Interview Advice
Maybe you are trying to land your first job, perhaps you are returning to the workplace. Or maybe you are a seasoned executive taking another step up the career ladder. Whatever your situation, making a success of the job interview is vital. This brief guide highlights some of the tough questions you might be faced with – and suggests strategies to answer them as persuasively as possible. Always bear in mind that every interviewer is trying to evaluate you on three criteria: 1. Are you right for the job? 2. Are you willing to put in the effort to make the job a success? Do you have the right attitude? 3. Are you manageable?
Preparation…
Employers are impressed by those who show initiative. Always find out about the company before you attend an interview. Either look at the company website or read the latest company brochure (both available from your consultant). What is the company’s product or service? How many staff do they employ? Is the company part of a larger group? If you do not have access to the internet then please feel welcome to come into our office and use one of our PC’s – you can also print off the information. We really want you to get the job so we are happy to help! Find out about the job itself. Research the job in question and decide why you are right for it. Read the job specification (available from your consultant). Make notes of your relevant experience. Note down valid points that you feel are relevant to the job in question. A good tip is to mirror the way the company speaks, use their language. Investigate the journey. Check out the journey so you can arrive on time. Have a trial run prior to your interview. This way you can see where you will be parking or what public transport links are available to you. Make sure you have enough money/change for your car parking and if travelling by public transport, your connection times. There is nothing worse than being late for an interview, always arrive 10 minutes early. You will never get another chance to create a first impression. Finally confirm the address, time and person to ask for with your consultant and ask whether there will be any tests or assessments at the interview. More and more companies are assessing candidate’s skills at the interview. Prepare your questions. Really think about the interviewers questions and how you will answer them and also the questions you would like to ask at the end. You will find all the advice you need in this guide on questions and answers however if you need any additional help, just ask your consultant. They give interview advice every day and will be the best person to assist you.
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First impressions…
Look the part. Make sure your appearance is absolutely immaculate and if possible ask a friend to check for any flaws in your appearance you may not have noticed. From the neatness of your hair down to the polish on your shoes you need to look impeccable. There is no doubt in the fact that employers judge you on your appearance. The effort you invest in how you look is generally a sign of how important getting the job is to you. It seems ridiculous but it is the first impression you create that is the lasting image the interviewer has of you in their mind once you have left the building – and often when they are decision making. Wear a suit. If you don’t have a suit and you can’t borrow one from a friend then wear a very smart matching jacket and trousers or skirt. Do make sure clothes are neatly pressed and clean, shoes are polished and shiny and tights/stockings are ladder free (obviously the last point is for the girls!). Do always wear tights/stockings if you are wearing a skirt – the bare legged look is inappropriate for an interview. Also avoid low tops and short skirts – it may work in a driving test situation but for interviews it’s positively out! Do keep make-up, perfume, aftershave and also jewellery to a minimum. Simplicity is good! Ensure your hands and nails are clean and remove chipped nail polish. Make sure your mobile phone is switched off and chewing gum/mints/sweets are all gone. Ladies make sure your handbag is closed, avoiding the chance of the contents spilling out in the interview. Boys – if you need something to carry to stop you fidgeting, especially if you are a smoker then carry a newspaper (preferably a broadsheet). Create the right visual image. So you are looking your best, feeling confident, you are thoroughly prepared and you arrive at your interview. You may be kept waiting in reception for the interviewer for a few minutes or even longer – it’s always good advice to remain standing. The first image the interviewer has of you when they first see you is at eye level, with you standing straight, looking really smart and smiling. The alternative vision of you is perhaps you struggling out of an armchair! The first thing you do when you see the interviewer is smile and shake hands. If you are worried about this then practice your handshake with your consultant or a friend. It is important to have the correct grip – not a bone breaking grip and not a limp handshake – something in between. Don’t worry if your hand is clammy – this happens to almost everyone when they are nervous and the more you worry about it, the worse it gets. If you are concerned then apologise – there is nothing wrong with that. If the interviewer thinks you are a little nervous they will appreciate how important the job is to you which can only be a good thing!
Body language…
Posture, hands and face.
An experienced interviewer will be looking at how you compose yourself during the interview and here are some points you need to consider. During the interview, sit upright and attentive but try to relax and be yourself. If you lean back it can be seen as a casual attitude and lack of interest in the job. Keep control of hands and try not to fiddle or fidget – it is also advised that you should not keep touching your face or play with your hair etc. The trick is to clasp your hands together in your lap. If they are really out of control, as a last resort, sit on your hands (and let’s face it sometimes they just have a mind of their own). Try not to cross your arms as this can be seen as defensive or evasive. Eye contact is extremely important and the interviewer will enjoy talking to you if you look like you are enjoying talking to them. So good eye contact, a nice smile, lots of nodding and agreeing is essential to create the right impression during the interview.
