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Interview Tips

What is the employer looking for?

Employers use interviews to confirm that an applicant has the required knowledge, skills and willingness to contribute and fit into the organisation’s culture. They also want to see if your career goals are in line with opportunities available with their organisation. They are looking for the potential in prospective employees to become valued, trusted, productive team members of their organisation.

You must try to consider how you can display your skills and experience in a good and honest light and provide employers with the evidence that you are the right person for the job. Here are some brief points to consider:

Are you a self-starter, able to work without constant supervision?
Can you be depended upon in critical situations and follow work through to completion?
Are you enthusiastic and easy to work with?
Can you work under pressure?
Recruiters need to know what drives you to want the job and why you want to work for the organisation in particular.
Can you manage your time effectively?
How do you structure your day’s work?
How do you plan your day and week?
How did you handle sudden unplanned work or crisis?
Can you handle constructive criticism in a productive manner?
Are you objective in evaluating yourself and others?

Recruiters look for an objective analysis of your abilities. For strengths, recruiters want to know why you think it is strength and where it has been demonstrated. For weaknesses they want to know what steps you could take to improve.

You will rarely be working alone so being able to work as part of a team is valuable. Co-operation and ability to work well in a team environment are some the most valued skills in employees.

Can you work well with a variety of people?
What would you do to help a team of people work together better?

Points to consider throughout the interview

Be prepared with answers to the traditional interview questions. Rehearse your answers with a friend who will give you honest feedback about the content of your answer and body language.
Aim for clarity, brevity and above all, honesty. Give honest answers with a positive tone.
Concentrate on the employer’s needs, not yours.
Emphasise how you can help the organisation achieve its goals.
Describe your past responsibilities and accomplishments.
Explain why you approached projects in a certain ways.
Explain how the skills you bring will benefit the organisation.
Don’t downplay your accomplishments or attribute them to luck.
Be specific in your answers. Avoid rambling or getting off on a tangent.
Ask for clarification if you are unsure of the question.
Ask the employer if they think it would be helpful to add information about skills or experiences that you believe are relevant but which have not been covered during the interview. Take responsibility for communicating your strengths. Don’t rely on the interviewer to pull it out of you.
Consider the types of skills and characteristics you think the employer needs in the applicant to be successful in the job for which you are attending an interview, e.g. attention to detail, diplomacy, leadership, persistence, problem solving and planning, stress management, team building, technical.
Once you have determined what you think the employer will be looking for, write out examples of situations that showed your skills in those areas. Explain your past successes, the more you can clearly describe the experience, the people involved, the challenge and the solutions, the more you’ll stand out in the interviewer’s mind.

Types of interview

There are several different types or styles of interview that you may come across amongst our clients. It is important that to remember that no two interviews are the same and that you can always improve you interview style and preparation. There follows some general hints and tips on the most common / frequently used interview techniques that you are likely to encounter through our agency.

The traditional interview - sample questions

Sometimes interviews follow a more traditional format (quite common with people who are not used to interviewing). The following is a list of typical interview questions which may arise in one form or another. It is a good idea to reflect on the sort of answer you might give before an interview but it is unwise to learn answers off pat as you risk coming across as unnatural and not genuine. It is a good idea to back your answers up with examples taken from your own work experience.

Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large organisation?
Why do you want this job?
What qualities do you think this job requires?
Why do you want to work for this organisation?
What have you got to contribute?
What can we offer you that your previous organisation cannot offer?
How long have you been looking for a new job?
What do you know about this organisation?
What interests you about this organisation?
What are you looking for in a new job?
What would be your ideal job?
What sorts of jobs are you considering at the moment?
What did you do on a day-to-day basis?
What do you not like about the job?
How did you make a difference to your last organisation?
How successful are you?
What was your greatest success and how did you achieve it?
What has been your biggest failure?
How could you improve yourself?
How did you progress in your last job?
How do you handle criticism?
How do you work with others?
Do you need other people around to stimulate you?
Are you accepted into a team quickly?
Give me an example of when you took initiative to solve a problem?
What motivates you?
Are you competitive?
What problems did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
Do you feel you are ready to take on greater responsibilities?
What are you like under pressure?
How many hours are you prepared to work?
What are your career goals?
How did you get on with your last manager/colleagues?

