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Interview Techniques
Before the interview - preparation and questions
PREPARE!
Preparation is crucial. Most questions can be anticipated and by practicing you can identify your weak areas, work on them and give stronger, calmer responses. Be ready for difficult questions. Have a mock interview with a friend.
Emphasise the positive. Interviewers will remember something out of the ordinary, so emphasise any achievements or something a bit different. Don't always just give the answers you think the interviewer wants to hear; its not showing what you think and suggests lack of confidence.
THE QUESTIONS
Employers ask Core Questions at interviews on the following themes:
- Recent work history and relevant experience
- People who you've worked for
- Main tasks and responsibilities.
- Problems and how you overcome them.
- Reasons for leaving.
- Education
- Why did you choose subjects?
- Successes and failures?
- Ambitions
- Interviewer can assess how realistic these are with career to date.
- Interests
- Balance between activities
- Evidence of motivation/ dedication
- Personal Circumstances/ Background
All of these answered to give you an advantage at interview.
Don't make them sound too rehearsed though!
You will certainly be asked about your CV and asked to expand on certain areas.
The employer is checking for truth, honesty and exaggeration.
Typical Questions
Can you do the job?
-Testing for your knowledge, ability, motivation and interest and whether you can fit in and be a team player.
Tell me about yourself?
Sell yourself to me?
Why should I hire you?
Some employers relish putting the interviewee on the spot like this. Be prepared and have an answer ready, stressing the benefits of your experience and personal qualities what you can bring to them. Don't make it sound like a rehearsed speech though.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Here you can show your motivation and knowledge of the structure of the industry.
Don't say you want your boss' job though!
What are your strengths?
Give examples of achievements
What are your weaknesses?
Turn this question into positive. Show self-awareness, examples of how you have recognised your weaknesses and overcome them.
What do you enjoy about your present job?
Describe your boss. Who do you work for best?
Don't moan about your present boss, or go on about expenses and perks of a job. Be positive about how you work best with recognition of ability, etc.
Why have you left your last job?
You are in control of the amount of information you reveal here, but it is also best to be honest.
Tell me about your family?
Support at home. Any personal difficulties you have overcome. If job involves shift work or travel at short notice, the employer will want to know this is possible.
Typical Questions for different applicants
Employers will often ask different questions depending on the applicant's situation.
- School Leavers/First Jobbers
Interviewers allow for inexperience and nervousness, so don't worry, but RESEARCH the job so you can tailor your answers. Make sure any job - Saturday job, paper round, holiday job is known, as it can be useful experience and also show you are used to work.
- Tell me about your school?
- What special projects have you done?
- What does your Saturday job as TESCO involve?
- Do you want to continue with your education?
- Graduates
Your degree is evidence of intelligence, a well-trained mind, motivation and discipline. Employers will want to see if you can make links between what you have studied and transfer these skills to the workplace. (Can you make the link between Byzantine history and management consultancy?) They are looking for evidence of management potential - ambition, leadership, good character, judgement, responsibility and response to challenges.
- Why did you choose your degree subject?
- What aspect of your course was the most relevant to this job?
- Any societies/ sports clubs?
- Sport can be evidence of leadership and team work. Some employers see political activities as trouble.
- Why did you apply for this job?
-Use your research here.
- Describe a tricky situation where you would now act differently?
- Where do you see yourself in five years time?
- Professionals
- Why do you wish to leave your present job?
- What exactly do you do?
- What have you achieved in this job?
- Attendance record?
- Why have you stayed in each job so long?
Always emphasise the positive and avoid being critical of past employers - you don't want to appear arrogant or a moaner.
- What is your experience of managing staff?
- How good are you at motivating others?
- What size budgets are you used to handling?
- Unemployed
- You will be asked questions about the reasons for your unemployment.
- Redundancy - straightforward, reorganisation, cutbacks, relocation, etc.
- Illness/ accident - employer will want to know you are fully recovered.
- Dismissal - difficult. Reasons for dismissal include misconduct (breaking company rules, stealing, drugs) so employers will look into this carefully. There is a trade-off between volunteering too much information, as you don't want to appear someone who can't get on with others, and being very open and honest.
- What have you done to find a job?
- How have you used the time?
- Take along a file of your applications to show your commitment to finding a new job.
What level of salary are you looking for?
This is a tricky issue, but being unprepared for the salary question can mean you get less money than you deserve.
- Look for similar jobs and research the market rate.
- Ask other people in the organisation if you can.
- Ask for the biggest figure you can and work down, benefits such as training allowances, performance related bonuses, travel expenses can be used as negotiation.
Any Questions?
At the end of an interview an employer will normally ask if you have any questions. Have some ready; "No" can sound like a lack of interest, if there is nothing else say, "I think you have covered everything, if I think of anything else, I'll let you know".
Here are some suggestions:
- How long was the last person in the job?
- Do you promote internally if there is a suitable candidate?
- What opportunities are there to study for further qualifications?
- How soon will you make a decision?
- I have 2 weeks holiday booked in July, is this a problem?
Employers Tactics
Some employers favour stress tactics - giving you tricky questions to see how you perform under pressure. Some have a personal favourite question, e.g. When was the last time you cried?, When were you last proud of yourself and why?
Listen carefully to the question and take your time in answering, if you don't understand, ask if it can be repeated.
Don't be afraid to admit it if you can't answer a question, often it’s the way you cope with that an employer is looking for, rather than your actual answer; explain its not something you're familiar with, but you're interested in finding out more.
REMEMBER - You can shape the interview, if you feel something important has not been covered, ask the interviewer if you can add or describe something you feel is relevant to your application.
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