Most job interviews today are fairly standard. You arrive at the interview; there’ll be a degree of small talk, then the interviewer will talk about the role and ask you questions about your education and career. Of course, it’s super important to be on time and prepared to answer such questions. In addition, some interviewers may leave time at the end of the interview for you to ask questions, which can help you gain a sense of the culture of the business and also boost your value as an employee. 

Ensure you’re prepared

According to the CEO of talent marketplace Continuum, Nolan Church, some applicants go into interviews “having done very little homework” with little knowledge of the company, the actual role they’re applying for or the person they’re speaking to. “It’s just a massive red flag to me,” he said. As such, making sure you’re ready for the interview is essential. Church told CNBC there’s one particular sign that an interviewee hasn’t done sufficient research about the role or the firm beforehand by asking “very surface-level questions,” such as “What’s the hardest part about this job?” Whilst important, other less generic questions should also be asked to gain a deeper understanding of the position. They show a “lack of preparedness” that “doesn’t show that you’re actually interested in the opportunity,” he added.

Do your research

Before going into the interview, it’s a good idea to look at the company’s website and LinkedIn profile. Digest the job description and research everyone who’ll be interviewing you. Then you can get ready to ask certain questions such as: “I looked into your LinkedIn. I saw that you did these three things before. What’s been the comparison between the roles?” Church said. You could also highlight specific tasks and question ways you can be successful in doing them. This “level of thinking and a level of depth” when asking questions shows you did your pre-interview research and are conscientious about the job, providing further proof that if you land the job, you’re “going to do well.” Not being prepared in the interview could signal “I don’t trust that you’re going to be thorough on a day-to-day basis,” he concluded.