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Help with your Interview

There really is no definitive process or way to secure the job you want. However there are certain protocols, processes and preparation work that is considered to be the norm in trying to secure a job.

Here at Portishead Recruitment Services we want to provide you with the best possible chances. In order to contribute we have provided you with advice, suggestions, preparation processes, and goal setting in order to help you try and achieve your objectives. We feel if you approach and prepare these tasks in the right frame of mind you will enjoy the whole experience.

The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare


INTRODUCTION

The interview is one of the main ways an employer will decide who is the right candidate for the position and for their company. Bear in mind that you could be a perfect candidate for the job but your personality may not fit - never take this personally. The interview is also an opportunity for you to establish if the position and company are right for you. It is generally considered that this is a joint process.

Your CV has introduced you as a potential candidate - the interview process gives you the opportunity to discuss your skills and experience in more detail, and match those to the job your are applying for.

Remember that an interview can be an enjoyable, stimulating and informative experience for both parties.


PRE-APPLICATION PROCESS

If you are unemployed and applying for jobs, or looking to change then be realistic and apply for jobs where your talents, skills and personality will enable a good chance of being successful. Applying for jobs that your skills, talents and experience are not quite ready for generally results in rejection and this in turn can lead to a low morale. It is therefore advisable to go through a self-assessment process before applying for any jobs. Generally the best way to do this is to compile a list of positives and negatives. Something you may see as a negative employers may see as a positive so it is advisable to have a friend, mentor, or someone who's opinion you respect look over your list.

Some applicants consider this exercise to be hard, some consider it pointless, either way try it and persevere. It will be worth it.

Here are just a small selection of questions you can ask yourself and compile your answers to - it will also help you build your CV. Remember there are no right or wrong answers – it all just helps you find the right job for you and hopefully one which you will be happy in. It is also an enlightening process in finding out about yourself if you answer the questions honestly.

Tip: After each question ask yourself - What does that tell me about myself?

  • Which elements of school / college / university did I like?
  • What were my schooling and educational successes? Remember you may have gone through school without being very educationally successful but you may have been a very good organiser, leader or listener. These type of skills are all important to employers and which can be developed.
  • Was I involved in any other activities?
  • What are my interests outside of work?
  • Am I a team player or do I prefer to work on my own?
  • Why do I want to change my job?
  • What type of job am I normally attracted to and why?
  • Would I be prepared to take less money for a job I would prefer?
  • Do family commitments restrict my choices?
  • Would I take a job that requires a lot of time away from my home/family?
  • Would I take a job that requires lengthy travel time to and from work?
  • Would I take a job that requires re-location?
  • Do I live to work or work to live?
  • Do I pro-actively seek further skills training – or just wait for it to happen?
  • How successful have I been in each job I have had?
  • Did I benefit in any way from that job?
  • Did the company benefit from my employment with them?
  • Which elements of each job did I enjoy?
  • Which elements of each job did I dislike?
  • Have I ever been praised at work or for a job well done?
  • How did I react and did I build on it?
  • Have I ever been criticised at work?
  • How did I react and did I try to rectify it?
  • Do I like change and am I stimulated by it?
  • Do I feel secure in my job and is job security important to me?
  • What do I think of my other colleagues?
  • What do they think of me?
  • Are other people's opinions important to me?
  • What is my age? and is my age seen as a problem?
  • If my age is considered to be a disadvantage how can I turn this into an advantage? - remember, experience counts for a lot.
  • Do I consider myself to be a happy and well rounded person?
If you have asked and answered all these questions honestly you are now ready to move onto the next stage

PREPARATION

Many people let themselves down by not taking enough care in preparing for their interview. Thorough preparation is the key to a good and rewarding interview.

Research

If the position you are applying for requires quite a bit of research (i.e. junior, middle and senior management positions) being knowledgeable about a company shows that you are proactive and committed about working for them. Possessing this type of knowledge prior to interview will also make you feel more confident.

