Let’s face it, interviews are tough. You’re in the room with the interviewers and they are trying to decide if you are the right person to bring into their company to help drive their business forward. You are there trying to convince them of this while trying to remember all the key things you have accomplished and can bring to the table from your career. Interviews can be tough enough without having the fear of not being fully prepared.

Don’t worry, we’ve rounded up the TOP 3 TIPS on how to prepare yourself properly to give you the edge needed to secure your dream job.

1. Research research, research! – Make sure you research the company you are interviewing fully before attending the interview. This goes above and beyond just looking through their website. Take a look at the industry they are in, focusing on any challenges or growth it is expected to see over the next few years and prepare questions around this. Not only will this show that you are knowledgeable on the given industry but that you have also taken the time to discover any potential pros or cons facing the industry and are already thinking about how to make the best out of those situations when they arise.

2. Interviewers – This again comes down to research, but this time on the people you will be meeting with. Search for them on the company website and through other sites such as LinkedIn. This will not only give you extra information to use to ask questions, but also allow you to see their careers and where they have come from to get into the position that they are now.

3. Job description – Ensure that you have received a full and detailed description of the role and have studied it thoroughly. Ask yourself: Are there areas in the description that you feel you could really capitalise on in the interview to show your worth? Are there things that I have not been exposed to before?

If so figure out beforehand how you can overcome any shortcomings in your experience. Having answers and ideas of how to get around any shortcomings will not only take pressure off you in the interview, but also show the interviewer that you have thought about your weaknesses, and have plans to address them already in place. This will show them your commitment, honesty and ability to see issues early and plan to overcome them before they have a negative impact on you and the business.