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Coping with
Job Interviews - A CV Centre Guide
AgencyCentral
are pleased to be in partnership with The
CV Centre, the UK's leading CV consultancy, in bringing you
some key pointers on handling job interviews. If you bear these
in mind, you will stand a much better chance of getting the job!
The majority
of people are nervous about attending job interviews – but
nerves can be a useful tool for sharpening up your performance.
However, if your nerves take over to the extent that they affect
your ability to come across well at interview, it’s clear that
you need to calm down. The key to preventing pre-interview jitters
is to prepare thoroughly in advance.
Organise
Yourself
In most cases,
you will be notified that you have got through to the interview
stage a few days before the interview itself. You can use this time
to prepare – and the better prepared you are, the fewer the
reasons you will have to be nervous. Try to find out as much as
you can about your prospective new employer. Reference libraries,
your local careers centre and the Internet are all good sources
of information. You should also read up on the type of job you are
applying for. Go over the job description thoroughly and note down
any questions you would like to ask at the interview.
Travel Arrangements
It is vital
to find out:
- Where the
employer is based – it may seem obvious but if you need to
get the train, find out where the nearest railway station is;
- When the
interview is to be held – work out how long it will take
you to get there and make sure that you leave in plenty of time
(particularly if you are relying on public transport);
- Where the
interview is taking place – if the employer occupies a number
of rooms in different buildings, it is easy to end up in the wrong
place;
- What your
contact is called;
- Who exactly
will be interviewing you
Expect the
Unexpected
Bear in mind
that interviews do vary enormously. You may be asked to sit a psychometric
test or prove that you have the necessary skills for the job –
a typing test for example. The interview itself may be a quick,
informal chat in a crowded office or it could involve a panel of
interviewers all firing questions at you. There may even be group
activities with other candidates designed to see how well you perform
in a team situation, or you may be called back for a further interview
another day. Often, candidates fail to perform to the best of their
abilities because they are thrown into a situation they are not
expecting. The answer is to expect the unexpected. You cannot prepare
for every eventuality but you can be aware that the format of the
interview may come as a surprise. Have faith in your own skills
and experience and allow the employer to see you at your very best.
Interview
Questions
Obviously, no
one can know exactly what questions they will be asked at an interview
but there are certain topics that will almost certainly come up.
Think through your answers to the following questions:
- Tell me about
your employment history – what did you do, what did you enjoy,
what were you good at, why did you leave each job.
- Why have
you applied for the job?
- Why do you
want to work for our company?
- What can
you, above all of the other applicants, bring to this job?
- What did
you do with your time when you were out of work?
The best way
to prepare for interview questions is naturally to know what they
are in advance. There are many sites that offer sample interview
questions, or you can buy a book. The CV Centre sponsor "Great
Answers To Tough Interview Questions", generally considered
to be the leading text on the subject.
The Big Day
Make sure that
you allow yourself enough time to get yourself ready and that you
have all your exam certificates, records of achievement, testimonials
and anything else relevant to the job with you. Also remember to
take the letter inviting you to the interview and any maps, etc.
that you might need. Leave in time to arrive 5-10 minutes early
for the interview – this will allow you to gather your thoughts,
go to the toilet, check your appearance, etc. Try to relax –
everyone gets nervous before an interview. The chances are that
you will feel more nervous than you look and anyway, most interviewers
are trained to make allowances for the fact that you are likely
to be somewhat on edge.
Safety
The majority
of job interviews are straightforward in terms of personal safety
but there are a few simple rules you should always adhere to:
- Always tell
someone where you are going and what time they can expect you
back.
- Never agree
to be interviewed in a car park or over lunch, etc. The interview
should be held at the organisation’s own premises or in some
other public or official place.
- Always arrange
to have someone pick you up if your interview is taking place
outside normal office hours. You should never let the interviewer
drive you home.
First Impressions
The following
tips will help you make a positive first impression:
- Shake hands
firmly (but not to they extent that they require first aid!) with
all the interviewers when you first enter the room – and
do try to smile!
- Maintain
eye contact whilst answering questions – and remember to
speak up clearly
- Don’t
smoke unless you are offered a cigarette and, even then, it may
well be wise to politely decline the offer
- Try to avoid
simple ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ answers to questions
even if they seem appropriate – they tend to be conversation
stoppers. Make sure that you answer questions fully but concisely
- without chattering on unnecessarily.
- Never lie
at an interview or say something that you cannot substantiate,
but make sure that you present yourself in the best possible light
- When you
are asked if you have any questions, use this as an opportunity
to demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm to the interviewer.
Begin with questions about training, who you will be working with,
and the job specification. Save questions about pay and holidays
until the end.
- If you are
not asked about something which you feel illustrates an important
aspect of your ability to do the job then don’t be afraid
to bring it up yourself
- Make sure
you find out when you can expect to hear whether you have been
successful – it could be anything from the same day (in which
case, you may be asked to wait around) to a few days.
- Remember
to thank the interviewer(s) for their time before you leave
The Wait
You should hear
one way or the other within a week or two of the interview taking
place, unless they have specified otherwise. If you do not hear
within this time, telephone to enquire politely whether a decision
has been reached. If you were not successful, try to treat the interview
as a learning experience – nearly everybody gets a few setbacks
when they are job-hunting. Think about why you were not selected
and if there was anything you feel you could have done differently
to improve your chances of getting the job. Don’t be too hard
on yourself. It may simply have been that there was a better qualified
candidate and that, given your experience and skills, you performed
to the best of your abilities. Indeed, sometimes there is so little
to choose between candidates that success or failure at interview
can simply be down to luck. Above all else, remember: there is a
job out there with your name on it and if employers haven’t
recognised your star quality yet then it’s up to you to dazzle
them!
Further Help
We can offer
no better recommendation than to get a copy of the book "Great
Answers To Tough Interview Questions" which, despite its title,
actually covers every single aspect of the job-hunting process.
It’s definitely the best book on the subject, is sponsored
by The
CV Centre, and is available from them for just £12.50.
Of course, to get to the interview stage in the first place you
will need an outstanding CV and there really is no substitute for
taking advantage of in-depth professional experience. The
CV Centre is the UK's leading CV consultancy; their CVs are
carefully crafted to have the strongest possible appeal to potential
employers, rather than being just an uninspiring typed summary of
your basic information. Their team of consultants also has a broad
range of previous experience within recruitment, personnel and HR,
which enables them to produce CVs of the highest standards. Please
click here to find out how The
CV Centre's professional CV writing services can help to maximise
your chances of getting the job you deserve.
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