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Five hot tips for your first job interview

Congratulations! You've finished your education, applied for a job, and now it's time to impress the interviewer and secure the job offer with these five tips.

4 minute read

Reaching the point of a face-to-face interview is already a great accomplishment, but you still need to impress the person who will be interviewing you. By this point, they’ve seen your skills and experience on your CV. Now they want to know more about you and your motivations.

Recruitment is as much about gut feeling and cultural fit than anything else. In the short amount of time it takes to conduct the interview, the interviewer will gauge whether you have what it takes to make a positive contribution to the organisation.

But this isn’t a one-way street – during this time, you’ll also be making assessments, deciding if you think it’s a place you can grow and achieve your aspirations. A face-to-face interview gives both of you an opportunity to get to know each other and see how you could fit in.

That being said, there are several ways you can help yourself stand out from the other applicants. These five tips can give you a head start and help you secure your first job.

1. Arrive early, but not too early

Everyone knows arriving late for an interview is a bad look, but arriving too early can also cause a few issues. Workdays can be busy, and the interviewer has likely picked a time they know they’re free between times they have other commitments.

By turning up half an hour before your interview is due to start, the interviewer may feel pressured to stop what they’re doing so you’re not left waiting. Instead, try to arrive about 10 minutes before the interview.

2. Turn your weakness into a strength

There’s a good chance you’ll be asked what your weaknesses are. This is a test, designed to weed out the people who’ll answer, “I’m a perfectionist/workaholic/compulsive organiser.” Nine times out of ten, an answer like that will see you taken off the candidate list.

What they want to know is how self-aware you are. Give them a real answer, and then provide proof it’s something you’re working on. For instance, if you lose track of time, say “I can struggle with time management, but I use X and Y to try keep myself on track.” This will show the interviewer you are aware of your limitations and the steps you’re taking to overcome them.

3. Use your everyday language

Be yourself and try to avoid using cliché expressions and professional jargon that you wouldn't normally use in everyday life. It can be seen as contrived if you start dropping terms that seem out of character or that you don’t fully understand into general conversation.

Interviewers may think you’re only trying to tell them what they want to hear, rather than what you actually want to say. Remember, the interviewer is there to get to know you. If you’re not being yourself, that will come across.

4. Be prepared with your own questions

Generally, towards the end of the interview, candidates are given the opportunity to ask the interviewer any questions they may have about the position or company. Interviewers are looking for genuine curiosity about the business, teams, culture and workplace.

If you ask questions like “what’s been your greatest achievement during your career” or, “tell me about a difficult client and how you resolved the situation”, it will be seen as a wasted opportunity for you to learn about the role. Instead, ask questions like “what does success look like for this role in 12 months’ time?” or “can you tell me more about the company culture?” You can take notes during the interview so you can ask any relevant questions that are about the role and business when given the opportunity.

5. Questions to avoid

Some questions about a role are better than others, and some should be avoided altogether. For instance, while it can be a good idea to ask which teams the role will be working with, asking for a detailed breakdown of the day-to-day activities of the role can show a lack of understanding or research. If you can demonstrate you’ve done some homework, it will reflect better on you.

Particular questions that should be avoided are things like ‘when am I allowed to leave?’ and ‘how long until I get a promotion/pay rise?’ These kinds of questions should be phrased very differently and not asked until you’ve been in the role for six months or more during a review. Instead, try ask questions that show a commitment to growing with the company, and going the extra mile for customers and clients.

Also, don’t describe the role you’re interviewing for as a ‘stepping-stone’ to something else. The interviewer is potentially making a huge time and financial investment in your development. Saying something like this can give the impression you’re looking to move on before you’ve even started.

Practice makes perfect

Navigating a job interview goes beyond qualifications and skills – it's about what you're saying and the way you're saying it. By staying mindful of these tips, you'll likely boost your chances of securing the job. And even if it doesn’t go your way, it’s a good opportunity to practice the techniques above. And each interview you do will help prepare you for the next one. Best of luck!

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This article is solely for information purposes. It’s not financial or other professional advice. For help, please contact BNZ or your professional adviser.

No party, including BNZ, is liable for direct or indirect loss or damage resulting from the content of this article. Any opinions in this article are not necessarily shared by BNZ or anyone else.