Interview Preparation

Organise your clothes for the interview in advance. Remember to dress professionally or suitable to the culture of the company and the image you wish to project eg:

• Assemble relevant information beforehand (eg resume/cv, documentation, qualifications/references).
• Understand how your salary package is made up (bonuses, commission, other benefits). Think about what you would expect to earn in a new position.
• Research the company and their products or services (using the internet, published materials or contacts) so that you are informed and able to ask relevant questions.
• Interviewers will often ask you to give them practical examples of how you have handled past situations. Be prepared to share examples of your achievements. Ensure you describe the situation, the action you took and the results or outcomes of your action.

 

Arrival

• Be on time. This means not only don't be late but don't be too early either (if you are late, apologise politely, don't labour the point, move on and concentrate on the interview).
• You only get one chance to make a first impression, make a good one. Smile. Make eye contact. Have a firm handshake. Thank the interviewer for their time.
• Interviewers frequently use 'small talk' to break the ice. Follow the interviewers lead on this, but don't initiate a lot of small talk yourself. This could set the wrong tone.

 

Interview Structure

No two styles of interviewing are the same. Go with the flow, but remember that interviewers value such qualities as:

• Enthusiasm
• Energy
• Clear Communication
• Warmth
• Good listening skills
• Concise and relevant answers
• Honesty (never lie)

 

Closing the Interview

Prepare pertinent questions to ask towards the end of the interview. Some examples include:

• Is it a new or existing position?
• What are the responsibilities and priorities (if not already discussed)?
• What are the criteria for measuring success?
• What long-term career opportunities are available?
  

 

Common Traps

• Not listening to questions carefully
• Being poorly prepared
• Making very general or vague statements which are lacking in substance
• Saying "we" instead of referring to your own achievements
• Being too friendly or casual
• Being over enthusiastic
• Slouching, mumbling, speaking slowly
• Not answering the questions

 

Common Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself?
• What kind of position are you looking for?
• Why do you want to work in this industry/company?
• What did you do in your previous position?
• How was your time allocated?
• What did you like the least/best about this job/other jobs?
• How many people did you supervise?
• What were your budget responsibilities?
• What did you accomplish?
• Why did you leave your last position?
• Give me some examples of the most difficult problems you encountered in your previous position, how did you resolve them?
• How was your performance measured?
• How did you get along with your manager?
• What are the qualities you look for in a manager?
• How would you describe your own operating/management style?
• What do you consider to be your strongest qualities?
• What are some of your weaknesses?
• What position do you hope to reach in the next few years?
• What are your leisure activities? Your hobbies? Why do you like them?
• What is important to you in your job/life?