  • Visit the company website
  • Keep a copy of the job advert, it tells you a lot and enables you to build your questions on the position itself
  • Request a copy of the company brochure/annual report and any other relevant information pertaining to the job and company (i.e. promotional material)
  • Check on any past news articles (found in libraries or on the internet)
  • Keep an eye on the current news for any relevant articles
General Research Check list

  • What does this company do
  • What services do they offer / What do they sell
  • When was it started and by whom
  • Experience of Hierarchy
  • Location (s)
  • Turnover and trading history
  • Staff size
  • Who are their customers
  • Structured Career Programme
  • How secure are the employees
  • Working Environment
If these answers are not readily available/assessable via the usual routes then telephone the HR office - or the person listed if there is no HR office. Explain why you are telephoning and the information you require. If you prepare for this telephone call and conduct it in a professional and confident manner it will reap rewards for you.

Job description

The job description is the best tool you have to predict what type of person the company is looking for, and therefore the kind of questions they will ask, (and as previous) it helps you build your questions about the position.

  • Consider all the key skills and experience necessary for the role; think of work-related examples that highlight your strengths in each area and make a list for possible discussion. Be prepared for the interview in this way as these strengths and weaknesses may well be discussed during the interview.

Competencies

Many companies require similar competencies, the most common of these are:

  • Decision making
  • Problem solving
  • Resilience and tenacity
  • Confidence
  • Planning and organisation
  • Teamwork
  • Commercial awareness
  • Social awareness
  • Common Sense
  • Loyalty
  • Specialists skills (if appointment requires)
  • Willingness to learn
Before the interview try to think of a few examples that illustrate each of these competencies in your previous employment.

The interviewer will want you to demonstrate these traits both through practical examples and in the manner you conduct yourself in the interview itself. Be sure that you appear calm and confident, assertive without being aggressive and that your answers are well thought out. There is no such thing as the perfect candidate for the perfect job. Interviewers know this. What they hope for is that a candidate will have at least 50-70% of the skills and experience required - most companies are generally prepared to train and develop the other skills required, and develop their employees. They look for a willingness from any candidate to take this on board.

Your CV

At Commercial Minds we have given you two options of submitting your CV to us. We have made the process extremely easy for you and have pre-selected design format. You simply work through the CV online process answering each section and each question - at the end of the process your CV is presented to you in a professional easy to read format. The other option we have given you is to upload your CV in MS Word format..

You have been called to interview based on the information provided in your CV. Be prepared to talk in more detail about your experience. Remember to take copies of your CV to the interview and use it along with your other preparation work as part of your presentation.

Plan your journey

There is nothing worse than arriving late for an interview, or turning up stressed because you had a nightmare finding the offices.

  • Obtain clear directions and plan your route in advance (incorporate potential delays in planning your journey).
  • Aim to arrive at the interview ten minutes early, this will prove your punctuality and time keeping skills, as well as showing your enthusiasm and commitment to the company.
  • If you are delayed for any reason contact the company immediately to inform them.
  • If you find you are going to arrive very late - re-confirm with your interviewer that you still want to come - and is the time delay acceptable to them. If not offer immediately to re-arrange for another date as soon as possible.

Dress code

Always dress smartly and professionally (avoid extreme dressing). Many companies now adopt dress down policies, but don't be tempted to do this in an interview, you will make a much better impression if you are professionally dressed.

THE INTERVIEW

The first 90 seconds

We have all heard it said - "an interviewer makes up their mind in the first 90 seconds". This can be the case - but it is our opinion what they are actually evaluating in the first 90 seconds is your dress, your body language, and your looks. If they are professional and responsible interviewers and you have been invited on the strength of your CV they will not make the error of judging someone for a job in the first 90 seconds. That is why it is critical that your dress and body language speak the right language, it is also important that other details such as hair, shoes, nails etc are all clean. Show respect for the interview and the interviewer and they in turn will respect you.

I remember some years ago my boss interviewing a salesman who looked as if he had literally just got out of bed. My boss offered him the job. I asked him about his decision - and he replied that on this occasion he needed to look beyond the suit (based on his CV) and interview him ignoring his appearance for the time being. This salesman turned out to be amongst the top performing sales people the company had ever employed. However - we strongly recommend that you do not go
Portishead Recruitment Services Kestrel Court , Harbour Road , Portishead , Bristol, BS20 7AN, United Kingdom - Show map - Tel: 01275 390470 Email: portisheadjobs@aol.com
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