How to prepare for a job interview

After hundreds of applications, numerous rejection letters and the occasional interview, there appears to be a glimpse of hope for me writes Ioana Lazarov.

I've successfully managed to attract the attention of a prospective employer and secured an interview - with only days to go I'm putting in as much preparation as possible.

It doesn't matter what point you have reached in your career – whether a graduate applying for your first job, changing careers or just returning to employment after a long-term break, job interviews can be a stressful experience.

However, being prepared and able to anticipate the questions that might be asked, judging from the person specification and job description the employer provided, might prove to come a long way to successfully securing your dream job.

A variety of interviewing techniques are currently selected by companies and organisation to make the selection criteria and interviewing process not only challenging but also to ensure the best candidate is selected.

Therefore, a variety of complex questions are often employed to assess your experience, skills, suitability and motivation for the job, personality aspects, passion and commitment to personal development.

And if, in the past, you have experienced a negative response to job applications or interviews, then feedback is critical in improving for next time around.

Asking employers for feedback on unsuccessful job application or interviews is paramount, in my opinion.

Doing so can provide vital information on where your shortcomings lie, how you can improve your skills and prove more successful in the future.

When faced with unsuccessful interviews, I have used the feedback I received to further my career - in this case, undertaking the recommended training courses and gaining necessary experience through voluntary positions.

Even though I am currently considered either overqualified for entry level of mental health related positions that may not require a degree or qualified, but enough experience for higher level roles, I remain positive that my career efforts will not go unnoticed.

Here are few more pointers I've found on how to make your interviews a success:

• Print the person specification and job description provided by the employer, read through the information carefully and know what your job responsibilities will be. You will find that employers often ask this question in addition to questions regarding your knowledge about the company or organisation.

• Know the name of your interviewer and be aware of any research, publications, achievements or awards he/she has obtained. This will come in handy when you will answer with reference to any of the interview questions.

• Last, but not least, clean up your act. Your future employer might perform an online background check and come across something potentially detrimental to your employment or career prospects.

• If you use social networking sites, be aware of the nature of the information you make public. Your employer might consider this as reflection of your character.