Napoleon allegedly won his battles in his tent rather than on the battlefield. That was where the preparation took place – the planning, the war gaming, the assessment of his own resources and how he could best deploy them.
That sounds just like what my clients do with me in my interview preparation courses. What are the obvious questions and how will you answer them, how will you introduce yourself and your CV and what questions should you ask.
This eliminates uncertainty, increases your confidence and prepares you for the expected – and some of the unexpected.
1. Your CV. Have a couple of copies with you and reread your written pearls that morning over breakfast. In case you forget something and then sound dumb when they ask you about it.
2. Bring a (decent looking) pen and a pad – I like the moleskin books that fit in your jacket pocket.
3. Dress formally and without any distractions.
4. Know where the interview is and how best to get there – a dry-run may seem ridiculous the day before but when you are lost and late on the day of the interview it may suddenly appear a brilliant and obvious idea! Know where to park, bring cash…
5. Arriving 5 minutes early is fine – late isn’t and neither is too early. If you are early, get a coffee somewhere – but save your smoke until afterwards.
Interview preparation – Key points 6 – 10 will follow next week.