Preparation for the interview
- Know the exact time and location of your interview, allowing time for unforeseen delays. Also ensure you know the correct spelling, title and pronunciation of the interviewer .
- Dress appropriately for the company, and ensure your personal grooming is impeccable. This includes not wearing too much makeup, jewellery or perfume, or novelty socks!
- Research the company by not just looking at their website, but also delving a bit deeper, searching some news sites, forums and blogs. A useful website to help you with this is www.metacrawler.com which searches all the search engines on specific categories, such as “news”. For financial information on companies, you could try www.ft.com . It’s a good job interview technique to impress your interviewer by being specifically knowledgeable about their recent financial results or corporate news items, and it also helps to build your own confidence knowing you are armed with recent and relevant information about the company. Who are the employer’s key competitors, and what might be their major threats in the forthcoming future? What are the employer’s core products and services? Think of some questions to ask regarding some of these issues, as part of your job interview preparation.
- Know your CV backwards, as the CV is going to form a key source from which your job interview questions will be planned, and you don’t want to score any own goals by saying something like “is that what it says on my CV”! Also, if you have some obvious gaps in your CV, be ready and prepared to explain them! It’s also wise to provide reasons as to why you have left previous jobs.
- Review the position description and selection criteria for the position. Be aware of what the key competencies are likely to be for this role, and be ready to demonstrate your possession of these competencies along with relevant examples in your interview.
- Prepare yourself with answers to traditional job interview questions such as those mentioned above
During the Interview
- Always switch off your mobile phone!
- Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer.
- Maintain good eye contact during the interview, and exhibit a positive and enthusiastic attitude
- Sit still in your seat, maintain good posture and avoid fidgeting or slouching
- Concentrate on the employer’s needs, rather than yours.
- Emphasise how you can help the company achieve its goals
- Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with specific examples whenever possible
- Be thorough in your responses, while being concise with your wording
- Listen carefully and seek clarification if you do not understand something the interviewer has said
- Avoid making derogatory remarks about current and past employees
- Do not lie
- Do not ask about salary, bonuses or holidays in the first interview
Questions that you may get asked
- Why would you like to work for our company
- What are your long term goals
- What style of management gets the best from you
- What interests you about our products/services
- What have you learned from your previous positions
- Which position have you liked the most and why
- What areas do you feel you can improve on
- What are your greatest strengths
- Where do you think you can add value
Closing the Interview
- Have some questions for the job interviewer ready yourself! Ask about the role, the company or its future plans, for example. It’s another opportunity to demonstrate your insight and enthusiasm. It’s also the opportunity to get a good understanding of how good a fit the job and company are for you. Finally, you are likely to want to know what the next stage in the selection process is, and likely timeframes so its well worth asking.
- If you are interested in the position make the interviewer aware of this
- If you are offered the position on the spot however would like some time to think it over with family or friends, let the interviewer aware of this and give them a time and date that you will get back to them
- Thank the interviewer for their time and ensure you offer a firm handshake and a friendly smile
Feedback to us at Puregenie
“It’s good to communicate”! Please let us know how you felt the job interview went, if you remain interested in the role or any potential concerns that you might have.