What to expect from your first ever job interview

Having scheduled your first ever job interview, it’s time to start preparations.

You may be wondering: will your interview be a short, breezy and informal chat? Will it end with a firm handshake and a job offer? Or will a panel of stern faces spend an hour interrogating you while you break out into cold sweats?

This blog will tell you everything you can expect from an interview process and help you figure out how to prepare for an interview.

Interviews are a two-way conversation 

The first thing to be aware of when figuring out how to prepare for a job interview is why you are being interviewed. The interviewer wants to:

• find out whether you are a good fit in terms of skills, potential and personality 
• leave you with a positive impression of the company and opportunity 

Expect and prepare for a two-way conversation whereby you both assess each other’s suitability.

Preparing for an interview is key to a successful interview. Therefore, before your first ever job interview, I advise that you prepare for each of the stages outlined below.  

Stage 1: Arriving at reception 

Your arrival is your first chance to demonstrate your confidence and professionalism. 

• Plan your route, arrive at least 15 minutes early and make time for unexpected delays 
• Pick your outfit in advance. Make sure you have smart interview attire, even if the employee dress code is casual. 
• Greet the interviewer in a way that exudes confidence; that is, with a broad smile, strong handshake and an upright posture. 
• Have key information saved both on your phone and printed out for reference. 

While waiting in reception, sit up straight. Resist the temptation to use your mobile phone and any other personal devices. It’s also important to be polite to the receptionist and anyone else you see. 

Stage 2: The beginning of your first ever job interview – showcase what you know

Your interviewer(s) will take you to a private and quiet space, and they will most likely offer you a drink. I suggest you ask for water if you don’t have any with you. Use water in case you need to buy some time and take a sip when thinking about your answers.

Once you’re sitting in the interview room, your interviewer will introduce themselves. It’s also likely that the interviewer will ask what you already know about the company. This question enables the interview to check that you are interested in the position and interested in the company.

There’s no excuse for not doing company research. A few days before, prepare for a job interview by researching the company. Highlight anything you found particularly impressive and ask your recruiter to clarify anything you aren’t certain about. Find out:

• How the company formed, when, why and by whom. This information should be available in the company history section of the website.
• The company’s specific products and services, plus their values and unique selling points as an organisation.
• Any recent successes and campaigns. Take a look at the company’s social media pages to get a better idea.

Your interviewer will then discuss the position and its role in the wider business. Therefore, it’s a good idea to bring a notepad and pen. Doing so will allow you to easily jot down any questions you want to ask at the end.

Stage 3: Talking the interviewer through your CV – highlight your skills

Next, your interviewer will ask you to talk through your CV. This stage is crucial because the interviewer wants you to tell them the story of your career to date. Crucially, the interviewer wants to know what led you to sit in front of them today.

With this in mind, bring a copy of your CV with you to the interview for reference. Plan ahead so that you can link this black-and-white document to the role you are applying for:

Split your CV into headlines and detailed anecdotes 

Decide which parts of your CV you want to only provide a headline overview of and which to go into more detail on. For example, you may be applying for a sales role. Therefore you would speak more about your part-time job as a retail assistant than your part-time job as a kitchen porter. Highlight the hobbies, academic achievements and extracurricular activities which relate to the role, particularly any transferable skills learnt here.

Put your CV in context of the job description 

Conclude by explaining how your journey so far has led you here today and why you’re interested in the opportunity.

Considering this is your first job interview, you likely have limited experience. Therefore, you may feel worried that you don’t have much of a story to tell. You do. You just need to plan how to tell it.

Stage 4: Answering the interviewer’s questions – give clear examples 

Following this, your interviewer will have prepared a set of questions. These questions will measure:

• Your key competencies
• Your potential to succeed in the role
• Whether you would be a good personality fit

As such, it is in both of your interests that you answer honestly and don’t exaggerate your skills and experience. At the same time, you will have some great strengths to your name – so don’t be afraid to sing your own praises either!