The team interview - How to cope with them

In an effort to get a well-rounded perspective on job candidates, many companies ask numerous people to participate in the selection process. Depending on the level of job you are seeking, you may interview with an HR specialist, the hiring manager, the hiring manager’s boss and even staff members who would be your peers. In small companies you may have to sell yourself to the entire staff.

This team approach means that many different people interview you and then get together to debate whether they like you well enough to hire you. Sometimes, each person on the interview asks a different lot of questions. Other times, they all ask the same thing. This can happen by design, if the organisation wants to see whether you change your answers along the way.

The behavioural interview - some tips

The interviewer asks specific questions seeking information about a candidate’s skills, character and preferences based on examples of past behaviour. During the Behavioural interview, questions are directed toward specific experiences. Some examples follow:

“Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult person at a work.”

“What proactive steps have you taken to make your workplace more efficient and productive? Specifically describe a policy, project or system you created or initiated.”

“Describe a high pressure situation you had to handle at work. Tell me what happened, who was involved and what you did in terms of problem solving.”

“Some situations require us to express ideas or opinions in a very tactful and careful way. Tell me about a time when you were successful in this type of situation.”

Questions from you

Try to think of some questions to ask at interview. If you have researched the company well, you will be able to come up with questions concerning the organisation. You may also like to find out more about your responsibilities in the role, the organisation’s long and short-term aims, training opportunities, overall organisational structure and what they would hope you achieve in the first six months.

Other things to remember:

Find out what happens next with the interview process and express your interest (if it is genuine!)
You may consider writing a letter to thank the interviewer for their time and to express your interest again.
Let your consultant know your feedback as soon as possible. It is important for us to know what you thought of the organisation, the role, the people who interviewed you and your impression of how you performed in the interview. Please also let us know if you are interested in taking the job if it were to be offered to you

A Word about Equal Opportunities

Discrimination on the basis of race, marital status, colour, sex, religion, national origin or disability is not legal. Although very rare, it is possible that you may be faced with a question which is discriminatory particularly from inexperienced interviewers. In these situations the best thing to do is to address the bias behind the question without confronting the interviewer, for example:

Are you planning to start a family?
Are you asking if I am able to work overtime? Are you asking if I would have commitment to this position?
How old are you?
Are you asking how many years of experience I have?
Are you married?
Are you asking if I am able to work overtime?

If you are concerned that the interview you attended was discriminatory, please do not hesitate to contact your consultant and be prepared to discuss your thoughts and experiences.

Some more useful tips..

Pre-interview preparation

The first step towards any successful interview is the preparation.

Research the department and its programming - this will improve your presentation and ensure that you sound confident, organised and motivated. The interviewers will be impressed by your knowledge and the effort you’ve put into your preparation
Know the name of the people who’ll be on the interview panel
Be sure you know how to get to your interview, and leave plenty of time in which to do it
Read the job advertisement or web posting thoroughly and carefully. Be clear about how you meet the criteria asked for, especially when it comes to responsibilities you’ve had and any other abilities that make you a particularly good candidate.
Study the job description, which outlines in detail the content and duties of the job and the qualities expected of the successful applicant.

The interview

Do not be late, allow yourself plenty of time in case you get lost
First impressions count, so dress appropriately
Be polite
Try to stay focused on the person asking the questions – give them your full attention
Sound positive about yourself and your achievements
Don’t be negative about your previous employer
Give yourself time to think – don’t be afraid to pause if you need to think about your answer
Be clear and concise in your communication – try not to ramble. Always be prepared to give real life examples to back up any points you make. Ask the interviewer for clarification if you’re not sure what s/he is asking for
Focus on your strengths
Avoid jargon
Don’t under-estimate your skills and abilities
If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so. There’s nothing wrong with being honest.

