James Innes is the Managing Director of The CV Centre, the UK’s leading CV consultancy. James founded The CV Centre in 1998 and has built the company to its current position as UK market leaders in the field of CV consultancy. James regularly delivers presentations to recent graduates and also contributes widely to newspapers and magazines in both the UK and France and is the author of The Interview Book, The CV Book, The Cover Letters Book and The Interview Question and Answer Book

About the author 

Acknowledgements 

How to use this book 

Part 1 Plannning, preparation and organisation: a winning strategy 

1. Why are interviews so important? 

2. Researching the job 

3. Researching the organisation 

4. Mental preparation 

5. Presentation 

6. Body language 

7. The big day 

8. First impressions count 

Part 2 Interview scenarios: expect the unexpected 

9. Basic principles 

10. Classic one-on-one interviews 

11. Panel interviews 

12. Competency-based, behavioural and situational interviews 

13. Psychometric and aptitude tests 

14. Presentations 

15. Group interviews 

16. Distance interviews 

Part 3 Assessment centres

17. Assessment centres 

Part 4 Interview questions – and their answers! 

18. Basic principles 

19. The ten questions you’re most likely to be asked 

20. Forty classic questions you must be prepared for 

21. Illegal questions – and how to dodge them 

22. Special cases: from school leavers to retirees 

23. Yet more questions 

Part 5 Ending the interview 

24. Your own questions 

Part 6 The 15 most common interview mistakes 

25. How to avoid them! 

Part 7 After the interview: closing the deal 

26. Following up 

27. Negotiating the offer 

28. References 

29. Resigning 

30. Handling rejection 

31. Your new job 

Part 8 My five top tips for interview success 

32. How to guarantee interview success!

Further reading and resources 

Index of questions 

Index