Prepare by researching the most commonly asked interview questions, such as: “Why do you think you are suitable for this job?” Plan the key points to include in your answers beforehand, and remember these dos and don’ts:

What to DO to answer your first interview questions 

• DO: Speak slowly and clearly
• DO: Maintain a good posture, strong eye contact and an open smile
• DO: Back up any claims about your skills with evidence of these skills in action
• DO: Relate your answers back to how they would be beneficial to the role
• DO: Have a structure in your mind for your interview answers to stop you from rambling or going off on a tangent. For instance, the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can help when answering competency-based questions. Practice answering some interview questions sticking to this framework.

What NOT TO DO in your first ever job interview  

• DON’T: Answer any question with “I don’t know”. Ask the interviewer to repeat the question or phrase it differently if you don’t understand.
• DON’T: Speak negatively about any of your experiences. Certain questions may prompt this, for instance: “Why did you leave your job in retail?” While we encourage transparency, you also need to be professional and positive.
• DON’T: Interrupt. Pause for a second after the interviewer asks a question to check if they have finished talking. This will also give you a second to think about your answers.

If you haven’t already, ask a friend, family member or your recruiter to run through a mock interview. Your recruiter can give you a better idea of the types of questions to expect, as well as useful feedback on your answers. 

Stage 5: Asking the interviewer any questions you have – demonstrate your interest

Next, you will be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. Don’t underestimate the importance of this part of the interview. Your interviewer wants to know that you are interested in the job. Show your enthusiasm for the role by taking the time to prepare some questions so that you can find out more.

There are good questions to ask, and bad questions to ask. It is essential that you understand the difference before you turn up for the interview.

Positive questions to ask in your first ever interview

• DO: Ask questions about your role, e.g.-“How has this role evolved?”
• DO: Ask professional questions about the interviewer, such as.-“What’s your favourite part of working here?”
• DO: Ask questions about the company that you can’t easily find online. For example, “How would you describe the company culture?”

How NOT to prepare questions for an interview 

• DON’T: Ask personal questions about the interviewer, e.g. – “How old are you?”
• DON’T: Ask questions that start with “Would I have to?” This shows reluctance and sounds negative

• DON’T: Ask questions about holidays, benefits and salary. This could sound presumptuous and will be negotiated via your recruiter later down the line anyway

Stage 6: Leaving your first ever job interview

Finally, your interviewer will most likely wrap up the interview. Your interviewer will confirm the next stages of the interview process and the expected time frames for feedback. You can also see this as your chance to leave a good last impression. Remember to thank the interviewer for their time and confirm your interest in the role.

Stage 7: Following up after your first ever job interview 

After your interview, call your recruiter to give feedback on how you think it went. I would also advise that you send a follow-up email for the recruiter to pass on to the interviewer. The email can simply once again thank them for their time and reiterate your interest.

Over the next few days, you should hear back from your recruiter. Keep your phone close by with the volume turned on, and check your emails regularly. Fingers crossed you get some good news. Either you’ve advanced to the next round of interviews, or even better, you’ve received the job offer!

Request feedback and respond accordingly 

If it’s not good news, give yourself a break—after all, this is your first job interview!

Find out why you didn’t receive an offer. Take on board both the positive and negative feedback so that you can improve your interview technique for next time. Keep in touch with your recruiter. Your recruiter already knows what you are looking for at this stage and can put you forward for other suitable roles.

Hopefully, I have helped ease some of your nerves ahead of your first job interview. You can easily prepare for a job interview and give yourself the best chance of getting to the next stage in the process.

Some of our other interview tips can help ensure your first ever job interview is a success: 

• “So, talk me through your CV”
• “So tell me about yourself”
• Common interview mistakes to avoid
• Change your thinking and calm your interview nerves
• 15 questions to ask your interviewer
• “Tell me about a time you failed”