If you’re looking for new opportunities in 2023 it’s important to stay on top of the latest interview trends. There’s nothing worse than sending out 50 applications only to find they’re out of date.

With many job requirements changing, recruiters often use new criteria for their hiring process, requiring candidates to align their applications accordingly. With this in mind, here are four top tips to help you land your next interview.

1) Define your goal

Your first step should be to define your goal. Why are you looking for a new opportunity? Do you want to change industry? Do you want better career opportunities? Are you looking to work for a bigger or smaller company? By defining your goal, you can create a plan for the future. This way, instead of jumping on the first opportunity you get, you can find one that will work in harmony with your long term plans.

If you’re completely unsure where to start, consider what you currently enjoy and what you don’t enjoy about work. This will help you find what you’re looking for in your next role and what you want to avoid. After highlighting what you enjoy, consider your strengths and how they would impact the role you want.

Here, it’s important to think long-term as well as short term. While a job may look good in the short run, you need to consider aspects such as salary, location, work flexibility, and whether or not these align with your life outside of work.

By combining the following, you can identify jobs you will enjoy and excel at while building a career that works around your lifestyle. Although this task can be completed alone, it’s always a good idea to talk with peers and loved ones or alternatively talk to a career coach if you’re struggling to identify what you’re looking for.

2) Optimise your CV

It’s no secret, CVs aren’t the most fun to write. However, they’re also one of the most important aspects of landing your next job interview. Being able to articulate your skills, experience, and expertise in the right way can be the difference between landing an interview and becoming lost in a pool of applicants.

The biggest mistake most applicants make is sending the same CV for every application. This causes their application to look generic and fails to identify why they’re the right person for that specific role.

Instead, you want to optimise your CV for each vacancy. This doesn’t mean re-writing your CV every time, but making minor edits to cover keywords and topics needed for a specific role. For example, if a role requires a specific skill set, you want to mention that skill set and your experience using it in your CV.

3) Build Your Network

Utilising your network is a great way to land your next interview. Building relationships with the right people can project your career to new highs and unlock opportunities that you never thought possible. Now, this doesn’t mean purposely meeting people to ask about a job. It’s about building long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.

With modern technology it’s easier than ever to build such relationships. Today, you can connect with managers on LinkedIn, meet people at events, and build relationships on social media groups. There have never been more ways to network. This is something you should be doing all the time, not just before an interview. You never know when the right person can put in a word to help you out.

4) Learn From Every Interview

According to a Forbes report, each job position receives an average of 118 applicants. Just 24 of these applicants will get invited to an interview, and one person will get the job. This means it's more than possible you’ll receive a few “no’s” during your application process. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

You need to look at each interview as an opportunity to learn and gain experience. This helps you turn rejection into something positive. In some cases, you may be able to ask the interviewer for feedback on how you can improve your application or the interview itself, which is great for improving your next application. And you never know, it could lead to an ongoing connection to build your network.

Before The Interview

So you’ve landed an interview and you’re excited but nervous. How can you make sure it goes as smoothly as possible? Although it’s impossible to predict the outcome, the result will usually be determined by how much you prepare.

Before an interview you want to consider all the questions an interviewer could ask. Flip your position and think of the interview from the interviewer's perspective. What skill sets will they be looking for? What challenges would they hope an applicant could solve? How would an applicant stand out?

You want to go into depth for each of these questions, thinking of how you would respond. It’s also important to do research on the company. Look at their values and beliefs. Think of questions you could ask the recruiter. You want to be curious about the job and connect with the recruiter on a personal level instead of appearing like you’re reading from a script.

Lastly, make sure you dress for the occasion. Will the interview be in a suit? Smart casual? Office apparel? First impressions count.

After The Interview

After an interview, there are a few things you can do to stand out. Although these may not change whether or not you land the job, they can be a great way to build your network.

Send A Thank you Message

If possible, send a thank you message to the interviewer and or recruiting team. You can do this within 24 hours of your interview, creating a personal message to show you were paying attention throughout the interview process.

Connect With The Interviewers On LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great tool to connect with recruiters and get feedback on your interview and application. Even if you don’t receive an offer, connecting with the interviewers on LinkedIn can help you build more relationships and create more opportunities in the future.

Conclusion

With over 1 million open vacancies in the UK, there are a plethora of opportunities in a wide range of markets to help you find your dream job. By taking a proactive approach, carefully defining your goals, tailoring your CV, and continuously learning, you put yourself in a strong position to land your next interview.

Although every interview may not be a success, each is an opportunity to learn and help you ace your interviews in the future.