Preparing for an interview is a worrying and nervous time! However, it’s not as bad as you think. During this blog, CT Skills will show you how to prepare to ace your apprenticeship interview. We will talk from the start of your interview to the surroundings to the end of it and even what to do afterwards. We have many points to go through, but all will have a huge impact on the day of your interview. You’ll leave feeling confident and secure about your potential new job!
Area and Surroundings
Your area and surroundings are very important to your interview. Having the right place to have your interview will allow you to have full concentration and also allow your interviewer to feel comfortable speaking to you. You should make sure you have no distractions around you. That means making sure you are in a location with a shut door so no one comes in and disturbs you, having no music and television on and not looking at your phone. This includes turning off your phone so you can’t look at notifications. Also, make sure you are not in bed or slouched down on a sofa. Sit upright on a nice chair or stool, somewhere you can have good posture.
Having the right lighting and background is also a key factor. Having bad lighting can disrupt the interview and cause irritation. Make sure you’re sat with no harsh light shining onto you or the camera and maybe shut any blinds or curtains if you get this problem. But that doesn’t mean you should sit in the dark. Having the light on is just right. You shouldn’t sit in the dark but only a night light next to you.
Doing a Test Run
It’s the worst thing when you’re about to join an interview and you can’t join or they can’t hear you! We suggest a couple of days before your interview, you should do a test run to make sure it’s all working properly to avoid those problems. Make sure your wifi connection is good so your camera is clear and that you have a good microphone and camera. You should also start a test interview with a friend or a member of your family. By doing this, you can see if you can hear and see them but also if they can hear and see you. We also suggest before your interview that you place your laptop on a hard surface that is eye-level. This makes it seem like the interviewer is speaking directly to you!
Dress to Impress
Many people think that they don’t have to dress appropriately for an online interview as they can only see your shoulders to your head. Well, that’s wrong. You should always dress formally and appropriately. You could either put on a plain shirt, a plain sweater or a suit. This will give them a great first impression just from a quick glance at you. Also, try and avoid jewellery. Take out, if you can, any heavy or big piercings or necklaces. But also try not to do anything glamorous with your makeup. Try and lay off the bright colours, you just want to wear something neutral.
Nerves and Confidence
Nerves are a very common occurrence before and during an interview however they aren’t needed. It can seem very scary but at the end of the day, it’s just another person asking some questions! When your interview starts up, your nerves will gradually fade away and you will forget why or what you were nervous about in the first place. If they still aren’t going or they’re becoming too much then take deep breaths. Take small sips of water too and try to think calmly. Don’t be afraid to mention to your interviewer that you are feeling slightly nervous, they will give you some comfort too.
Once your nerves are gone, you need to then show the confidence and enthusiasm you have for the job. Always sit up straight and have good eye contact too as that’s very important. Smile and be polite too as this can be very nice for the employer to endure whilst interviewing you.
Notes and Writing
Before your interview, try and write down five questions you could ask at the end of the interview such as “What’s your favourite part about working here?” and “What’s one challenge you occasionally or regularly face in your job?”. You should also prepare for questions that are thrown at you so keep your CV next to you and write down why you would like the job, the positive impact you would have there and the interests you have for the company.
End of the Interview
At the end of an interview, the employer will always ask if you have any questions. Never say no to that! Ask the questions you wrote down beforehand and write down the answer to show you’re genuinely interested in their answer. At the very end, be polite and make sure you thank them for having you and wish them a lovely day. Also, say that you hope to hear from them soon. After that, you can relax! It’s done! Now we wait on the email or phone call you get, so make sure you keep your phone on loud!
Now you know how to prepare to ace your interview. Preparing for an interview is such an important thing to do to save you from messing up, calm your nerves and boost your chance of employment! At CT Skills, we offer many apprenticeships that suit you best. We have many different sectors and partner with a large variety of employers and businesses. If you would like to find out why you should learn with us, click here. We also recommend you keep updated with our socials to keep an eye on when we are hiring and the benefits of the different apprenticeships we hire in. We post and are active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.