Remember that you in an interview, you will never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Hence you should do your best to stand out during the interview. A successful interview relies on thorough preparation, well thought out responses to questions and great overall interview skills demonstrated on the interview day.

• Be prepared. You can never be over prepared for an interview! Undertake thorough research via websites on the role, the company (financials, products, culture), the industry, the department, interviewers, the job opening etc. before you arrive for the interview.

• Ensure your search/recruitment consultant has provided the relevant information on the position, environment and organisation. Ask for information relating to the format of the interviews,  background of the interviews, duration of the interviews etc. In addition, seek advice for interview feedback/ tips from the search consultant who met you before the interview.

• Spend time reviewing your resume and examine its relevance to the position. Identify specific examples in your background that are directly relevant to the position, and be ready to articulate these experiences during the interview.

• Do some role playing and interview practice to build fluency and confidence in an interview setting (especially if you are not experienced in attending interviews).

• Arriving punctually, in well-groomed attire while exuding a confident, professional, and composed disposition and exhibiting your strong communication skills.

• Maintain good eye contact, an open gesture, a good sitting posture, a relaxed voice (vary speed and tone modulation). Try to build rapport with the interviewer, and remember to smile genuinely and warmly at appropriate times during the interview!

• Demonstrate good people skills and display energy, positivity, maturity, self-drive and emotional stability

• Practice active listening skills. Listen carefully to the interviewers’ questions and do not interrupt. In addition, look out for non- verbal cues (body language, facial expression) from the interviewers

• Be engaged and focused. The hiring team will seek out technical capability to perform the job but they will also look out for your positivity, enthusiasm and passion. You need to demonstrate genuine interest via the words you used, your sitting posture and tone modulation.

• Answer the question. Do not evade a question and provide relevant info that will also help to reinforce your credentials and sell your candidacy for the role. Be prepared to answers tougher questions such as the reasons for your various career moves/ gaps.

• Know your Unique Selling Points. In a competitive landscape, it is important to set yourself apart and highlight your value add to the firm and the role, and why are you stronger than the other candidates that are interviewing for the same role.

• Cite examples to illustrate your achievements. With the growing trend of ‘behavioural based’ interviews, interviewers may ask for real-life evidence of recent situations or tasks which involved you taking a certain course of action.  Further questions may be asked to clarify what effects and outcomes those actions led to. Questions that candidate should ask themselves should be:

          - What were the challenges involved?

          - How did I deal with those challenges?

          - What were the outcomes?

          - What were the communication or relationship issues?  How did I resolve them?

• State explicit quantifiable facts about what you have to offer based on proven achievements and your future potential. But be mindful of not over selling or boasting about yourself.

• Be prepared to elaborate on the important /relevant pointers that will sell your candidacy. But ensure that you do not over explain and avoid unnecessary details (that do not add value to the conversation)

• Ask questions. Remember that an interview should be a two-way discussion. Pls equip yourself with a couple of good answers to ask the interviews which can be relevant questions about the role, the company culture, management style, expectation/challenges of the roles etc.

• Exhibit Interest/Motivation. A interview will seek to confirm that you are genuinely interested in the position. Be prepared to communicate why the role appeals to you, and who you should be considered for the role compared to the other candidates.