Recruitment Agencies

1. Research the company you are going to, use their website and draw up a list of questions. If you cannot think of any questions, try to introduce information from their website into the interview so that it is apparent you have researched.

2. Show an interest in the industry, ask who their main competitors are, what the company is looking to achieve in the next two to five years and explain why this meets with your career objectives.

3. Be positive. During an interview the employer may focus on the negative angles
of the job, i.e.:-

    * 'It can be stressful'
    * 'There is lots of admin'
    * 'We are looking for someone to stay in this position for at least one year'
    * 'It can be quiet'

These comments are to test your reaction and to see how much you have thought about the role. Try and make the negatives into positives i.e.:

    * 'I cope well under pressure'
    * 'I enjoy admin and like to be organised'
    * 'I am very keen to settle and gain some solid work experience'
    * 'If there are quiet moments that will give me the opportunity to catch up
      in other areas'

4. Think about your body language. Don't fidget, don't talk with your hand over your mouth and try and keep your hands reasonably still.

5. Try and maintain a natural amount of eye contact. Avoiding the interviewer's eyes makes you appear evasive. Be natural. Answer questions directly and don't waffle, if you can introduce some humour and if it seems appropriate, then be yourself. However, you are in an interview and should not become too familiar!

6. Presentation, this will be your first impression and it counts! You should be immaculate, clean shoes, well groomed clean hair, do not wear overpowering perfume or aftershave. Wear smart conservative clothes and not too much jewellery.

7. Make sure you know where you are going, even do a trial run if you think this is necessary. Take a map and the contact number of either your agency or the person you are meeting. Plan to arrive allowing ten minutes to spare.

8. Refrain from smoking before going in to an interview. The smell does linger and this is accentuated in a non smoking office.

9. Make sure you have had a good night sleep the night before.

10. Leave on a positive note. Say thank you for seeing me and let them know if you are keen.