Interview Techniques
Having a excellent career track or a skillfully drafted CV isn’t enough to secure any position that you apply for. When preparing for your interview our interview techniques will help to make sure that you come across as an ideal fit for the company and the role.
Statistics and research show that most people make a decision on the suitability of a person within the first few seconds of meeting them. When preparing for your interview use our interview techniques to help prepare yourself properly.
Preparing for your interview - Presentation:
You only get one chance to create a first impression so follow these points in order to help you to present yourself in the best way possible:
• Dress smart and have a confident body language.
• Be comfortable with the situation.
• Remember that although a recruiter will be looking to assess your experience, they will also be looking to qualify your cultural stability.
Preparing for your interview – Your CV
Make sure that you are prepared for what can happen in the interview, the following points state how you should prepare for the interview:
• If you state that you have specific experience of the jobs technicalities you must be prepared to expand on them.
• Imagine if you were the interviewer, what would you ask?
• Are there gaps in your employment?
• What are your achievements?
• Why are you moving?
• Get as much background information as possible for example:
• When you think you are ready for the interview ask yourself these questions:
• Do you know the company’s background and their key competitors?
• Can you demonstrate your knowledge by mentioning recent business projects they have completed?
• What is their structure and turnover?
• How many employees do they have?
• What do you know about the market in which they operate?
• Will you fit in with the culture?
• Why do you want to work for them?
Preparing for your interview – The Job
Although you won’t be expected to know how a company operates every aspect of each department you must always respect a company’s individuality. You should ask direct questions in relation to how a company works which will present common ground for discussion:
• What are the key details of the role?
• What can you bring to the opportunity and what can it offer you?
• Are there areas for development?
• Have you previously worked in a similar role or adopted a previous employer’s process in order to streamline tasks?
• How could you make those experiences relevant here?
Preparing for your interview – The Actual Interview
Remember that your interview starts from the moment you step foot on site take into account these points in order to take part in interview in the best possible way.
• Be prompt but don’t be too early, 15 minutes is enough time to allow.
• Greet the receptionist as you don’t know whose input is taken into account.
• Greet your interviewer standing, with a smile and a handshake.
• Demonstrate your prepared knowledge at the beginning of the interview but also enquire about the interviewer’s background.
• Answer questions in a positive way and support them with evidence.
• Respect your previous or present employer.
• Reservations or questions should be approached in a positive manner (you can also discuss these with your Recruitment Consultant).
Preparing for your interview – Interview Questions
Try and prepare yourself for common interview questions, remember that when you answer a question keep it brief and to the point. If you are face with a difficult question stay calm and don’t get defensive.
Preparing for your interview – How to handle inappropriate questions
It is a possibility that you are asked a question that you deem inappropriate. Whilst you may want to diplomatically decline you need to remember that you are there to secure a job. The best options in this situation are:
• Answer the question and then after the interview consider whether you want to carry on with the company.
• Contact your Recruitment Consultant in order to help you with your decision.
• You could answer an inappropriate question by saying one of the following:
• Politely say that you do not wish to answer such an inappropriate question.
• Respond to the question without any reference to it’s inappropriateness.
• Ignore the improper question and turn the focus to the meaning behind the question.
The Sex Discrimination Act, Race Regulations Act and Age Discrimination regulations forbid employers from discriminating against any person on the basis of their:
• Sex• Race
• Nationality
• Disability
• Age
Any questions that relate to any of these subjects could bring about criminal proceedings.
Preparing for your interview – Closing the interview
You may have created a good impression and performed well throughout the interview but at the end of the interview remain focused.
• Close the interview with a smile and a handshake and express your desire to move things forward.
• Remember that after the interview our Recruitment Consultants are always on hand to discuss any concerns or queries that you may have.
Preparing for your interview – The Second Interview
If you are successful at your first interview then you will need to pass the second interview in order to secure the job. In order to be successful at this stage you need to follow the points below:
• You need to prepare harder as the competition will be stronger.
• Be prepared to take part in one-to-one interviews, meet various members of staff or even an assessment day.
• A second interview shows whether you are the right match for the company and whether you have the core competencies required to do the job.
• For a second interview you need to make sure that:
• You know the names and job titles of the interviewers beforehand.
• You check the time and location so that you plan your route accordingly.
• You allow extra time for the journey incase there are any delays.
• You have the phone numbers of the interviewers just incase you cannot make the interview for any reason.
• You look clean and that you always wear a suit unless it is an informal environment.
• You take a copy of your CV, a pen and paper.
• You pick up any business cards so that you can write thank you letters.
• You contact the employer with regards to expenses as most employers pay all reasonable expenses incurred on visits.
• You are prepared to let the interviewer know more about you as this is your chance to express your ideas.
• You have thought of fresh examples and information regarding your achievements.
• Focus and listen carefully to the interviewer.
• In the second interview you need to ask questions that show an interest in the position such as:
• What am I expected to accomplish in my first six months?
• How would you define your company culture?
• What support will I receive for my professional training and development?
• Don’t forget that after the interview you should give your Recruitment Consultant feedback on how you feel about the interview.
• You may be offered the job after the interview, if you are unsure whether or not to accept the job then ask them if you have some time to consider the offer and you will get back to them.
