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How to improve performance at interviews
A job interview may only take a short amount of time but its effects can have a lasting impact on your career prospects. The interview remains an important step towards achievement of your career goals so it’s in your interests to perform to your best ability. Our consultants have devised these interview hints and tips to give you guidance on how to conduct yourself and what to expect during the interview process.
Preparation for the interview:
Preparation is key for a successful interview. Hiring managers see no shortage of candidates to arrive for interview without any apparent preparation, understanding of the interview process or the job in question. Hence, it is important to:
1. Know the exact place and time of the interview and the interviewer’s full name and its pronunciation and his/her title. Websites such as Multimap can give you directions on how to find the location so you can arrive for your interview in plenty of time.
2. Do your research. The Internet can help you find out specific facts about the company – where its offices are located, what its products and services are, what its growth has been and what its growth potential is for the future. Refresh your memory on the facts and figures of your present employer and former employers. You will be expected to know a lot about a company for which you have previously worked.
3. Prepare the questions of your own during the interview so that you can determine through questioning whether the company will give you the opportunity for the growth and development you seek. The employer will try to determine through questioning if you have the qualifications necessary to do the job.
4. Probing questions you might ask…
(a) A detailed description of the position?
(b) Reason the position is available?
(c) Culture of the company?
(d) Anticipated induction and training program?
(e) What sort of people have done well?
(f) What training programs are available for those who demonstrate outstanding ability?
(g) Earnings potential through progression?
(h) Company growth plans?
(i) Best selling products or services?
(j) The next step?
5. Arrive for you interview well groomed and dress conventionally, and preferably in darker colours and gentlemen should wear a reasonably conservative tie.
Questions you may be asked:
1. Why did you choose this particular role? What do you really want to do in your next career move?
2. Why would you like to work for our organisation?
3. What do you want to be doing in your career five years from now and why?
4. What was your last salary and bonus?
5. What style of management gets the best from you?
6. What interests you about our products and services?
7. Can you get recommendations from previous employers? What would they say about you?
8. What have you learned from some of the jobs you have held? Which did you enjoy most and why?
9. What have you done that shows initiative in your career?
10. What is your major weakness? What are you doing about it?
11. What do you think determines a person’s progress in a good company?
12. Are you willing to relocate?
13. How do you spend your spare time? What are your hobbies?
14. What does team work mean to you?
15. Have you saved any money for your previous/current company? What entrepreneurial activities have you been engaged in?
16. What type of books do you read? What was the last one?
Negative behaviour to watch for:
During the course of an interview, the employer will be evaluating your negative as well as your positive attributes. Listed below are negative factors commonly cited at interview and which most often lead to rejection.
1. Poor personal appearance
2. Overbearing, aggressive, conceited, superiority, complex, know it all
3. Inability to express thoughts clearly, poor diction or grammar
4. Lack of planning for career – no purpose or goals
5. Lack of interest and enthusiasm – passive and indifferent
6. Lack of confidence – nervousness
7. Evasive – makes excuses for unfavourable factors in record
8. Lack of tact/maturity/courtesy
9. Condemnation of previous employers
10. Failure to look interviewer in the eye
11. Limp handshake
12. Lack of appreciation of the value of experience
13. Persistent attitude of “What can you do for me?”
14. Over emphasis on money – interested only in remuneration
15. Lack of preparation for interview – failure to get information about the company, resulting in inability to ask intelligent questions
16. Failure to ask good questions about the job and company. This is most important?
The interview:
Remember, the interviewer is interviewing you because he/she wants to hire someone – not to trip you up or embarrass you. Throughout the discussion the interviewer will be searching out your strong and weak points, evaluating you on your qualifications, skills and intellectual qualities and he/she will probably probe deeply to determine your aptitudes, attributes, stability, motivation and maturity.
Some do’s and don’ts concerning the interview:
The DO’s:
1. Plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
2. If presented with an application, fill it out neatly and completely. If you have a personal CV present it to the person who will actually be doing the hiring.
3. Greet the interviewer by his/her surname if you are sure of the pronunciation. If you are not sure, ask him/her to repeat his/her name.
4. Shake hands firmly and confidently.
5. Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright in your chair. Look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good talker and smile!
6. Look a prospective employer in the eye and talk to him/her.
7. Follow the interviewer’s lead but try to get the interviewer to describe the position and the duties to you early on so that you can relate your background and skills to the position.
8. Make sure that your good points get across to the interview in a factual, sincere manner. You alone can sell yourself so make your interviewer realise his/her need for you in their organisation.
9. Conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing. Never close the door on an opportunity. It is better to be in the position where you can choose from a number of jobs rather than only one.
10. Be prepared to answer typical questions such as:
What kind of job are you looking for?
What are your strengths?
What are you really good at?
Your weaknesses and how are you addressing them?
What do you know about our company?
Why did you choose your particular career?
What are your qualifications?
The DON’Ts:
1. Smoke even if the interviewer smokes and offers you a cigarette.
2. Answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no”, explain whenever possible. Tell those things about yourself, which relate to the position
3. Lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and as much to the point as possible.
4. Make derogatory remarks about your present or former employer.
5. Over answer questions. The interviewer may steer the conversation into politics or economics. Since this can be awkward, it is best to answer the questions honestly, trying not to say more then necessary.
6. Enquire about SALARY, HOLIDAYS AND ANY BONUSES etc… at the initial interview unless you are positive the employer is interested in hiring you and raises the issue first. However, you should know your market value and be prepared to specify your required salary or range.
Closing an interview:
1. If you are interested in the position, say so. Ask for the next interview if the situation demands. If the interviewer offers the position to you, and you want it, accept on the spot. If you need some time to think it over, be courteous and tactful in asking for that time and agree a definite date by when you will give an answer
2. Don’t be despondent if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the office first or may have more applicants to interview before reaching a final decision
3. If you feel that the interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected, don’t show your discouragement
4. Thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration of you. You have done all you can if you have demonstrated the three most important factors:
(a) Why you are interested in the job and the company
(b) What you can offer
(c) You can do the job
After the interview:
Call the consultant who referred you to the position immediately after the interview and explain what happened. Your consultant will need your feedback before he/she speaks to the interviewer. If you are interested in the position, let your consultant know your feelings towards it, as well as your perception of what the client’s reaction is likely to be.
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