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Before the Interview:
Prepare a statement/profile of your key skills and how you meet
the stated job/company requirements.
Think about evidence and examples of what you’ve done which
demonstrate your match.
What relevant achievements can you quote?
Anticipate the interviewers’ agenda, questions and concerns
Prepare answers to both obvious and less obvious questions:
- "tell me about yourself?"
- "why do you want this job/what can you contribute to my team?"
- "what are your 3 main strengths and 3 weaknesses?"
- "where do you see yourself in 5 years time?"
- "what is your greatest challenge so far?"
Prepare at least 3 challenging and relevant questions of your own.
Think about how the Interviewer prepares for YOUR interview.
Interviewers prepare in different ways (including, doing none
at all), but many use the following or similar headings to develop
their questions:
- Appearance
- Attainments (Qualifications? Skills?)
- General Intelligence
- Special Apptitudes (Your added value?)
- Interests (Motivation/added value?)
- Disposition (Attitude, conviction, enthusiasm, confidence/motivation)
- Circumstances (Family/mobility/flexibility?)
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At
the Interview:
Smile and show you are pleased to be there. This is your
opportunity to shine. Engage the interviewer and try and establish
a level of rapport.
If there’s more than 1 interviewer focus on the person
asking the question but direct your comments to everyone. Sell
your benefits and consider the employer’s needs, not yours.
Use the profile you have prepared to actively market your skills
and achievements and promote your match. |
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Don’t take anything for granted. Listen! Answer questions
briefly, factually and clearly – do not waffle –
but if you do lose track… see * below.
Listen carefully to questions and spot the opportunity to
state your relevant skills and achievements. Keep it positive.
Do not apologise or criticise previous employers. Don’t
be the first to talk about money.
When you’ve answered a question, particularly a difficult
one, STOP. Silence is OK.
If the interviewer isn’t satisfied, he’ll ask a
supplementary question.
Be aware: the interviewer may use "the silence technique"
to try to entice you to say more than you’d planned!
Maintain good eye contact and active listening. Never interrupt
the interviewer and don’t openly contradict him –
" as I see it…….
Seek feedback during the interview: … "do you agree?"
…..* "does that answer your question?"
When the interview is drawing to a close, ask if the interviewer
has any concerns about your suitability and if so, answer
them!
CLOSE! Restate your skills and match and say that you’d
like the job!
Your CV will have pre-disposed the interviewer to you.
Now, based on the answers you give him, he must predict whether
you can perform well in both the job and in the company environment.
The interviewer needs the answers to 3 questions:
Can you do the job?
Will you do the job?
Will you fit in?
You must provide suitable answers to these hidden questions
and give the information the interviewer requires about your
skills and match, even if he doesn’t ask appropriate
questions!
As Henry Kissinger said: "who’s
got the questions to my answers?"
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