • Only use one screen so that your focus is on the interview and you are not looking back and forth trying to look at 2 screens.
  • Be still – crossing your legs or ankles is fine but try and keep them still (if you are tapping your feet or moving your legs, your upper torso moves and it can be distracting for the interviewer)
  • Before the interview, breathe- watch by Amy Cuddy on the Power pose

Establishing eye contact shows you are focused, present and engaged

  • When you are answering questions, establish eye contact with the person who is asking the question, and then others in the interview, to make them feel included.
  • People ask what to do to break eye gaze when you begin to feel tired or feel you are staring. Watch this video where I combine body language.
  • The eyes are the windows of the soul and convey what you are thinking, so a direct gaze is essential
  • Ask if it is OK to take notes. This offers you a chance to break your gaze, look down and write notes – but don’t do it for very long.

Your Voice

  • One of the key ingredients when being interviewed is to be prepared, and your voice can make all the difference, especially when combined with the tips above
  • Pitch, pace and tone are crucial in keeping your audience engaged
  • Many individuals are afraid of silence, so using pauses to get your point across works and gives you a chance to relax and plan a well thought- out response
  • Our brain thinks on average 1800 words per minute and we speak 180 hence why you often hear funny sounds as our mouth tries to catch up to our brain (those dreaded ‘ahs’ and ‘ums’)
  • Make sure your voice is not monotone, but keep it going to show interest, passion and enthusiasm
  • STARs help with this as they tell a story – see pages 2-3

Answering Questions

  • If you are unsure of a question, ask for clarification
  • Before answering, it is OK to pause and prepare your response
  • Practice with a friend or colleague by getting them to video you as you respond to questions. Then you can play them back to see and hear how you come across.
  • This can make or break your interview!
  • Remember to match potential questions to your examples (STAR) then practice answering them in different tones of voice.
  • Prepare some contingency questions by doing your research
  • Don’t forget to ask the interviewer questions. The interview is a give and take process and offers you the opportunity to learn more about the company and their expectations
  • Be Brave! At the end of the interview ask them if they believe you have the right skills and experiences for the role

The reason this is important is because they will answer one of three ways:

  • Yes you are a great fit (then you can ask about next steps)
  • We are not sure? This is a second chance to ask why, as maybe they never asked the right question.
  • No, we do not believe you are the right person for the role. Open the door again by Asking: Why, could you clarify please? This may help them find out you are the right candidate, or if not, at least you are not waiting for the phone to ring.

FOLLOW UP

Be sure to follow up with the interviewer/s and recruiter after the interview (get their email address) and thank them for the interview and ask if they have any further questions or need clarification. It shows you are interested.

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