Interview Preparation

Emily Gohl from Recruit4health explains how to prepare yourself for your interview

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

Good preparation is a key part to having a successful interview beginning with knowing the names and job titles of the people interviewing you.

One of the most important things you can do is prepare answers to questions you may potentially get asked... also rehearse them out loud. This will make you feel more confident and prepared when you walk into the interview room.

It is always a good idea to plan the route to your interview to make sure you give a good impression of being punctual. Find out directions as well as information on parking if you are driving or the nearest railway station or bus stop. If due to unforeseen circumstances you know you are going to be late contact the company to inform them of your expected arrival time and let the agency know you have done this. When you arrive ensure you apologise immediately and explain your reasons.

Interview Questions

Interview questions may vary but in essence they are all trying to establish the following:

• Your skills and experience to do the job
• Your enthusiasm and interest for the job
• Whether you will fit in

If you can answer these questions, using real-life examples to illustrate your points, then you should be able to answer most of the questions that arise including the following frequently asked questions.

1. Tell me about yourself?

This question or something similar usually starts every interview. Your answer should be well-rehearsed, confidently delivered and last between 3-5 minutes.

This is your opportunity to sell yourself and your answer doesn't have any boundaries.

Remember they want to hear you speak and gauge just how confident you are. It is your chance to sell yourself!  

You need to:

• Focus on the areas of most relevance to the job in question i.e.: key skills
• Include some impressive achievements e.g. improvements made that could be relevant to the job you are interviewing for
• Convey your enthusiasm for the job
• Avoid going into too much detail on personal or irrelevant information e.g. your children, un-related jobs

2. What are your key skills/strengths?

This is one of the most difficult questions to answer and we would recommend planning and rehearsing an answer to this prior to your interview so that you know exactly what to say.

Focus on what you know they are looking for, even if it has been a smaller part of what you have been doing to date.

The job advert or person specification form will give you the information you need about their requirements.

3. What are your weaknesses?

Again, this is a very difficult question and you need to plan and rehearse this prior to an interview.

Do not say that you do not have any weaknesses and do not give any cliché answers such as: “I get bored easily”

Choose a weakness that:

• Doesn't matter for the job e.g. languages for a UK firm. 
• Is a positive e.g. "I like to make things happen and get frustrated if too long is spent sitting around discussing it without action" 
• Used to be a weakness but which you have improved upon e.g. presentations. This demonstrates self awareness

4. Why did you leave your last job?

Your answer should be positive and upbeat even if the circumstances were difficult. If you were made redundant, depersonalise it by talking about company restructuring rather than your individual circumstance. Never criticise a previous employer no matter how tempting.

5. Why do you want this job?

Your answer should reinforce why you are such a good fit for the job and then convey your enthusiasm for the role e.g.

• good match between your skills and their requirements
• interested in the product/market/sector
• company's excellent reputation, exciting challenge etc.
• Do not say (even if it's true) that you just need a job, or you want it because it's local.

6.  What are your career goals?

They are checking if you are likely to stay and if so, for how long. Reassure the employer that the role you are applying for fits your career plan and your longer term commitment to the company.

7. What are your salary expectations?

Salary negotiations are best handled at the job offer stage so try to avoid this at interview if you can. If forced to name a price, give a realistic but wide salary range and say that you feel that salary won't be an issue if you decide to work together.

8. What do you know about our organisation?

Do as much research as you can. It is highly likely that you will get asked this question and remember that  “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” It will also impress the interviewer if you refer back to research/knowledge on the company in some of your other answers.

You need to know the following:

• Company structure, finances, products and services, key staff 
• Customers and competitors
• Market trends and challenges

To find out that information, check the company website, any industry related media,  or companies house.

Competency Based Questions

In a Competency Based Interview or Behavioural Job Interview, the company has decided what skills are needed in the person they hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills.

Behavioural interview questions will be more focused and specific than traditional interview questions and you'll need to respond with specific examples of how you handled situations in the workplace. 

Review examples of the questions you may be asked during a behavioral job interview and think about how you would answer them. 

Use the job description to get a clear idea on what key competencies they require in a candidate, that way you'll be prepared ahead of time, rather than having to think of a response on the spot during the interview.

Ensure you get to the point quickly, do not waffle. 

The STAR technique will help you add structure to your answer and ensure you cover all vital points so that you give a top quality answer.

S = SITUATION. Here you would briefly describe the situation you are going to base your answer on. Set the scene.

T = TASK. Describe what it was that you had to do. This section of your answer should flow quite nicely when describing the situation.

