Interview Tips

·         Always make sure that you are aware of the position that you are being interviewed for.

·         Research the company as much as possible before you go in and make sure that you are aware where the interview will take place.

·         Plan to arrive 15 minutes early.

·         Phone before anticipated time of arrival, if for any reason you are going to be late. (Phone Interviewer and Consultant). 

·         Be clear as to whom you are seeing, their position and whether they will be your line manager.

Remember the expression “You never get a second chance at a first impression”.

Make sure that when you meet the interviewer you shake hands firmly, smile and stand tall.

Don’t sit down until the interviewer asks you to.

Do not assume that your interviewer has recently read your CV, they may have been interviewing several people that day – however try to use expression such as “as you can see from my CV… I have been  ...”.

If you do not understand a question or it is not specific enough, ask them to re-phrase or be specific.

If you have been asked to do a presentation, make sure that this is prepared and you have practiced it, if not you may need to re-arrange your interview.

Always:

ü      Turn your mobile phone off - Many people make the mistake of forgetting this at their peril!!

ü      Do not smoke before you go in! The interviewer may be a reformed smoker and not like the smell.

ü      Be a good listener - You may miss something very important that they are trying to explain to you.

ü      Always illustrate interest in the company, even if this particular role is not suitable - Another more senior position may become available to you.

ü      Use the interviewer’s name - Although interviews are relatively formal, using first names can put people at ease.

ü      Observe the interviewer’s reactions - Body language is a great way of knowing how well or badly you are doing and can allow you to raise your game if needs be.

ü      Feel free to take brief notes - It shows you are interested and observant.

ü      Answer questions directly and specifically, and avoid long pauses - Be precise, don’t waffle.

ü      Describe your accomplishments in quantitative terms – Use % and £ wherever possible.

ü      Display confidence in your past achievements, today you are selling your most valuable product – ‘YOU’.

ü      Be honest when answering questions about current salary and benefits. Do not try and be clever or appear greedy when discussing required salary. Remember part of our role is to negotiate salary / package on your behalf. The client may also be interviewing a number of suitably skilled candidates who may illustrate more commitment to their company by offering more flexibility in terms of salary. If in doubt, explain that you are negotiable in terms of salary for the correct position, or that salary is something that you want to give more thought to and then leave the rest to us.

ü      Ask questions that reflect preparation and logical thinking

o        What will you expect of the person you hire

o        What results are you expecting the person to produce

ü      End negatives with a positive. Avoid questions where the answer to whether or not you have specific experience, is a single no. Instead, always be honest and admit that you do not have the experience but end the sentence on a positive note. e.g. “No, but I am sure that I can learn it quickly”

Never:

û       Be aggressive or arrogant - You can put people off in an instant, even though you did not mean to seem that way.

û       Answer questions with just yes or no - Always explain your answers fully, it shows you are a good communicator and are interested.

û       Argue, lose your cool or show nervousness - Confrontation or inability to maintain control will not reflect well on you.

û       Criticise past or present employers - It shows lack of respect and could draw you into a conversation that you did not want to have.

û       Highlight weaknesses - It will encourage the interviewer to explore this further.

û       Attempt to read documents on the interviewer’s desk - People are very territorial and protective of their belongings and this could be seen as a challenge to their territory.

û       Always make sure your attire is appropriate for interview - Clean and pressed clothes, polished shoes, conservative jewellery, avoid deviations.

Shadow UK (Consulting Ltd © 2004-9