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Frequently asked questions…
Why do you want to work here? To answer this question you must have researched the company. Reply with the company’s attributes as you see them. Cap your answer with reference to your belief that the company can provide you with a stable and happy work environment – and that such an atmosphere would encourage your best work. How do you feel about your progress to date? This question is not geared solely to rate your progress; it also rates your self-esteem. Be positive, yet do not give the impression you have already done your best work. Make the interviewer believe you see each day as an opportunity to learn and contribute, and that you see the environment at this company as conducive to your best efforts. What would you like to be doing five years from now? The safest answer contains a desire to be regarded as a true professional and team player. As far as promotion, that depends on finding a manager with whom you can grow. Of course, you will ask what opportunities exist within the company before being any more specific. What are your biggest accomplishments? Keep your answers job-related. If you exaggerate contributions to major projects, you will be accused of ‘coffee-machine syndrome’; the affliction of a junior clerk who claimed success for an Apollo space mission based on his relationships with certain scientists, at the coffee machine. You might begin your reply with: ‘Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am proud of my involvement with… I made a contribution as part of that team and learned a lot in the process.’
The real you…
Tell me about yourself? This is not an invitation to ramble on. If the context isn’t clear, you need to know more about the question before giving an answer. Whichever direction your answer ultimately takes be sure that it has some relevance to your professional endeavours. You should also refer to one or more of your key personal qualities, such as honesty, integrity, being a team player, or determination. For example, if you choose ‘team player’, you can tell a story about yourself outside work – perhaps as a member of a sports team – that also speaks volumes about you at work. How well do you feel other people rated your job performance? This is one very sound reason to ask for written evaluations of your work before leaving a company. You should also ask for a letter of recommendation whenever you leave a job. Don’t thrust these under your interviewer’s nose, but when you are asked the question, you can produce them with a flourish. If you don’t have written evaluations, try to quote verbal appraisals, such as ‘My boss said only a month ago that I was the most valuable Secretary in the department, because…’ What is your greatest strength? Isolate high points from your background and build in a couple of your key personal qualities, such as pride in your work, reliability and the ability to stick with a difficult task, yet change course rapidly when required. What is your greatest weakness? This is a direct invitation to put your head in a noose. Decline the invitation. If there is a minor part of the job at hand where you lack knowledge – but knowledge you will obviously pick up quickly – use that. For instance: ‘I haven’t worked with this type of spreadsheet before but,
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given my experience with six other types, I should be able to pick it up in a few days.’ Another option is to design the answer so your weakness is ultimately a positive characteristic. For example: ‘I always give each project my best shot, so if I sometimes feel others aren’t pulling their weight, I find it a little frustrating. I try to overcome it with a positive attitude that I hope will catch on.’ Also consider the technique of putting a problem in the past and showing how you overcame it. What are you looking for in your next job? You want a company where your talents and experience will allow you to contribute to their business. Avoid saying what you want the company to give you; you must say what you want in terms of what you can give to your employer. The key word is ‘contribution’.
Under the spotlight
Why do you want to leave your current job? Or Why did you leave your last job? You should have an acceptable reason for leaving every job you have held but if you don’t, pick one of the six acceptable reasons from this employment industry CLAMPS formula: Challenge: you weren’t able to grow professionally. Location: the journey to work was unreasonably long. Advancement: there was nowhere for you to go. Money: you were underpaid for your skills and contribution. Pride or prestige: you wanted to be with a better company. Security: the company was not stable. What kind of salary are you worth? This question is asking you to name a desired figure but the twist is that it also asks you to justify that figure. It requires that you demonstrate careful analysis of your worth, industry norms, and job requirements. You are recommended to try for a higher figure rather than a lower one. If their immediate response is to say that’s too much, accept it as no more than a negotiating gambit, and come back with your own calm rebuttal: ‘What did you have in mind?’ If your consultant has given you salary details – don’t go over the limit. The interviewer will know that the consultant has made you aware of the salary for the role.
Do you have any questions?
Almost always, this is a sign the interview is drawing to a close, and that you have one final chance to make an impression. Remember the adage: people respect what you inspect, not what you expect. Create questions from any of the following: • • • • • • • • • • Find out why the job is open, who had it last and what happened to him or her? How many people have held this position in the last couple of years? To whom would you report? Will you get the opportunity to meet that person? Where is the job located? What are the travel requirements, if any? What type of training is required and how long is it? What are the realistic chances for growth in the job? Where are the opportunities for greatest growth within the company? What are the skills and attributes most needed to get ahead in the company? Who will be the company’s main competitor over the next few years? How does the interviewer feel the company stacks up against them? What has been the growth pattern of the company in the last five years? Is it profitable? How regularly do performance evaluations occur? What model do they follow? When will you hear whether you have been successful or not? How many more people are they seeing?
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