Job interview tips for your first interview

Getting invited to an interview means the employer already believes you could do the job. The interview is your chance to confirm it. Preparation makes a huge difference, especially if it's your first time.

Before the day

• Research the employer. Read their website and know what they do. For a government post, read the job advert's key performance areas again.
• Plan your trip. Know exactly where you're going and how long the taxi or bus takes. Aim to arrive 15 minutes early.
• Prepare your documents. Bring copies of your CV, ID and qualifications in a clean folder, even if you already sent them.

Questions you will probably be asked

"Tell us about yourself." Give a two-minute answer covering your studies, your relevant experience and why you want this job. Practise it out loud.

"Why do you want to work here?" Connect something specific about the organisation to your own goals.

"What are your strengths and weaknesses?" Choose a real strength with an example. For a weakness, choose something genuine that you are working to improve.

"Tell us about a time you solved a problem." Use the STAR method: describe the Situation, the Task, the Action you took and the Result.

Government panels often use competency-based questions taken from the advert's duties. Read each duty and think of an example from your studies, volunteering or work for it.

On the day

• Dress neatly and simply in clean, ironed, comfortable clothes.
• Greet everyone politely, make eye contact and switch your phone off.
• It's fine to take a moment to think before answering.
• At the end, ask one or two questions, such as "What does a typical day look like in this role?"

After the interview

Send a short thank-you email the same day if you have the interviewer's address. Then keep applying for other posts, don't stop your search while you wait.