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The Interview
Interview Guide
Most people face interviews with a degree of uneasiness. Being well prepared can minimise feelings of anxiety and maximise your chance of success.
These hints, combined with the guidance provided by our Consultants, will equip you with valuable information on how to conduct yourself during interviews with prospective employers.
Preparation
- Research the company well. Get a copy of the corporate profile and find out as much as possible about the company's services, products, size, philosophy etc. You will impress with your conscientiousness.
- Be aware of your strengths. Feel comfortable talking about your strengths in relation to the position you are applying for. How will they benefit the position and the company?
- List at least three things about the job which are important to your success and happiness i.e.
- It will utilise your communication and management skills
- You prefer working in a company of this size
- The product / service is of interest
- Know your resume. Predict potential sticky questions and have appropriate and positive answers ready.
- Check facts like your availability and how much notice you have to give your current employer.
- Notify your referees. Outline to them the position you are applying for so they can talk about your relevant strengths.
- Think carefully about your remuneration expectations, not just in dollar terms but the total package - base salary plus benefits.
- Dress in appropriate attire. Pay attention to all facets of your presentation and grooming - clean shoes, tidy hair, no chipped nail polish, clean and tidy clothing, no caps, hats or sunglasses.
Appropriate questions to ask the Interviewer
- Why is the position available?
- Is there a detailed position description?
- Anticipated induction and training programme?
- Advanced training programmes for those who demonstrate ability?
- Company growth plans?
- Anticipated timeframe for recruitment process?
- The next step?
Questions to watch for
Be prepared to answer questions like
- Why would you like to work for this company?
- What career goals do you have? Where would you like to be in five years time?
- What management style gets the best from you?
- What interests you about our product or service?
- Tell us about a time you were able to use your initiative in your last position.
- What entrepreneurial activities have you been involved in?
- What do you believe determines a person's progress in a company?
- Can you recall a situation where teamwork was important to achieve success?
The Interview
The interview is your chance to make your skills and experience come to life in a face-to-face situation. Remember, it's your chance to assess the company at the same time as they assess you.
- Do plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
- Greet the interviewer by his/her name if you are sure of the pronunciation. Sit upright in your chair, look alert and interested at all times.
- Be an effective listener as well as an informative talker. Don't forget to smile!
- Answer questions directly. Be specific with your examples - remember, talking about past work related experience is the best way to convince someone of your skills and strengths.
- Try to determine if it is a good fit for you both personally and professionally. Is the job right? Is the company culture right for you as an individual?
- Discuss the available position - not the salary and benefits at this stage.
- Don't answer questions with a simple yes or no. Elaborate wherever possible and give relevant, specific examples.
- Do make sure you portray your good points to the interviewer in a factual, sincere manner. Keep in mind that you alone need to sell yourself in an interview.
- Don't lie. Answer questions truthfully, and as 'to the point' as possible.
- If you are interested, declare your interest - let them know you are keen.
- Thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration of you.
Things to watch
During the interview, the employer will be evaluating your negative factors as well as your positive attributes. Listed below are negative factors frequently evaluated during interviews - those that most often lead to rejection.
- Poor personal appearance.
- Overbearing, aggressive, conceited behaviour.
- Inability to express thoughts clearly.
- Lack of career planning - no goals, lack of interest and enthusiasm, lack of confidence, nervousness.
- Over-emphasis on money - interested primarily in remuneration.
- Evasive behaviour - don't make excuses for unfavourable factors in work history.
- Condemnation of previous employers.
After the Interview
If your interview has been organised by Asset Recruitment, call the Consultant who referred you to the position after the interview. He/she will want to talk to you prior to the interviewer calling to give feedback. If you are interested in progressing further, it will assist if your feelings about the position are known, combined with your perception of what the client’s reaction is likely to be.
CV Preparation
CV Preparation is an important part of the success of any Application; Each individual application made must have a customised CV attached. The CV MUST NOT have any spelling errors in it and it MUST be TIDY, PRECISE, and CLEAR.
Global CV Solutions are a professional CV writing consultancy with offices in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. They offer a range of tailored CV packages to suit all levels of experience and industry sectors, from Graduate/Entry Level to Senior Executive Level. To enquire please visit www.global-cv-solutions.co.nz
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