A = ACTION. This is the most important part of your answer. You need to talk about what YOU did to successfully complete the task. Remember to show how you added value here, what you achieved etc as this will show the employer what you could potentially do for them.

R = RESULT. Finally, what was the result of the task and your actions? Try and make it a positive result or if it wasn’t, try and put a positive spin at the end i.e: what you would do next time to achieve a better result.

Example question could be:

Tell me about a difficult scenario at work and how you dealt with it

Here they are testing how you cope under pressure as well as your problem-solving and communication skills.

Good examples are where you:

• helped resolve or improve a difficult situation
• were resilient in adverse conditions
• showed emotional intelligence and cool-headedness
• Avoid any examples which still feel sensitive, because in a high-pressure interview situation, old emotions can easily resurface and throw you off balance. Always remain positive.
• Other questions could include:
• Give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem.
• Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.
• Give an example of a goal you didn't meet and how you handled it.
• Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.
• Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.
• How do you handle a challenge?
• Have you been in a situation where you didn't have enough work to do?
• Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?
• Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.
• Did you ever make a risky decision? Why? How did you handle it?
• Did you ever postpone making a decision? Why?
• Have you ever dealt with company policy you weren't in agreement with? How?
• Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, how?
• When you worked on multiple projects how did you prioritize?
• How did you handle meeting a tight deadline?
• Give an example of how you set goals and achieve them.
• What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Give an example of how you handle it.
• Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren't thrilled about? How did you do it?
• Give an example of how you worked on team.
• Have you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker? How?
• What do you do if you disagree with a co-worker?
• Share an example of how you were able to motivate employees or co-workers.
• Do you listen? Give an example of when you did or when you didn't listen.
• Have you handled a difficult situation with a supervisor? How?
• Have you handled a difficult situation with another department? How?
• What do you do if you disagree with your boss?

Questions to ask at the end of your interview

Asking the employer questions at the end of your interview confirms to them your interest in working for their organisation and obviously is a good way for you to find out more information.

It is always best to go to your interview with around 5 questions prepared. Do be aware though that some of your questions could get covered earlier on in the interview.

Some questions you could think of asking could be:

1.        What types of training opportunities can you offer?
This is one of the classic questions as it can highlight that you are keen to advance your skills and add further value to a company.

2.     Is there a chance for promotion in the future?
This is another classic question, and in a similar vein. It can emphasise a determination to make progress and to do so over the long term.

3.     How would you describe the work culture here?
Here you are signalling that you want to be able to operate at your optimum and understand that for this you require a positive environment. In turn, this can indicate you are a good self-manager who is aware of how to get the best out of yourself.

4.     In what way is performance measured and reviewed?
This question can flag up that you appreciate the importance of delivering real results. You can be seen to be someone who understands the value of commitment, reliability and returns.

5.     Do you have any doubts about whether I am suited to this position?
This is a rather more brazen way of emphasising some of your strengths. It suggests you are open to constructive criticism and willing to learn from the experience of others. In addition, it gives you a real chance to address any weaknesses the interviewee may think you have. Finally, it allows you to finish on a high, re-stating why you think you are the right person.

Dress for success

The first impression you make on a potential employer is the most important one. The first judgement an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look. It is always important to dress professionally, even if the work environment is casual or requires a uniform.

Men's Interview Attire

• Suit (solid colour - navy or dark grey)
• Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
• Belt
• Tie
• Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
• Little or no jewellery
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Limit the aftershave
• Neatly trimmed nails

Women's Interview Attire

• Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
• The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
• Coordinated blouse
• Conservative shoes
• Limited jewellery (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
• Professional hairstyle
• Light make-up and perfume
• Neatly manicured clean nails

CHECKLIST - Have you?

• Researched the Company
• Sorted out what to wear
• Travel Arrangements
• Prepared some broad questions to ask the interviewer (try to avoid the salary question unless prompted)
• Rehearsed interview scenarios
• Confirmed Date/Time/Location of Interview
• Printed a copy of your CV and any relevant project work
• Got a decent notebook and pen in case you would like to make notes

Clients tell recruiters what they really really want

Despite the recruitment industry turning over billions of pounds, are agencies always meeting clients’ needs?

Lawrence Hargreaves, managing director of Nicoll Curtin Recruitment

With turnover in the region of £23bn in 2011-12, the UK recruitment industry is clearly meeting a need. So it may come as surprise that there is a huge disparity between what recruitment agencies are delivering and what clients actually want.

New research carried out for IT recruiter Nicoll Curtin illustrates the extent of the gap of this ‘delivery gap’. For example, only 4% of hiring managers say they are “always confident” in the ability of their recruitment consultant to submit candidates of the right quality.

