TOP 10 INTERVIEWING TIPS

Transcription

1 TOP 10 INTERVIEWING TIPS ONE Research the organisation! SIX Use positive body language and be sure to make eye contact when answering questions. TWO Prepare answers to common interview questions. SEVEN Never mention salary unless prompted to do so, and even then try not to agree on specific numbers without being given time to think. THREE Make sure you dress appropriately. EIGHT Always ask the interviewer questions at the end of the interview. It will show you have a real interest in working for their organisation. FOUR Plan your journey well and leave plenty of time for any potential delays. NINE Show equal respect to everyone you meet. FIVE Remember to take a few copies of your CV, a notepad and a pen. TEN It s always good to take stock of your overall performance, learn from the experience, and prepare for the next step.

2 Interview Guidance & Checklist The secret to a successful interview lies in the preparation! Make sure you are fully prepared for an interview as it will help you to be more confident and allow you to really stand out in front of an employer. Many companies will use unexpected interview questions in order to assess your personality. Some might also use a psychometric questionnaire to see how well you would fit into their business. Depending on the role, you might also be asked to undergo an additional test or take part in a role-play exercise to assess your skills. Don t let this faze you! If you stick to a few simple guidelines, you ll have no problem handling any questions that are thrown at you and will breeze through your interview. Before the interview TIP ONE Research the organisation! It is so important that you spend some time researching the company. It will give you confidence should you be asked any question on what the business does and it will also allow you to ask the employer questions. A key metric many employers look at is: has this person done their homework? Looking at the company s website is always a good place to start. Here are some hints to guide your research on an employer: Identify what they do, make or sell try the About us section of their website for details. Who are their key customers often they will have a section about who they work with or logos for companies they have done business with. Ensure you have read the job description thoroughly that way you can display that you understand what the position will entail. Reflect on how you and your skills match both the job role and the company itself your research will make this much more straightforward throughout your interview. 2

3 TIP TWO Prepare answers to common interview questions. In an interview there are standard questions which nearly every employer will ask you. These are questions that you need to prepare answers for prior to the interview. Of course, you might well be asked unexpected questions during an interview that you may have to stop and think about but if you prepare answers for the common interview questions ahead of time you will be able to demonstrate a greater level of confidence in your answers. Common interview questions include: Tell me about yourself? This can sometimes be the opening question in an interview. Use the question to sell yourself: talk about your previous work experience, or accomplishments you achieved while at school or playing sport. The interviewer will want to hear something specific to you. Talk about how you have been productive looking for jobs, or describe any extra-curricular activities you may be involved in. Why do you want this job? Draw upon the research you ve done and let them know why you re really interested in their business and tell them what excites you about the position. Explain why you fit the criteria for the job role and why you think you are the best suited person for the role. It can often be helpful to demonstrate how you meet the specifications outlined in the job description, and describe your relevant skills, experience, and ability to carry out this role effectively. What do you know about us? Always research the business in advance that makes this question very easy to answer. Never go to an interview without researching the company first. Google them and find out as much as you can about what they do: investigate their website. Don t be afraid to show-off your knowledge of their business. Where does this position fit in with your career plans? Be humble and demonstrate that you are ready to learn. But don t forget that ambition can be good too, and there is no harm in aspiring to the boss job in five years time! However, ensure that you have a sound and realistic plan to achieve your career objectives. What are your strengths? Give an honest assessment of what you feel are your biggest strengths. Make sure you relate your strengths back to the job description and give examples that demonstrate why you re strong in these areas. Really elaborate on what 3

4 you are good at. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the employer and make yourself stand out from the other candidates they are seeing. What are your weaknesses? Don t be worried everyone finds this question difficult to answer! Don t be afraid of being honest with the weakness you choose but ensure that it isn t something that would preclude you from the job. For example, if you re applying for a role as an administrator, don t tell the employer that a weakness is attention to detail. Also, ensure that when you describe the weakness, you talk about what you are doing to improve it. This is important as the employer will see that you are not afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses but are working to fix them. What do you do outside of work? You want to appear active but not so busy that you could not get to work on time or stay late occasionally. Share some of your hobbies and interests sporting ones are often good! Some additional questions include: Give me an example of where you have had to use problem solving skills Give me an example of when you have worked in a team Give me an example of when you have had to work under pressure or to tight deadlines? What s been your most significant success so far in life? What is the greatest challenge you have ever faced? How do you cope with difficult friends/colleagues? Don t be afraid to talk about achievements outside of school or work, but relate them to the job you are applying for. Keep what you say relevant to the job and be positive. A positive, enthusiastic attitude is a massive asset in whichever role you are applying for. Prepare some questions for the interviewer. Always ask the interviewer questions at the end of the interview. It will show you have a real interest in working for their organisation. 4

