Interview techniques
Interview Success Skills
Lesson duration is: 15 minItems in this lesson
Interview Success Skills
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Learning goal
Learn how to prepare for an interview and improve my interview techniques.
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What makes a good interview?
Use this to surface prior ideas such as confidence, preparation, smart clothes, eye contact, clear answers, and punctuality.
Why preparation matters
Preparation helps you feel calmer
It shows interest in the job
It helps you answer clearly
It makes a good first impression
Students may think interviews are only about confidence. Emphasise that good preparation often creates confidence.
Know the job and the employer
Before an interview, find out:
what the job involves
what skills the employer wants
what the company does
where the interview will take place
what time you need to arrive
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Research gives you useful details
You can use the employer's website, the job advert and emails from the company to learn key facts before the interview.
Link research to later answers: students can mention company values, services, or goals to sound prepared and interested.
Plan what to take
Useful items may include:
a copy of your CV
the interview invitation
directions or travel details
a notebook and pen
examples of your work if needed
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Getting ready on the day
Dress neatly and appropriately
Leave in good time
Check your phone is on silent
Greet people politely
Wait calmly and stay focused
If helpful, remind students that 'appropriate' dress depends on the role, but clean, tidy and professional is a safe rule.
Why does preparation help in an interview?
It makes you famous
It helps you answer clearly
It changes the questions
It ends the interview early
Checks the main idea from the preparation slides. The distractors are unrealistic interview beliefs.
Getting ready before the interview
Before an interview, learn about the company and the job. On the day, leave in good time and keep your phone on silent.
Echoes the wording from slides on research and getting ready on the day.
Name one way to get ready for interview day.
Expected elements: students should mention research, what to take, punctuality, neat dress, polite greeting, or staying calm. Accept any sensible preparation step.
What interviewers look for
Interviewers often notice:
clear speaking
positive attitude
listening skills
reliability
examples of skills and experience
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Answering questions well
A strong answer is:
clear
relevant to the question
based on real examples
not too short or too long
spoken in a calm voice
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Use examples in your answers
Instead of only saying I am hardworking, give evidence.
Example:
I am hardworking because I always finished tasks on time during my work placement.
Point out the difference between a claim and evidence. Employers trust examples more than general statements.
Body language matters
Good body language can show confidence:
sit up straight
make eye contact
smile when appropriate
avoid folding arms
do not fidget too much
Avoid presenting body language as a fixed rule for every person or culture; frame it as helpful professional signals.
Listening during the interview
Listen to the whole question
Do not interrupt
Ask for the question again if needed
Take a moment to think
Answer what was actually asked
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Which answer is strongest in an interview?
A real example
One short word
No eye contact
A different topic
Targets the idea that evidence and relevance make answers stronger than vague claims.
Strong interview answers
A strong answer is clear and relevant to the question. It uses real examples and is spoken in a calm voice. During the interview, listen to the whole question before you answer.
Reinforces answer quality, speaking style, and listening skills from this subtopic.
What makes an interview answer sound strong?
Expected elements: answer the actual question, use an example, speak calmly, and listen first. Students may give one or two key points.
Common interview mistakes
Mistakes can include:
arriving late
giving one-word answers
speaking too quietly
not knowing about the employer
negative comments about past experiences
Students may recognise these mistakes from experience. Keep the focus on improvement, not embarrassment.
How to improve your technique
Interview skills improve when you:
practise answers aloud
ask for feedback
notice habits such as fidgeting
improve weak answers
prepare better examples
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After the interview
After an interview, think about:
which answers went well
which questions were difficult
how confident you sounded
what to improve next time
what you learned from the experience
This is the improvement cycle: prepare, perform, reflect, improve. Stress that one interview can help with the next one.
Which is a common interview mistake?
Arriving late
Listening well
Speaking clearly
Taking notes
Checks recognition of poor interview habits before moving to improvement strategies.
Which improvement method would help you most?
Practise aloud
Ask for feedback
Notice habits
Better examples
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Improving after an interview
After an interview, think about which answers went well and which questions were difficult. This helps you improve your technique and feel more confident next time.
Links reflection to the improvement cycle: prepare, perform, reflect, improve.
What is one thing you learned today?
Reflection only. Invite short personal responses about the most useful learning from the lesson.
What will you do better in your next interview?
Reflection only. Look for practical next steps such as research, practice, examples, body language, or punctuality.
Glossary
interview - a meeting where an employer asks questions to learn about a candidate
candidate - a person applying for a job or place
employer - the person or organisation offering the job
CV - a document showing your education, skills and experience
body language - messages shown by posture, movement and facial expression
feedback - advice about what was done well and what can be improved
preparation - getting ready in advance
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