DEALING WITH INTERVIEWS - Page 2/2
The Interview
Be Positive
Make sure you go into every interview with the right attitude. Be enthusiastic and LISTEN to the questions before you attempt to answer them
Make a good impression
Your eyes and posture will go a long way towards creating the right impression. Always sit in an upright but relaxed position, and in panel interviews try not to direct all your answers to one person; look at and speak to the whole panel.
Avoid one-word answers.
Talk frankly and honestly and give the interviewer answers to the question asked.
Beware of over familiarity;
Do not use the interviewer's Christian name no matter how informally they address you. Always be friendly and pleasant but business-like, irrespective of the interviewer's individual attitude.
Find opportunities to stress your qualifications, experience and achievements
Link these in a positive way as to the contribution they could make to THIS job in THIS company.
Never:
- Criticise previous employers (the employer will be wondering what you might say about them!)
- Smoke or chew
- Get irritated (the interviewer may be testing how well or badly you react under pressure)
- Leave your mobile phone switched on
Questions
Some of the most frequently asked questions are as follows:
"Tell me about yourself…."
A deliberately vague and open ended question, best answered by outlining some of your strong points and accomplishments. If you are relatively new to the job market, supplement your description with educational achievements. If you have paid for any tuition yourself, mention this as it reveals strong motivation. Then briefly sum up and shut up! Beware of giving your whole life history!
"What qualifies you for this job?"
Employers are looking for a fluent description of your background, so memorise key facts and dates on your CV and mention particular success stories. Always mention your most impressive qualification first as opening lines make the biggest impression.
"What are your strengths?"
Highlight qualities relevant to the particular job and try to back up each point with something specific e.g. If the role requires supervising staff, show how your appraisal system helped one of your team etc.
"What are your weaknesses?"
The best weaknesses are disguised strengths, such as getting frustrated during periods of inactivity. Alternatively mention an irrelevant weakness. A common variation is a question about your past failures. Pick one you solved early in your career and mention how you overcame it; credit co-workers to underline the ability to get on with others and comment on how you learned from your mistake e.g. "After that I always called to ensure that the system had arrived".
"What level of salary are you looking for?"
Always talk "packages" rather than pure salary as this suggests flexibility even if the basic is fixed. If you are unsure what salary the position offers, describe your current salary and benefits and the expectation of an increase although money is not the motivation for leaving. Mention any fringe benefits as some employers base an offer on previous package plus a percentage to entice you.
"Where do you see yourself in 2 years time?"
Avoid specific goals, as these may not fit the potential career path in that company. Safest of all is to express an expectation that your hard work and enthusiasm would have led to increased responsibility and recognition within the organisation.
"Why do you want to work for THIS organisation?"
Designed to test your research - familiarity with aspects of the organisation are crucial. The best source is the organisation itself (web-site, brochures, and annual reports) this will demonstrate you have done your homework. With a small company it is a good idea to demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and their niche within it.
"Why are you leaving your current job?"
Never be negative about your current employer - it always comes across as unprofessional however justified it may be. Try to avoid mentioning money as this may suggest you would also leave this organisation if offered more money. The safest tack is to express a desire for greater responsibility or to utilise further talents, which are not possible with your current employer.
Feedback
- It is really important that you take some time after the interview to run through a check list of questions.
- Did I enjoy the meeting?
- What do I think about the role?
- What are the future prospects?
- How much money would I want to do this role?
- Would I accept if offered this role?
- Am I committed to leaving my present company for this role?
At VH we will ask you to call us or drop in as soon as your meeting has finished so we can thoroughly de-brief you and these are some of the questions that we shall need full answers to.
Client Feedback
We will try to ensure that we get full feedback for you as soon as possible after the interview