Our Organisational Development team are here to provide you advice when applying for a job.

We chatted to them about the team’s top tips from how to prepare your application to making a good first impression.

• Tailor your application: When preparing your application be sure to tailor your cover letter and resume to match the role that you are applying for. Ensure the cover letter is addressed to the hiring manager where possible and that both documents are professionally presented.

• First impressions matter: Dress appropriately for the interview — this will depend on the type of job. However, it's better to be more formal than too casual.
• Arrive earlier: Arrive at least 15 minutes before your allotted interview time and allow plenty of travel time to find the venue.
• The introduction: Introduce yourself to the interview panel members and be sure to make eye contact to establish rapport.
• Show interest and enthusiasm when responding to questions: Be sure to answer in a clear and concise way. Think about your answer first, there's no need to rush. Consider looking at the STAR technique online to help you structure your responses well.
  • Situation: Describe the event or situation you were in
  • Task: Explain the task you had to complete
  • Action: Describe the specific actions taken to complete the task
  • Result: Explain the result of your method and efforts
• Do your research: Be prepared to talk about your understanding of what the organisation does, why you applied, and how your skills and achievements meet the criteria. If available, review the advert and position description to prepare.
• Technique if nervous: If you tend to fidget when nervous, try sitting on your hands in the interview to help with this.
• Clarification of questions: Allow the interviewer time to finish speaking before you answer the question. If you don't understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat it.
• Ask away: The panel will give you an opportunity to ask any final questions. Use this opportunity to show an interest in the organisation. Don’t hold back from asking the recruitment panel any questions you may have about the role, the team or the organisation. This shows you are interested and recruitment works both ways, the process should confirm the organisation is right for you, as much as you are right for the organisation.