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Shine at interviews

This is where the recruitment process finally moves off line - but not necessarily face to face. A growing number of retailers - such as Debenhams, Pret a Manger and William Hill - conduct first stage telephone interviews. It cuts back on recruitment time and is a great way of assessing how quickly you can build a rapport with customers or colleagues. It also makes sense for the growing number of retailers who have moved into home shopping and do much of their business over the phone.

Whether it's a phone interview or face to face, the same principles apply if you want to succeed:

Do your research

• Find out as much as you can about the business, its products, customers, and future plans. This is especially important if you are applying for a managerial vacancy but it is also worth the effort if you are being interviewed for a sales assistant or entry-level job. Good sources of information are corporate websites or retail trade magazines. If there is a store near you, have a good look round at what it sells and how.
• If you are new to retail, look at some of the trade association sites to find out more about what makes retailers tick. Try www.skillsmartretail.com or www.brc.org.uk

Create the right impression

• Retailers want to recruit people who can get on with a whole range of different colleagues and customers and at all levels of the business. There are a few simple rules to help you establish a rapport within the first few minutes of the interview:
• Dress appropriately. Supermarket managers and supervisors look smart, which still means wearing a suit. Fashion retailers tend to wear the clothes they sell. Your dress is a great way of indicating that you understand the brand. If in doubt, concentrate on being clean and comfortable.
• Arrive a few minutes early and turn off your mobile phone.
• Be polite and friendly to everyone you meet from the security guard onwards - you can never be sure who will have an input into the selection process.
• Make eye contact with the interviewer as soon as you enter the room.
• Shake hands firmly and don't sit down before you are asked.
• If it's a panel interview, make an effort to address your comments to everyone.
• Unless you are supremely confident don't risk any retail jokes - there is every chance they've heard them all before.

Get your message across

• Retailers are looking for people with the right skills set who are going to stick with the business. Show the interviewer that you have a passion for retail and their brand in particular and have what the job requires.
• Wherever possible illustrate your answers with examples of how you have already dealt with an issue - preferably within work. For example, if the interviewer asks you how you would deal with a particularly dissatisfied customer, talk about when you have done that in the past.

Don't be afraid to ask questions

• Use the interview to find out about the job such as the hours, who you would report to, why the job has become vacant and what opportunities there are for progression. This is another opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the job and the industry.
• Don't forget to ask what happens next and when you can expect to hear if you have made it through to the next stage in the selection process.

After the interview

Interviews can be exhausting. But if you can, sit down somewhere quiet for a few minutes to think about the questions you were asked and how you might improve your answers a second time round.

If you have not heard within the time frame you expected, then ring or e-mail the recruiter. If it turns out that you haven't got the job, ask for some feedback on your performance. You put a lot of effort into an interview and good recruiters are happy to oblige. They know they may have other vacancies in the future that you might be able to fill. However, be prepared to take criticism on the chin and learn from it.

Tricky interview questions - and how to answer them

Don't be put off by tricky interview questions. If you have prepared well beforehand, researched the company and the role and have thought carefully about your successes and achievements to date you should be able to handle anything.

Q. Why do you want this job?

It's the natural next step for you and this is the right organisation in which to further your career. Show off your knowledge about retailing in general and this retailer in particular - make all that research worthwhile.

Q. What are your strengths?

You will always be asked this in one form or another so make sure you have some succinct answers relevant to the job. An ability to handle tricky situations may be relevant for a customer service role and being a great team player will be useful for many roles in retail.

Q. You've worked for three different retailers in the past four years. How do we know you will stay with us?

Don't be defensive if you have changed jobs frequently - it's fairly common in retail. Explain that great opportunities came your way to work with different brands but now you are looking for solid career opportunities.

Q. You've never worked in retail - why should we take you seriously?

If you've been offered an interview the employer must think you will be useful to the organisation. Make sure you highlight any relevant any sales skills, customer service experience or knowledge of the service sector.