Are you looking for a new challenge? Are you finding yourself scanning through the vacancies listed in online recruitment agencies and the trade magazines with a little more interest than usual? Looking out for a step up the career ladder, some fresh professional development opportunities, some new skills and of course the improved pay packet that comes with growing your skill-set and your responsibilities? You may well be perfectly comfortable with your existing position and that may be the problem. It’s time for a change of gear, to break out of the comfort zone.

You may feel disenchanted where you are, let down, unsupported and desperate to make a move. Whatever the reasons if you really want to make the most of this opportunity for change then you need you get yourself mentally prepared for the job-seeking task ahead. You need to adopt the sort of positive yet realistic mindset to not only give you a strong chance of landing the new position you want, but to also give you an edge over your competition.

One of the most important processes of finding your new job will inevitably be the interview. If you know how to perform strongly in an interview environment then you can really enhance your prospects

The first thing that must be understood about any job interview is that it’s a two-way street. Not only is it an important opportunity for a prospective employer to asses you, it’s also your opportunity to determine whether the vacancy meets your requirements. It will help you make that crucial decision as to whether you and the position are a good fit.

In order to have as clear an idea as possible it’s your responsibility to do your homework, and to make sure that you have as much relevant information and insight on both the company and the position as possible.

Develop a thorough understanding of each company, the people you will be meeting, the company’s history, its ethos and what they do, how they conduct their business and where they plan to go in the future. Of course, you can only find out so much online or through their literature or by talking with people. The real information will come in the interview. By doing your research though, you start to build a picture and identify the areas where you need more information. Your research informs the questions that you need you ask in interview. Questions that will impress your interviewers and not only shed light on whether the position is suitable for you, but also questions that will put you at the front of the applicant queue.

Whether you are applying for a new job through employment agencies, say healthcare recruitment agencies or specialist hr recruitment agencies, or even going direct, the same principle applies. You want to be the one at the front of the field, the person who comes over as best prepared, best able and the safest pair of hands to take on the vacancy. Whether you end up accepting the job offer is another matter all together.

So what are the sorts of areas you should be looking at, the sorts of questions that you need to be asking to assess the role and whether it’s something you would like to pursue?

Make sure you read the second part of this two part guide to find exactly the sorts of things you should be asking about to help land you that hot job offer.