5 What s the best thing about working at your company? Why has the position become available? What can I expect from the company in terms of development and support? What is the possibility of promotion within the company? I like a challenge; does this role involve me being in a position where I can use my initiative? If I am successful, where would you like to see me within the company in five years? How does the job I am applying for fit into the team? What is your management style like? What is the working atmosphere like - relaxed, silent, work hard/ play hard? Check the invitation or interview format and try and identify who is interviewing you. No-one likes to show up and unexpectedly have to face an interview panel of six people! TIP THREE Make sure you dress appropriately. Deciding what to wear for the interview will depend on what sort of work you will be doing, but usually it s a good idea to dress smartly. Business suits are generally the way to go here and men should always wear a tie. Once you decide what to wear, get your clothes ready the day before. You don t have to buy a new outfit, just aim for a neat, clean and tidy appearance (if you re a man, shave) looking good for your interview will help you to feel confident. Wear a suit Make a positive impression Keep it simple Stay calm Re-read your CV and any application letter you submitted and take a copy of your CV with you to the interview. 5

6 TIP FOUR Plan your journey well and leave plenty of time for any potential delays. Make a note of the date, time and location of the interview, plan how you will get there and consider travelling to the company the day before the interview to check how long the journey will take. You should plan another way of getting there in case something unexpected happens (such as an accident blocking the road, or if your train is cancelled). Never, ever arrive late. It creates a bad impression immediately and can often cost you the job. At a Face to Face Interview TIP FIVE Remember to take a few copies of your CV, a notepad and a pen. You also want to make a good impression in the first few minutes of the interview: Plan to get to your interview at least twenty minutes early. If you re going to be unavoidably delayed, make sure you let your interviewer know. Always switch off your mobile phone before you enter the employer s building. Be friendly and courteous to everyone you meet, from the receptionist onwards. You never know who might have a say in your appointment. TIP SIX Use positive body language and be sure to make eye contact when answering questions. When answering interview questions, relate parts of the job description to relevant experience on your CV. Find out as much as you can about the job. For example, who would you report to? Why is the job vacant? What are the promotion prospects? Always let the interviewer finish speaking before giving your reponse. When the interview is over, remember to ask when you can expect to hear back and what the next stage will be. 6

7 TIP SEVEN Never mention salary unless prompted to do so, and even then try not to agree on specific numbers without being given time to think. Preparing for a telephone interview: Have your personal information and the job description ready in front of you. Be sure to answer the call professionally, as this is the first contact the employer will have with you and you want to make a good first impression. Prepare your answers as carefully as you would for a face to face interview. Do not attempt to write out your answers in full or they will sound scripted. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed during the telephone call. Keep your CV, any covering letter, a copy of job description, and your notes in front of you. Be prepared to note down key points throughout the course of the telephone call. TIP EIGHT Always ask the interviewer questions at the end of the interview. It will show you have a real interest in working for their organisation. What would you say are the most important responsibilities in the role? If I m successful in getting this job, what would you expect of me after 6 months of being in the job? Would I have someone to train or mentor me? What are the measures used to judge how successful I am in the role? Can you tell more about what type of clients you have Can you tell more about some of the companies you compete with? What type of person would be the ideal candidate for this role? 7

8 TIP NINE Show equal respect to everyone you meet. This advice should be followed in all situations, not just when interviewing, but is particularly important in the context of an interview. You never know who might be asked to provide feedback on you - it could be anyone from the receptionist who welcomes you into the building to the person standing next to you in the lift that just happens to be the Managing Director. No-one wants to work with someone they think has a bad attitude - it s important to communicate positively from the minute you step onto your potential employer s premises. After the interview TIP TEN It s always good to take stock of your overall performance, learn from the experience, and prepare for the next step. Try to remember the interview questions you were asked and how you answered them to see if you could improve in future. If you think it s appropriate, the interviewer to say thank you but don t be too pushy for a response. Remember to use any criticism constructively. If you want the job, sell, sell, sell yourself! The interviewer doesn t know you, so make sure you tell them about all your relevent skills, abilities, knowledge and experience which make you right for the job! 8