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Lessons Which Can Be Learnt From The Apprentice Interviews

Interview Resources

Those of you who watch The Apprentice will know that it can often be a little slow to get going. The first few weeks are often spent separating the wheat from the chaff. It is not until they get as far as the interview stage that the entertainment really begins, with the final five being interrogated by some of Lord Sugar's most trusted aides. After spending ten weeks listening to the contestants bigging themselves up as the world's greatest businessmen and women, there is something quite enjoyable and watching them being brought back to Earth with a bump.


However, whilst the interview stage is always the stand out moment of the competition in terms of entertainment, there is also a lot we can learn from a professional point of view. Here are some of the things you may want to avoid replicating in your next interview. 


How Not To Stand Out From the Crowd


Whether it is through your CV or during an interview, we have always stressed the importance of ensuring that you stand out from the crowd. In order to achieve this, we would usually recommend that you talk about any specific qualifications or experience which make you more employable then the other candidates. However, during series six of the show, James Lester went for something a little different. When asked what the most interesting thing about him was, James' reply was...


The Importance of Doing Your Research


Another key thing we always encourage applicants to do before any job interview, is to do your research. Having a good understanding of the company you are applying to, the products or services they offer and their wider industry, not only allows you to highlight why you would make a good addition; but also shows you have put time and thought into your preparation. Failure to do so can make for an awkward interview - as Joanna Riley discovered during series six...


Not Overselling Yourself


Some would call it lying; others would call it stretching the truth. The problem with overselling yourself is that you will inevitably get found out eventually. So when Jade Nash described herself as an "incredible business woman" during Series 8, interview Matthew Riley was keen to dig down and find out exactly how incredible she was. The truth quickly followed...



And finally...


Know the Quickest Way to the Door


So your interview has not gone quite as well as expected and you just want to get out of the door as quickly as possible. Whilst this isn't a piece of advice we usually feel the need to recommend, in the case of Solomon Akhtar from Series 10, we would have suggested making a mental note of where the exits were positioned before the interview  began...