By Carolyn Lewis
Carolyn Lewis at Pathway Resourcing (www.pathwayresourcing.com) provides key tips that will help you prepare and perform well in job interviews.
As a professional recruitment consultant it is important for us to able to give our candidates the best advice when conducting an interview. For a candidate, the interview is usually the first step towards what will hopefully be the next exciting step in your career.
Interviews can be nerve-racking experiences, however they need not be if you prepare yourself in the right way.
Before the interview
Research the organisation and the role.
Look the part
Know your CV
Familiarise yourself with commonly asked interview questions
There are several key questions that are used time and time again in interview situations. Use these questions to show yourself off to your best advantage by familiarising yourself with them and planning your answers and examples.
Be prepared: arrive five minutes early
Your interview is likely to be held somewhere unfamiliar; be sure to equip yourself with relevant maps and directions and allow plenty of extra time for your journey. Aim to arrive at the office 5-10 minutes early and if you think you are going to be late, ensure you call to let the person who is interviewing you know as soon as possible.
Advice on what to do during the interview follows on the next page.
During the interview
Eye contact
Making eye contact during the interview is a key part of representing yourself as a confident and professional individual.
Show your enthusiasm
Be enthusiastic about the experience and skills you could contribute to the position you are being interviewed for; you can’t expect anyone else to be excited about the role you could play if you aren’t.
Listen to the questions you are asked
Answering questions under pressure is difficult, but try to avoid going off on tangents. If you do wander off the point try and refocus your answer as you bring it to a close. If you are not clear about the question you are being asked, do not be afraid to ask for clarification.
Prepare your questions
As the interview is closing you will often be asked if you have any questions. You should use this part of the interview as an opportunity to demonstrate your research on the company. This is also a chance for you to find out a little more about the role and the company; after all you want to be sure it is the right position for you.
A good question to use in this part of the interview is “Do you feel that I am a good fit for this role?” Their answer will provide you with an opportunity to address any concerns they seem to have about your suitability.