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Interview Tips
Job Interviews
Job interviews can be daunting, especially if it’s been a long time since you
had one. However, planning and preparation can go a long way to making it much
less of an ordeal! There are two key areas to concentrate on:
Researching the Company
Research as much as you can about the company taking into account its products,
services, markets, competitors, trends and recent activities. The company’s
web-site is the best place to start as it will not only provide this information
but you will also get a feel for the corporate style and culture. If annual
reports and frequent newsletters are posted on the site this can give good
insight into financial performance and recently secured projects. Consider how
the information you have seen may interact with the position for which you are
applying.
Also undertake a general Internet search by putting the company name in a
search-engine such as Google. This may bring up some interesting articles.
Researching the Industry
This can be useful, particularly if you are transferring your skills to a new
industry, or just to get up to speed with recent market trends. There are a
number of sources to review; business publications, trade publications, journals
and web-sites. Many can be accessed on line, some may be held at public
libraries.
Preparing yourself for the Interview
Leave enough time for this part of the preparation. Before you go into an
interview you need to feel confident that you can talk about your experiences
and objectives, as well as answer any of the interviewer’s questions. If you are
confident, you will feel good about yourself and this will be evident in the
interview.
Here are some suggestions for preparation
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Be sure you know the time, date, location of the interview
and the names of those that will be interviewing you
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Decide how you are going to get there and what time you will
need to leave, allow some extra time for delays
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You need to make a good first impression, your appearance
goes a long way towards that impression. Make sure you are smart but
comfortable and prepare what you will wear the night before.
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Don’t overload yourself with baggage but make sure you have
two copies of your CV with you. If you have been asked to bring certificates
with you make sure you have found them before interview day.
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Ask a friend or family member to ‘interview’ you using the
common interview questions below
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Read your CV, and then read it again. Study your work record
and what you have achieved, relate this to the job you are applying for,
what specific experience do you have that would make the interviewer want to
hire you.
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If
you have hard evidence of your achievements take this with you for
reference, proof will put you ahead of those that merely talk about it.
Common Interview Questions
Interviews do not necessarily follow a set format and can be different from job
to job application. However, there are questions which often get asked and you
should have responses prepared for them. The following are typical questions
with some guidance on how best to answer them:
Tell me about yourself
Often this is the opening question and if you are not prepared, it can be
difficult to put across a concise but informative response. This question is key
as it will form part of the interviewer’s first impression of you. Start with an
overview of your highest qualification and then summarise your jobs to date
giving examples of achievements and the skills that you have acquired. Your
response shouldn’t be longer than 5 minutes and avoid too much detail. If this
is your first interview since leaving education discuss the subjects that most
interested you and how they would be useful in this role.
What are your strengths?
Review the job description, there is usually a candidate requirements section
which gives good insight into what the company is looking for. Select three
attributes that address these requirements and then give examples of how you
have used these strengths in a work situation. For example; motivating others
may be a strength and this was demonstrated in your appointment as manager of a
team of staff whose utilisation increased by 15%.
What are your weaknesses?
Never say you don’t have any but select a weakness that you have taken steps to
improve upon. For example your presentation skills were not at the level they
could be so you attended an evening class on the subject.
What are Your Goals?
Review your long and short-term personal
goals, be able to speak openly and honestly about them and how you plan to
achieve them. Describe the type of job you would eventually like to do,
demonstrate that the job for which you are applying will help you get there.
Show that you have ambition.
Why do you
want to work here?
If you have prepared as suggested earlier you should already have a good insight
into the company’s values, missions statement, services etc. Relate your goals
and missions back to those of the company and their values. Never say you just
need a job.
Why should we
hire you?
Again, refer to the job description to see exactly what the prospective employer
is looking for, what makes you more suitable for this position than another
candidate? An example response ‘I have four years technical experience in this
field combined with a proven sales capability’ you can then lead to a specific
example of where you have demonstrated these skills in previous employment.
State your biggest achievement and how it benefitted the company, explain that
you could bring similar success to this company.
What salary
are you seeking?
Know the market-value of the position and the value of someone with your skills.
Avoid giving a specific number so that you can then negotiate at a later date,
you can express a wish not to discuss the salary until an offer has been made.
If a guideline salary was provided with the job you can state that this is in
the region of what you are seeking.
Questions for
the Interviewer
When the Interviewer has finished asking you questions you are likely to be
given the opportunity to ask questions yourself. You may think that all facets
of the job have been covered but you should have a series of questions prepared
(even if you don’t ask them all) to demonstrate your continued interest.
Concentrate on questions that are important to you and combine both an interest
in the company and the job. Example questions:
The Company
What position
does the company hold in the market place?
What are the
company’s plans for the future?
What is it about
your company that makes people want to stay/made you join and stay?
What is the main
thing the organisation expects from its employees?
Training and Appraisal
Is training
provided in-house or are courses held externally?
What
encouragement is given to further study?
Who will I talk
to about my progress and how often will this take place?
The Job
Why has the
position become available?
What measures are
used to judge how successful I am in the role?
Are there certain
objectives and what is the timeframe?
If I am keen to
develop the role what would you like done?
Will there be a
handover with the person currently doing the job?
Prospects
What structures
are in place for career development?
How do you see
this role developing?
What are the
promotional prospects? What are the prospects for career progression?
Finding the right job, and then
convincing the employer you are the right person for the job, takes time, effort
and skill. By registering with PG Global you have access to consultants who can help you at every stage of the placement process.
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