We all know that job interviews can be intimidating, but with the right preparation and mindset, they can be an opportunity to showcase your potential and stand out from the crowd.
Whether you’re new to the job market or a seasoned professional looking for your next opportunity, these ten detailed interview tips will help you leave a lasting impression and increase your chances of landing the job, gaining salary increases, and progressing your career.
1. Do Your Homework: Research the Company Thoroughly
One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is walking into an interview without understanding the company.
Even though the interview question ‘what do you know about the organisation?’ is losing traction in the modern job interview, applicants need to understand the company, its values, mission, and working style.
Understanding the working of a business is also key in terms of a career professional deciding if they would accept a job offer.
Take the time to research:
- The company’s mission and values – Align your answers with what matters to them.
- Recent news, product launches, or initiatives – Referencing these can demonstrate genuine interest.
- Technology – understanding how technology is being/going to be used in the business (as an example, Amazon is looking to increase robots over human workers)
- Their culture and work environment – Use sites like Glassdoor or LinkedIn for insights.
- Key competitors – Understanding the industry landscape shows strategic thinking.
Doing your homework allows you to speak intelligently and tailor your answers to show you’re a great fit for their team.
2. Understand the Role Inside and Out
Beyond just reading the job description, break it down and match it to your own skills and experience. Ask yourself:
- What are your main responsibilities?
- What problems is this role trying to solve?
- Which of your achievements directly connect to the role’s key requirements?
Anticipate what challenges the role may come with and be prepared to discuss how you can solve them. This will show initiative and depth of thought, at its best, highlighting your industry expertise.
3. Practice Common Interview Questions
Interviews almost always include a mix of behavioral, situational, and classic questions.
Prepare answers to questions such as:
- “Tell me about yourself.”
- “Why do you want to work here?”
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
- “Describe a time when you overcame a challenge at work.”
These questions may be asked in various ways (as an example, the question ‘what are your strengths? ‘ can be reworded as ‘ what can you bring to the team?’ or ‘tell me something you are most proud of in work?’, but the underlying question is always the same.
The STAR method to structure your interview answers is an easy-to-digest formula that will help you answer commonly asked interview questions.
- Situation – What was happening?
- Task – What was your role?
- Action – What did you do?
- Result – What was the outcome?
Practicing answering interview answers out loud helps you sound more confident and natural during the interview. Take this one step further and book a job interview coaching session.
4. Prepare Smart, Insightful Questions
An interview is a two-way street. You’re evaluating them as much as they’re evaluating you. Remember, the job you choose, the organisation you decide to work for, is key in terms of your career success and work happiness.
For every job interview, prepare thoughtful questions to ask the hiring manager, such as:
- “Can you describe the team I’ll be working with?”
- “What does success look like in this role?”
- “How does the company support professional development?”
- “Why do you like working for the organisation?”
- “What are the biggest challenges currently facing the team?”
- “How will you go about achieving next year’s strategic goals?”
Avoid asking questions you could easily find online (as everyone will ask the same questions) — focus on what shows critical thinking and engagement.
5. Dress for Success (and Appropriateness)
Your appearance sets the first impression, even before you speak. Much research shows how the first impression is linked to people’s unconscious biases. How you decide to dress should be influenced by the company’s job sector.
Match your attire to the company’s culture:
- Corporate/Finance/Legal: Business formal – suit and tie or equivalent.
- Startups/Creative roles: Business casual is usually safe.
- Remote interviews: Still dress professionally (at least from the waist up).
Always aim to look polished and intentional — being slightly overdressed is better than underdressed.
6. Be Punctual and Technically Prepared
Showing up late is one of the easiest ways to lose credibility before the interview even starts. This is true even when the reason for lateness is beyond your control IE a traffic accident.
Aim to arrive:
- 10–15 minutes early for in-person interviews.
- At least 5–10 minutes early for video interviews, giving time to check your connection, camera, lighting, and background.
- Check before you leave. Google Maps will tell you about any traffic incidents, giving you a quicker alternative route
- Research car parking, as the walk from a car park to the interview can be long
Make sure your phone is silenced and you’re free from distractions.
7. Show Confidence and Positive Body Language
First impressions go beyond words. Here’s how to project confidence:
- Maintain good posture — sit upright but relaxed.
- Make eye contact (or camera contact for virtual interviews).
- Smile when appropriate and show enthusiasm.
- Avoid filler words like “um,” “like,” or “you know.”
Confidence without arrogance shows that you believe in your abilities while staying grounded and approachable.
8. Focus on Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities
Give detailed job interview answers. Much online advice says to give ‘short interview answers.’ This is incorrect; in a structured job interview, details matter.
Anyone can list what their job was — what sets you apart is what you accomplished. Instead of saying:
“I was responsible for managing social media accounts,”
Say:
“I grew our Instagram following by 50% in six months and increased engagement by creating targeted campaigns.”
Use numbers, percentages, or examples to demonstrate your value. Metrics make your impact tangible.
9. Follow Up With a Professional Thank-You
After the interview, send a thank-you email within 24 hours. A good thank-you message should:
- Thank the interviewer for their time.
- Reaffirm your interest in the role and the company.
- Briefly mention one or two points you enjoyed discussing.
- Include any follow-up materials (e.g., work samples, references).
It’s a small gesture that reinforces professionalism and keeps you top of mind.
10. Be Authentic – Be Yourself
It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to give the “perfect” answer. But interviews are as much about chemistry as they are about credentials.
- Be honest about your experiences — even the messy or imperfect ones.
- Share what excites you about the work.
- Let your personality shine through. People hire people, not resumes.
Authenticity builds trust, and trust can often be the deciding factor between two qualified candidates.
If you feel stressed, nervous or anxious about an upcoming job interview, book a virtual job interview coaching session to improve your interview confidence.
Job Interview
Interviews don’t have to be stressful if you come prepared. Think of them as a conversation — a chance to explore a mutual fit.
With research, preparation, and a little self-confidence, you can turn any interview into an opportunity to showcase your value and make a memorable impression.
Winning job interviews comes from showing confidence (positive body language, fewer filler words, eye contact, smiles) and industry expertise (longer interview answers, detailed descriptions, real examples, use of data)