Mastering Your Interview: The 5 Cs for Success

The five Ps used to be the watch-phrase for successful interviews: Prefect Preparation Prevents Poor Performance; with the emphasis being on the prep prior to the meeting. Nowadays, it’s naturally assumed that people are going to be primed for an interview and the focus is using the 5Cs that can be incredibly useful for job seekers preparing for interviews: Character, Culture Fit, Career Direction, Competence and Communication Skills. These 5Cs are the bedrock KPIs (Key Pointers in Interviews) which will not only help you prepare for the interview, but also ensure you ask the right questions of the employer.

“The point about the 5 C’s”, says KPI Director Lily James, “is that there is a subtle shift from preparing yourself to demonstrate you are right for the job towards ensuring that the job is right for you. An interview is much more a two-way street than many candidates think and the 5Cs will help you focus on what the job can do for you as well as selling yourself.” 

Character

Character reflects your work attitude and overall approach. It's often said, "Hire for attitude, train for skill." Whether you can actually do the job or not may become irrelevant to the interviewer if you show the right characteristics to be coached into the ideal person they need. For example: many bosses would rather employ a hard worker who acknowledges opportunities to learn and grow, than an arrogant ‘finished article’ who thinks they know it all.

KPI Tip: Be prepared to discuss why you left previous jobs and how you handled past failures, as well as discussing your successes with examples of work, stats or stories. Your responses will reveal your resilience and true colours under pressure. 

Culture Fit

Culture Fit determines how well you'll adapt to the company's work environment and values.

KPI Tip: Reflect on what you enjoyed and disliked about past jobs. Sharing these insights will help both you and the interviewer gauge if you'll thrive in the company's culture. This is as much about whether the company’s values fir with yours as vice versa. Make sure you ask them questions about company culture. 

Career Direction

Career Direction is about aligning the job with your long-term career goals and aspirations.

KPI Tip: Be honest about your career aspirations and what you've done to achieve them. This shows your commitment and seriousness about the role. Make sure you find out about what career paths (if any) are open to you. 

Competence

Competency is all about having the technical skills necessary to perform the job effectively.

KPI Tip: Expect technical assessments during your interview. Be ready to discuss your role in specific projects or tasks. Use "I" statements to clearly convey your personal contributions and achievements. But also be honest about what you can and cannot do, and ask the interviewer what they will do to help you close any skills gaps. 

Communication Skills

Communication Skills are crucial for avoiding workplace misunderstandings and ensuring effective teamwork.

KPI Tip: Practice answering open-ended questions clearly and concisely. Demonstrating sharp, articulate responses will show your ability to communicate effectively. If you don’t understand a question, ask them to re-phrase and then confirm your understanding is correct before answering; babbling on in the wrong direction is hugely off-putting for the interviewer.

 
But the tips don't stop there... Check out our article on writing a standout CV, just in case that first interview doesn't go as planned. If you need more support, our recruiters are here to help. Contact us at jobs@kpir.co.uk to learn how to register with KPI, explore job opportunities, and get expert advice to land your next role.