So, you’ve successfully completed UMAT and you’ve been selected for an interview. The thing is, you’ve never experienced an interview situation before. After all, you’re just out of high school. You’ve spent the last twelve years in formal education. When would you have had the chance to let yourself shine in an interview?

This is the situation most successful UMAT candidates find themselves in when they discover they have been selected for a UMAT interview. But, don’t despair! There are a number of things you can do to improve your interview technique in the lead up to the UMAT interview.

1. Dress for success – it sounds like common sense, yet so many students fail to dress appropriately for an interview. First impressions do matter, so make sure that you dress conservatively. This means, wear a suit! For boys, make sure you don collared shirt, a tie, suit jacket and polished shoes. For girls, either suit pants or a below-the-knee skirt, collared shirt and corporate high heels (not the same heels you wear out to the club on Saturday night!). Like it or not, what you wear says a lot about who you are – so, make it say something positive!

1. Eye-contact – when you meet the interview panel, make sure you make eye-contact with each member and say “thank you for the opportunity this interview affords me”. This shows confidence, without appearing arrogant. Looking at the floor only conveys that you are shifty and not to be trusted, whilst looking at the ceiling conveys boredom and disinterest.

1. The handshake – a firm handshake whilst making eye-contact is essential when you meet the interview panel. A person’s handshake says a lot about them, so make it firm and confident.

1. Posture and poise – make sure you walk into the room at a natural pace with your head up, shoulders back and hands out of pockets. This conveys self confidence. If you scamper in, head down, hunched over, you will only appear nervous and frightened. By the same token, don’t strut in as this gives an impression of arrogance. When seated, be sure to sit up straight with your shoulders back and your knees and ankles together.

1. Look at the person who is addressing you! Maintain eye-contact with the person asking you a question. Looking anywhere else will only be interpreted as rude. Also make sure you look interested and “switched on” to what is being asked.

1. Think before you speak – don’t just chime in with the first thing that pops into your head! Pause before you answer. Take a moment to collect your thoughts and consider what you have been asked. Minimise the amount of “umms” and other utterances we often use to fill in silence. Work on delivering structured responses using the three point method – “Firstly I would…., Secondly…. and Thirdly…” This will help you to organise your response and sound in control and focused when you answer.

Simply going into an interview and being yourself is not enough. You need to make sure that you present the best possible version of yourself at all times. Practising these interview techniques will help you to tackle the UMAT interview with poise and control.