During Interview
Once your interview has started adhere to the following guidance to ensure you do well:
- Let the interviewer sit down before you sit down.
- Listen carefully to the interviewer. This is vital don’t switch off and concentrate throughout.
- Look your interviewer in the eye when you talk to them. Do not rush questions, take your time and think – It’s not an audition for mastermind!
- Try to give examples to back-up the answers to questions – don’t just answer yes or no.
- Ask relevant questions if you feel they need asking, don’t just ask them for the sake of it.
- Don’t go into a rant about your current or former employers, be as positive as possible. Do not offer negative answers to potential new employers – they want strengths!
- Try to avoid salary discussions. If you are asked what salary you are looking for say in your current/last employment you were earning £X with Y benefits (resist the temptation to lie or exaggerate at this point) and you are prepared to be flexible for the right opportunity. That way you haven’t sold yourself short or priced yourself out of the job. This is the point most candidates blow interviews as they exaggerate and price themselves out of an offer. Once the employer has decided it is you that they want it is easier to negotiate a salary, but you’ve got to make them want you first!
- The last question you should ask is if they have any reservations or concerns about you. If they do you need to reply to these by giving them examples as to why those concerns are unjustified. This is your last chance to secure the role and to rid the employer of any concerns!
- At the end of the interview shake hands and if it is an opportunity you are interested in say;
‘I have really enjoyed meeting with you and would be very keen to work with COMPANY’. You wouldn’t believe how often interviewers think that candidates are not that keen on them and preclude them from a final shortlist. Remember an interview is conducted in a false environment, the more you can do to quell the interviewers concerns the more chance you have of landing the role!
What Are Employers Looking For?
In our opinion we find that employers are looking at 3 factors that will determine whether or not they hire a candidate:
Can you do the job?
Do you have the relevant skills / experience to do the job? It’s likely that the employer thinks you do, you have an interview for a start, but it would still help to prepare questions based on the role you’re going for (i.e. if your interviewing for a job in McDonalds, what experience do you have at flipping burgers, what competitors have you worked for and how many people have you served?). Keep it relevant to the role. A profile of work can also be a help in this situation.
Do you want to do the job?
Employers will look for answers that will relate to the role and THEIR firm. Prepare answers that look like you have thought about the company you are interviewing for. Employers also look for candidates who are motivated, enthusiastic and eager to impress. Don’t sit there quietly and slouch. Location is important, if you’re prepared to relocate for the role – tell the interviewer.
Can they see themselves working with you?
Personality, persona, charisma, interests; employers want to work with people they like. Try and let your personality come out in the interview whilst maintaining a professional manner.
Example Interview Questions
Below are some example interview questions that may be used by employers to gauge whether you satisfy the 3 important factors mentioned on the previous page:
- What do you consider to be your major strengths?
- What do you consider to be your major weaknesses?
- Why do you want to work for this company?
- What are your short-term goals?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- What did you like most about your last job?
- What did you like least about your last job?
- How would your colleagues describe you?
- How do you manage multiple tasks/projects?
- How do you deal with stress and/or deadlines?
- Do you prefer to work independently or within a team?
- Why should we recruit you?