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Planning for an Interview |
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 Interviews come in many forms - panel interviews, one to one
interviews, group interviews etc. Ask your consultancy what form of
interview it will be beforehand.
You may be asked to take a test before
the interview, depending on the type of organisation. These might
consist of psychometric or aptitude tests.
- Plan carefully. Do you know where you are going and how to get there? Who are you seeing?
- Make sure you know the names of the people who will be
interviewing you. Practice saying them if they are difficult to
pronounce.
- There's no such thing as enough preparation for an interview.
Find out everything you can about the company and what it makes or
does. Look for current news - show you are up to date.
- Why does this job exist? What problems will it solve? What are the Key Result Areas?
- Remember: employers buy experience. Think about what evidence of
achievement you can talk about in the interview; rehearse your success
stories.
- Work out what is appropriate in terms of everything you present,
including yourself. Look the part, and you will feel it. Dress as if
you are already doing the job.
- Second guess the employer's "shopping list" from the job details - what skills / qualities / experience do you have to match?
- Be your own worst interview nightmare. What is the most difficult
question you might have to face? Practice the answer. Practice again.
- Be upbeat. Employers latch on to negative messages, so don't give them any.
- Prepare for rejection. On balance you will be rejected more times
than accepted. Even if you don't get the job, you can learn a huge
amount about your perceived market value.
Preparation
Prepare yourself
Interviews are two way meetings. Not only
are they an opportunity for the interviewer to find out about you and
if you are a suitable candidate for the position but they are also an
opportunity for you to find out about the organisation and if the
position will provide you with the challenge and job satisfaction you
are looking for.
What Skills do you have?
Think about your skills, qualifications and experience and ensure that
you can talk confidently about what is written on your CV. Particularly
ensure that you can talk about those skills that are relevant and
valuable to the position you are going for.
Prepare some questions to ask at the interview
At the first interview it would be wise to restrict your questions to
the details of the job and the organisation. Salary and benefit
discussions are best left until a second interview or a job offer is
made.
Do your homework
Find out as much as possible about the company prior to the interview.
A good starting point is to look up their website and find out about
the products and services they offer, the location of the office/s, and
the number of employees. Ask the consultancy if they have any extra
information on them. You could also phone the company and ask them to
send you an annual report.
Dress code and appearance
Ask your consultancy what the client's dress code is. For office work, smart business dress is a must.
Ensure you are well groomed with tidy hair, clean shoes and clothing.
Do not wear too much perfume or aftershave and keep make-up, jewellery
and nail polish simple.
Travel and timing
Plan your journey beforehand to ensure you arrive a few minutes early. Allow for possible travel delays.
Just in case of a major hold up, make sure you have your contact's
telephone number so that you can call if you suspect you will be late.
The Interview
What to expect
Interviews come in many forms - panel interviews, one to one
interviews, group interviews etc. Ask your consultancy what form of
interview it will be beforehand. You may be asked to take a test before
the interview, depending on the type of organisation. These might
consist of psychometric or aptitude tests.
There are many different interview styles and each interviewer will
have their own personal style. Some interviewers will fire questions at
you while others will start off with an open question such as "tell me
about yourself" leaving you to do most of the talking. The majority of
interviews will be somewhere between the two. Be prepared for any style
of interview.
Two-way communication
Make sure the employer knows the benefits of
employing you. It is important to sell yourself bytelling the employer
details of your relevant skills and experience that you have to
contribute tothe organisation.
- Try not to monopolise the meeting - let your interviewer talk.
- Find out what the key parts of the candidate specification are so you can show how you meet them.
- Ask how the job contributes to the success, efficiency and profitability of the organisation.
- Show that you have done some research.
- Don't give negative information or bad news if you are not asked
for it and don't criticise previous employers or jobs. The key is to
turn negative information into positive information.
The next steps
Agree exactly what the next steps will be, such as who will contact you
to let you know if you have been successful and by when. You should
also find out whether there will be second interviews and who will
conduct them. If you are really interested in the position make sure
you tell the interviewer.
After the Interview
Tell the consultancy how the interview went and get feedback from them.
Negotiation
Everything is negotiable. If the final offer is not what you had hoped
for, ask the consultancy to talk to the client. Say that you like the
job but the package is not up to your expectations and ask if the
company can be at all flexible.
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