There is no doubt that the interview situations hold a unique challenge. Many people find that having their personal qualities scrutinised by strangers to be a difficult experience. Remember that you have the necessary attributes to get the job. You would not be in front of the interviewers if your CV was not strong enough. The strength of your CV got you there. They have seen your CV and want to see you!
Read on for Construct-A-CV’s interview advice and best practice for perfect interviews. Our interview guidance and interview tips could help you excel at interviews and get the job you deserve!
Everyone is nervous when facing tough interview questions. Employers expect some nerves. It is your job to overcome the signs of nervousness and display a positive attitude. Aim to project the appearance of a professional running on adrenaline rather than a startled animal caught in the headlights. This can be done if you follow the Construct-A-CVs rules for interview success:
The seven truths of how to interview are:
Preparation inspires confidence. Firstly you need to get to know the company you are interviewing for. A good source of information is the company annual report. This is a mine of valuable information to impress the interviewer. An in-depth knowledge of the company impresses interviewers and puts you on the front foot. Prepare for the interview situation. This is effectively done with a mock interview. Keep it as relevant as possible, prepare positive answers to questions that you think may come up. Envisage the interview going well, imagine be offered the job. Get in a positive frame of mind.
Body language displays confidence. You need to let interviewers know that you want the job through your body language. If you mouth is saying all the right things but your body is not, this gives a confused message. No matter how good your CV is, if you are telling them that you do not want the job, you will not get the job. Body language is controllable, simply get out a mirror and practice. Remember ROLE: Relaxed Open Leaning & Eye-contact.
Ask questions to show your interest in the role. If the interviewer is doing their job then you will face some tough interview questions, so throw some back! The prepared candidate should have a list of 10 or so questions to ask employers. You should structure your questions so that they display the right messages. You should ask a question that indicates that you are ready to undertake the particular challenge, for example:
"What are the most enjoyable aspects of the role, and what parts are less enjoyable?"
You should also try to think of questions that show you are listening, a keenness to progress (an example is a request for details on training and development), try to display a desire to commit long-term to this company (is there a chance of promotion), try to investigate how you would fit in and if you would fit into the culture. You should display an understanding that you will be expected to perform. This can be effectively carried out by simply asking ‘how is performance measured and reviewed?’ Strengthened by your preparation, try to display an interest not only in the role but the company behind it. This is aided by your review of the company annual report. Take any excuse to promote your unique selling points, just to make sure. Finally you should try to close the deal, ask them if they have any doubt concerning your suitability for the role.
Obviously, preparing for tough interview questions is not easy. You cannot prepare for specific questions but there are certain things that you can remember which will help. Remember some seemingly impossible questions are designed to evaluate how you respond to pressure. The answer you give may not be important but how you answer is. Try to maintain your positive body language, stay calm and do not get emotional! A classic toughie
Tell me something about yourself. This is a trick to try to get you to ramble on, pick three key competencies from your CV and stick to them.
Other tough interview questions are:
"Why do you want to work here?"
"Describe for us your ethics."
"Why are manhole covers round?”
"Tell me how you handled a confrontation with a co-worker."
"What went wrong in your last job, then?"
"Describe a situation in which your work was criticised."
"Tell us about the last time you lost your temper."
"If you were the boss, what would you change about this company?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"What achievement are you most proud of?"
"What do you like doing outside of work?"
"Sell me this pencil."
"Would you ever break the rules to get a job done?"
"Have you ever been fired?"
When it come to interview expenses, employers are increasingly unwilling to pay them. Always establish the company position before you travel. You will then need to evaluate whether an expensive journey merits the opportunity of getting the job. Also consider that if you are offered a job but do not accept, you may not get the interview expenses back. You must ask yourself if you want to work for a company that does not consider your travel to be their legitimate expense.
The issue of humour in an interview is a difficult one. The general rule is humour is to be avoided. However in interviews for many sales roles, displaying the self-confidence to tell jokes is an admired ability. If you are asked then you should have a joke to tell, so again prepare.
Interviewers will often offer you a choice of times for an interview on a particular day. So does the early bird catch the worm? Recruiters say that early is best. Generally, people are fresher and able to gather more information in the morning. This applies to both you and the interviewers. Later in the day, no matter how enthusiastic you are, the interviewers will be getting tired. They may not be taking in what you are saying. The first slot is also perilous. The interviewer may be late or have had a bad journey. They may still be thinking about a incident on their journey to work. Ideally take the second or third slot of the day when the interviewer is fresh but has settled into the working day.
These points may help your quest for interview success but remember, it is the strength of your personal qualities, accurately portrayed on your CV which secure and allow you to excel at interviews!
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