Preparation | First impressions | The interview | The close 



Preparation 

Knowledge is power at the interview stage and the more that you can demonstrate your understanding of the company, it's history, it's market, it's future plans, it's competitors, the role you will be doing, etc then the better. Excellent sources for this are:

• The organisation's website
• Industry websites
• Annual reports and statements
• Other publications produced by the organisation
• Relevant newspapers: FT, Times, Guardian, etc and other more specialised publications relevant to that sector.
• Your recruitment consultant. They will have developed a relationship with the employer and understand what they look for, what your interviewer is like, as well as understanding the business.

Once you have the information you need to be able to turn that into the basis of an effective interview. Think of some pertinent questions that will highlight your research and also show that you are aware of the key issues surrounding the company and it's market.

Now you have thought of possible questions to ask the interviewer and also prepared for some of the answers you will give to the type of questions they will ask, you need to practice your interview technique. This can be done either with your recruitment consultant or with someone else that you trust. Your recruitment consultant will be able to tell you the kind of questions you will get, whether they are designed to test your technical knowledge or your personality, and also interview you in the style of your interviewer.

The old adage of "first impressions count" is never more applicable than in an interview situation. There numerous statistics on how long it takes for an interviewer to decide whether you are the right person for the role. Whatever the true amount of time, if you make a poor impression from the outset, you will struggle to reach the next round.

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First impressions

• Arrive for the interview on time - if you are going to be unavoidably late, call your consultant
• Dress smartly and professionally
• Be polite to everyone you meet, you never know who they might be
• Shake the interviewer's hand firmly
• Smile and thank them for meeting you - smiling is what most people forget to do due to nerves

Your initial conversation could start off with an icebreaker such as an inquiry about your journey there or the interviewer could apply pressure straight away. Be prepared for both and don't get caught off-guard.

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The interview

• Look at your interviewer, not to his side or at your feet
• Remember to listen carefully to what is said and make your answers considered and relevant
• Speak clearly at all times
• The interviewer will probably want to set the pace of the interview, so let them

The line of questioning in an interview will depend upon whether they want to test your character or your technical knowledge. Here, we will examine the personality questions they could ask:

• Describe yourself
• What motivated the decisions you have made so far in your education/career history?
• What are your main weaknesses and describe a time that you overcame them?
• When have you shown tenacity in a business environment?
• What has been the most difficult decision you have made in your career?
• Why do you want to join us?
• If we hired you, what long-term benefits would we see?

These are all fairly standard questions that interviewers can ask. To prepare for them you must have done your research about the company and you must also understand what makes you tick. Try and identify what your key skills and strengths are and play up to them throughout the interview. If asked what your weaknesses are, try and limit them to one or maybe two but then show how you've tried to address them and the progress you have made.

One way of appearing enthusiastic and also redirecting the pressure from you to the interviewer is to ask probing and intelligent questions. Typical areas that you can ask questions on include:

• Your career path within the firm. Perhaps ask for an example of someone who has done the role before.
• The training that you would receive there.
• Cultural issues - both within and outside of work.
• Recent news within the media - where do they see the organisation heading?
• The personal reasons for your interviewer joining the organisation.
• The support structure within the company - will they sponsor you for an MBA, professional qualifications, etc?

Whatever the questions you ask, make sure that they are pertinent. There are, of course, some things that you do not discuss during the interview process. If you are using a recruitment consultant then they will negotiate your salary and benefits for you under your instructions. There can be messy and unnecessary confrontations if you do this directly with your potential employer.

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The close

Whilst first impressions count, so do the last ones. As you leave the interview room, ensure that you leave on an upbeat note. You should try and gauge whether you will be invited back by asking when you should expect a decision. Do not express any misgivings you may have about the role to the interviewer - talk them through with your recruitment consultant. Above all, you must appear positive when you leave the interview.

Further information about the interview process and effective interview technique can be obtained from your recruitment consultant.

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