Interviews can be tough to get your head around. Where do you start? How do you know what they are looking for? We interviewed recruiter Mohamed Ali Hafi from StudentJob International and asked what he looks for from candidates and what makes them stand out from the crowd. Read on to gain some insider tips so that you can succeed in your next interview!

Well Prepared

"Candidates who come prepared for the interview by doing some research about the company perform a lot better"

If you have done your research surrounding the company and are aware of the way they operate and their culture you will be in better stead to answer questions. Mohamed says that if the candidates are well prepared they are able to describe scenarios much clearer and are a lot less nervous during the interview.

Pace Yourself

"When I give a candidate time to think about the question they actually take time to come up with a good clear answer, other's don't"

If you don't first consider the question being asked and just go off on a tangent and begin discussing something different, then the interviewer is not going to get the information they require from you. Taking your time, pacing yourself and coming up with a clear and concise answer is much better and will allow you to get across the information you need to.

Be Motivated

"I like interviewing motivated candidates that give 150% during the interview. They tend to talk much more and ask a lot of questions about the company and the job role in specific"

If you are un-motivated and don't show much interest during the interview the interviewer will pick up on this. Show interest not just in the job role but in the company as a whole, this way the interviewer will know that you are motivated about working for this company and you will be able to explain why you are a perfect fit with the company.

Show Passion for the Role

"I like how some candidates speak with such a passion for the job, it really showed me as an interviewer how dedicated the candidates were"

Even if this isn't the job of your dreams you should still show passion for the job you are applying for, if you don't someone else will. If you are fully aware of the job description and what would be required from you in the job then you will be able to tell the interviewer exactly why you are right for the role and why you will be better fit then other candidates.

Make Notes

"Some candidates take the interview very seriously and take notes, which is nice as they were able to remember important information and ask insightful questions"

If you take the time to write down any important pieces of information that the interviewer says then at the end of the interview you will be able to ask relevant questions. Also, once you have left the interview you will be able to reflect on how well the interview went and identify whether you could have improved. You can write down any challenging questions you were asked and how you answered them. The notes may also come in useful if you are successful in getting the position as you will have more knowledge about the company.

Mohamed also told us the things he dislikes candidates doing in interviews. Check out the second part of our Insider Interview Tips series here.