The interview is a two way process. By making it to the interview you have already passed the first hurdle in illustrating that you meet the role's basic requirements. The interview is therefore your chance to expand upon your application or CV, and the opportunity to demonstrate your suitability for the job. It also provides you with the opportunity to decide whether the job and the work environment are right for you. The purpose of the interview is to assess whether you will be a good 'fit' for the role and whether you have the skills and the motivation to do the job.

During your interview, we are interested in hearing about your experiences, your typical ways of behaving and the strengths you might bring to the role. For your interview to be successful you need to be able to identify specific examples. Try to ensure that your examples are fairly recent and ones that allow you to demonstrate skills and behaviours.

Behavioural based interviews – as the name suggests this type of interview is used to evaluate your behaviours. In this situation all candidates are asked the same questions – Try using the STAR model to frame your answer i.e. describe the Situation you were in, the Task or target you set out to achieve, the Action you took to bring this about, and finally explain the Results or outcome of your actions.

You may also want to think about preparing answers to standard questions. Re-read your application documents in detail and spend some time thinking about how your skills and abilities match up to the role. Be aware of the different 'types' of question that may arise e.g. hypothetical questions test your speed and quality of thought where you are required to imagine yourself in a situation and describe the actions you would take to solve the problem. Other questions may seem to ask you to be negative about yourself e.g. 'What are your weaknesses or development areas?' For these questions it's important to understand what your development areas are and be able to explain what action you're taking to address them.