Interview Tips

Interview Tip 1: Plan Ahead - Do a little homework! Research the company and the position if possible, as well, the people you will meet with at the interview. Review your work experiences. Be ready to support past career accomplishments with specific information targeted toward the companies needs. Have your facts ready!

Interview Tip 2: Role Play - Once you have finished studying, begin role playing (rehearsing). Use the general questions provided below in the Interview Preparation Area. Write down answers if it helps to make your presentation more concise. Try to keep your answers to the information your new employer will want to know.

Interview Tip 3: Eye Contact - Maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Show you want the job with your interest.

Interview Tip 4: Be Positive - In particular, avoid negative comments about past employers.

Interview Tip 5: Adapt - Listen and adapt. Be sensitive to the style of the interviewer. Pay attention to those details of dress, office furniture, and general decor which will afford helpful clues to assist you in tailoring your presentation.

Interview Tip 6: Relate - Try to relate your answers to the interviewer and his or her company. Focus on achievements relevant to the position.

Interview Tip 7: Encourage - Encourage the interviewer to share information about his or her company. Demonstrate your interest. Some suggested questions to ask the interviewer are provided in the “Questions You Could Consider Asking the Employer” section.

Interview Preparation Area 1

Questions you may be asked in the interview

Tell me about yourself? (try to hold your response to 2 minutes)
What do you know about our company?
Why should we hire you?
What can you do for us that someone else can’t?
What do you look for in a job?
What skills and qualifications are essential for success in this position ?
How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution?
How does this assignment fit into your overall career plan?
Describe your management style.
What do you believe is the most difficult part of being a supervisor of people?
Why are you looking for a new career?
How would your colleagues describe you?
How would your boss describe you?
How would you describe yourself?
What do you think of your present or past boss?
What were the five most significant accomplishments in your last assignment?
What were the five most significant accomplishments in your career so far?
Can you work well under deadlines or pressure?
How much do you expect if we offer you this position?
Why do you want to work for us?
What other positions are you considering?
Have you kept up in your field with additional training?
What are your career goals?
What are your strong points?
What are your weak points?
How did you do in school?
What position do you expect to have in 2 to 5 years?
If you took the job what would you accomplish in the first year?
What was wrong with your current or last position?
What kind of hours are you used to working or would like to work?
Do you have your reference list with you? (Remember don’t give it out unless it is asked for).
Can you explain your salary history?
What questions didn’t I ask that you expected?
Do you have any question for me? (See Questions for the Interviewer that you might want to ask below).

Interview Preparation Area 2

Questions you may want to ask the Interviewer

Why is this position open?
How often has it been filled in the past five years? What were the main reasons?
What would you like done differently by the next person who fills this position?
What are some of the objectives you would like to see accomplished in this job?
What is most pressing? What would you like to have done in the next 3 months.
What are some of the long term objectives you would like to see completed?
What are some of the more difficult problems one would have to face in this position?
How do you think these could best be handled?
What type of support does this position receive in terms of people, finances. etc?
What freedom would I have in determining my own work objectives, deadlines, and methods of measurement?
What advancement opportunities are available for the person who is successful in this position, and within what time frame?
In what ways has this organization been most successful in terms of products and services over the years?
What significant changes do you foresee in the near future?
How is one evaluated in this position?
What accounts for success within the company?
These questions are presented only as interviewing guidelines. They are meant to help you prepare for the interview. Some questions may or may not be appropriate for your interviewing situation.
By practicing your responses to some of these questions, hopefully you will not be taken off guard if asked one of them. Most importantly, relax, go with the flow, and before you know it, you’ll be in your next job.

Source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/tips/interviewadvice.shtml

http://www.tfpl.com/temporary_recruitment/candidates/ccv___interviews.cfm

	E-Business Skills 2 Employment