Winning the interview game

Being the best person for the job is unfortunately not enough - being the best interviewee is what will get you the job you want.  If you are unsure about any aspect of your interview technique, our consultants can give you lots of help and advice including practising interview answers with you.

Here are some tips in the meantime:

• Remember that your future employer is not only looking for specific skills and experience, but also for someone who will fit in with the team.  It is therefore your job to sell yourself and build rapport with the interviewer - the more comfortable the interviewer feels with you, the better the interview will go.
• Be yourself and remember that enthusiasm can often compensate for lack of experience.
• Monitor the interviewer’s body language - if they appear uninterested or restless, you may be waffling or have become sidetracked.
• Ensure that you demonstrate the benefit and relevance of your skills and experience to prospective employers, whether questioned about them or not! 
• Whilst the interview is your chance to impress your potential employer, don't forget that it is a two-way discussion and it’s also your opportunity to find out more about the role and the company.  Is this organisation and this job what you are really looking for?
• However suitable you think you are for the position, there is no substitute for thorough preparation.  Research the company, its history, its products or services, its competitors and the markets in which it operates. 
• Think about the questions you are most likely to be asked - you should be able to anticipate most of these and prepare your answers accordingly (see the list of possible questions below).  Whilst you should not appear over-rehearsed, thinking carefully about these questions will ensure you are better prepared.
• Prepare any questions that you want to ask the interviewer.  The quality of your questions will say good things about you as a candidate.
• Always review your CV before the interview and make sure that you are completely familiar with its content.
• Remember the old adage: you never get a second chance to make a first impression!   Typically, recruitment decisions are made in the first five minutes, during which time you have had little or no opportunity to speak in your own favour.
• Research also suggests that some interviewers actually filter what they discover in the interview, based on their initial impression.  Essentially, if you look the part, the interviewer is more likely to assume you can do the job.  If you don’t look successful, the interviewer has no reason to think you are.
• The interview itself is neither the time nor the place to decide whether or not you want the job.  The purpose of the interview is to win the job offer, which you can subsequently evaluate.  At the interview, be positive and enthusiastic throughout - don’t mention any reservations until you have received the offer. 
• Salary negotiation should only be entered into after you have received the offer.  At the interview concentrate on showing that you can do the job, that you want the job and that you will fit in.
• On receiving the offer, you may wish to arrange a further meeting to discuss salary details and explore any reservations you might have.  By this stage your bargaining power has increased and you are more likely to be able to negotiate a mutually acceptable package.

Possible interview questions

This is by no means an exhaustive list but will get you thinking along the right lines.

1. What kind of people do you like working with?  Why? 
2. What type of person do you find it most difficult to work with?  Why? 
3. Do you prefer to work alone or in a group?  
4. Have there been any instances where you have had to manage or supervise others?  Give examples. 
5. In your previous job, what kind of pressures did you encounter?  How do you deal with pressure? 
6. What do you feel you have done particularly well in your current / last job?  In what areas have you achieved the greatest success?  Why do you think this is?
7. In your last job, what did you find most difficult?
8. If you are employed, what are your reasons for wanting to leave your present job?
9. What are you looking for in a company?
10. What do you see as your best qualities?
11. What about the other side of the coin?  Apart from knowledge or experience, what traits do you feel could be improved upon?
12. Do you consider yourself a self-starter?  If so, explain why.
13. What would you consider to be your greatest achievement to date?  Why?
14. Are you a good communicator?  Give examples.
15. How do you schedule your time?  Are you good at setting priorities?
16. Describe the biggest problem you have faced in the last six months.  How did you handle it?
17. What change has caused you the most difficulty and why?
18. What are your standards of success in your job?
19. Give some instances in which you have anticipated problems or influenced new direction.
20. What other opportunities are you considering?  How will you decide which is the right role for you?