Practice makes perfect

You’ve got the good news: you’ve been invited in to interview … time to start prepping!

By this point you will have likely already been through a telephone interview with our in-house Recruitment Team or even possibly the hiring manager. You have a good understanding of what the role requires, and what they are looking for, and you want to make sure you do everything you can to make that role yours!

Some time may have passed since your telephone interview, so you might choose to start your prep by googling AJ Bell to make sure you’re up to date on any recent business news. Refresh yourself with our website and pick out some key facts that resonate with you. Our culture is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s important to us those prospective new employees have taken the time to get to know us. But please don’t worry, the interviewers won’t expect you to know everything – just that you’ve got a feel for us as a business and that we’re the right employer for you.

It may have been a number of years since you attended an interview, or you may have recently interviewed elsewhere, but either way it’s a good idea to have a practice. The internet is full of example interview questions. Ask a family member or close friend to help you with a mock interview.

During the interview we want to learn more about you, therefore we will leave you to do most of the talking. Make sure you know your CV. It may sound silly, but it’s easy to forget key facts when you’re in an interview situation.

If you’re attending an interview face-to-face, consider your journey well ahead of time. If you know time might be quite tight on the day, perhaps take a test run – bearing in mind traffic may be different at different times of the day. Ensure any pre-interview forms are all complete before arriving at the interview – this way you don’t have to worry about them.

Ensure you have a copy of your CV to hand. We promote a paperless work environment so don’t worry if you have an electronic version on your phone or tablet. Perhaps just mention this to your interviewer at the start of your interview. Do make sure all devices are turned to silent, to avoid that awkward phone ringing moment!

You’ll always be given the opportunity to ask questions of the interviewers. It’s a good idea to have a couple of questions jotted down so you don’t forget to ask them. These questions may get answered through the course of the interview, so don’t panic if you aren’t left with any questions for the end.

In summary:

• Refresh yourself on relevant business news.
• Practice answering interview questions.
• Complete any pre-interview forms, ensure you have access to a copy of your CV and note down a couple of questions you might want to ask the interviewers.
• Plan your journey to the interview to avoid any last-minute stresses.

Remember your interview is a two-way conversation: we want to ensure you’re right for the role and our business, but it’s also your opportunity to make sure we’re the right employer for you. Most importantly, be yourself. The interview isn’t designed to be stressful, and everyone knows what it feels like to be on both sides of the table! Good luck!