Essential Job Interview Dos and Don'ts for UK Applicants
Preparation beats charm
Most people lose the interview before it starts. An interviewer can tell within ten minutes whether you know where you are. Before you go, read the company's website, its latest news and the profiles of the people you are meeting. Then reread the job advert and, for every requirement, write down one specific time you did exactly that.
Prepare a 60-second introduction too: who you are, what you do well and why this role. "Tell me about yourself" comes up almost every time, and an improvised answer shows.
Answer with specifics: the STAR method
For questions like "Describe a time you handled a conflict", use STAR:
Situation (the context)
Task (what you were responsible for)
Action (what you actually did)
Result (how it turned out, ideally with a number)
The answer has a shape, takes about a minute and the interviewer remembers it.
Example
Question: "Tell me about a time you had to deliver under pressure."
Weak answer: "I work well under pressure. I handle it fine."
STAR answer: "A client moved a campaign deadline forward by a week (situation). I owned the assets for three channels (task). I split the work into daily blocks, handed two graphics to a freelancer and checked progress every morning (action). We delivered a day early and the client booked another campaign with us (result)."
First impressions: timing, dress, body language
Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. Not earlier, since the interviewer has a schedule, and never late. Dress for the industry and one notch smarter than the company's everyday standard. The article on what to wear to an interview breaks this down by sector.
Body language comes down to a few basics: a firm handshake, eye contact with whoever is speaking, sitting upright, hands resting on the table. Phone off and in your bag, not face-down on the table.
Questions you will almost certainly get
Beyond the introduction, expect these:
Why do you want to work here? One specific reason tied to the company, not general praise.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Back the strength with an example. Pick a real, minor weakness and say what you are doing about it.
Why are you leaving your current job? Talk about what you are looking for, not what annoys you. For wording that works, see the article on how to answer the job change question in interviews.
What are your salary expectations? Research the typical range for the role and your region, then give a specific figure or a narrow range. "Whatever you're offering" sounds uncertain.
Ask your own questions
"Do you have any questions for us?" is not a polite closer. A candidate with none looks indifferent about where they end up. Prepare three or four questions that also help you decide.
Tip
Questions that work: What does a typical week look like in this role? How will you know after six months that the new hire is doing well? Why is the position open? What are the next steps, and when will I hear from you?
What an employer may not ask
The Equality Act protects nine characteristics, and an employer who bases a hiring decision on any of them is breaking the law. A question that touches one of them is treated as evidence. You do not have to answer, and it is fine to decline politely: "I'd rather keep to what's relevant to the role."
The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Employers also may not ask about your health or disability before making a job offer, except to check you can carry out a function intrinsic to the job or to arrange adjustments for the interview itself. Questions about childcare or family plans fall under the same rules.
What to avoid
Criticising a former boss or company. The interviewer assumes you will talk about them the same way one day.
Inflating your experience. A reference or the first weeks in the job will expose it.
Interrupting and long monologues. Answers over two minutes lose the listener.
Asking about holiday and perks in the first ten minutes. Save it for the end or the second round.
After the interview
Send a short thank-you email within 24 hours: thank them for their time, mention in one sentence what drew you to the role and add anything you promised to send. If you have not heard back by the date they gave you, follow up politely two or three days later. Once. Further nudges do not help.
Being interviewed alongside other candidates? Read how to excel in group interviews.
How early should I arrive for a job interview?
Five to ten minutes before the scheduled time. Arriving much earlier puts pressure on the interviewer; arriving late can end your chances before you speak. Plan the route with a buffer and ring ahead if you are delayed.
What is the STAR method?
A way to answer competency questions such as “Describe a time when…”: Situation, Task, Action, Result. The answer gets a clear structure and a concrete outcome the interviewer remembers.
Should I tell the interviewer what salary I want?
Yes, if asked. Research the typical range for the role and your region and give a specific figure or a narrow range. “Whatever you’re offering” sounds uncertain.
What questions can an employer not ask in a UK interview?
Anything aimed at a protected characteristic under the Equality Act: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Health and disability questions are not allowed before a job offer, with narrow exceptions.
What if I don't know the answer to a question?
Say so. Take a moment to think, or admit you do not know and explain how you would find out. A made-up answer is easy to spot and costs more trust than an honest gap.
Should I send a thank-you email after an interview?
Yes, a short one within 24 hours. Thank them for their time, mention in one sentence what appealed to you about the role and add anything you promised to send. Do not press for a decision date.