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A massive 75% of hiring managers [only 30% of whom had worked with Nicoll Curtin] believe this stems from the consultant failing to understand the requirements of the role.

Similarly, 72% of the 140 hiring managers interviewed believe that recruitment consultants care more about placing a candidate to secure their fee than finding the best candidate for a role.

RAISING STANDARDS

For many recruiters, and especially for those who have worked hard to raise standards in the industry, these will be sobering statistics. Yet for Lawrence Hargreaves, managing director of Nicoll Curtin Recruitment, they are no reason for despair: “The good news for us is that more business can be won and better relationships achieved, and it is not rocket science.”

It all comes down to listening, not overpromising and ultimately delivering. A focus on quality, and spending time understanding both the role and the market, will ultimately pay off.

As Hargreaves expounds: “Many clients will review an agency’s performance based on fill rates that stretch past the probationary period; so it pays to spend time understanding the nuances of the position and encouraging consultants to become experts in their markets. This will lead to PSL positions and even sole agency status.”

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

When it comes to the criteria used by clients to select an agency, one figure stands out. With 83% of hiring managers choosing an agency based on a previous relationship with that agency, it is clear that getting this aspect of business right is key.

It is vital for agencies to invest in their consultants. Naturally this will include financial reward, though this should not only apply to sales but also to assimilating industry knowledge.

“Knowledge definitely is power; the more they know about the industry the quicker it will be for them to spot the right candidate to match their client company,” says Hargreaves.

With clients above all else demanding quality, 82% of hiring managers call for more in-depth screening of candidates. For some consultants, especially those who submit candidates without meeting them beforehand, this will undoubtedly require a sea change in behaviour.

While Hargreaves accepts that “more in-depth screening of candidates takes time and effort at the early stage”, current practice, including the “fundamental misdemeanour” of consultants bluffing they met the candidate, is clearly a major contributor to the ‘delivery gap’.

The unremitting focus of clients on quality may require agencies to consider other significant changes. Chief among these is that consultants would do a better job in finding the best candidate if the fee structure was no longer commission based. “This is a radical move for many agencies, although some do take this approach,” he says. Giving consultants individual SLA [service level agreements] that incorporate quality and not just sales targets helps.

Despite the many agency shortcomings identified by hiring managers in this research, those in the industry should be encouraged by the 54% of hiring managers who say that consultancies can save them time and money.

The overall message from this research is clear and uncomplicated. “Clearly there is a strong place for agencies, but it will be a marathon not a sprint to change the ingrained perceptions. But the good news is it’s easier than we think.”

PowerPoints

• Tell customers what you can reasonably deliver and then ensure you do it
• Invest in your consultants’ knowledge and development
• Work on getting the basics right rather than pursuing the latest buzz such as social media
• Quality is never an accident. It is a choice made from many alternatives
• Work harder in understanding the positions you are hiring for

What Not to Include in Your CV

You may have spent years building up the necessary skills and qualifications to come across as the perfect applicant for your dream job. Don’t go and blow it all now by including any of these fatal mistakes on your CV!

Jargon and Fluff
Avoid using acronyms and jargon when writing your CV. Employers will lose concentration if they have to stop and work out the meaning of every acronym on your CV. Also avoid unnecessary fluff – keep it clear, to the point and back up any lofty statements with hard facts.

Comedy email addresses
An inappropriate email address like sillybilly@hotmail.com will mark you out as unprofessional. If you don’t have a professional-sounding email address then set one up before you start applying for jobs, especially if you are posting an online CV!

Irrelevant information
When compiling your CV, don't include irrelevant information and make sure anything you do include can be interpreted as a positive attribute for the job. List your most relevant and transferable skills on the first page and keep the document under two pages long.

Fancy paper
Your CV should be recognised for the quality of information it contains. The way to do this is with a clear CV template, not with fancy fonts, coloured paper or complex layouts. Use plain white paper, and print on one side of the page only.

Too much personal information
You don't need to include your marital status, age, place of birth or gender on your CV. These could lead to identity fraud. Unless any of these are demonstrably relevant to the position, the employer doesn’t need to know.

Long, convoluted sentences
Use short, snappy sentences that grab the reader's attention and portray you as someone who gets things done. You don’t want to lose the attention of your audience. Use bulleted lists for skills and achievements and use an online CV template with clearly marked-out sections to make it easy for the reader to follow.

Un-truths
Common as it is, exaggerating achievements on your CV or making them up from scratch is one of the best ways to get blacklisted by an employer. If you do make it through to the first interview, only to be discovered as a fraudster, you’re unlikely to get a second chance.

Negative thinking
Avoid including anything negative in your CV. Don’t be tempted to give ‘reasons’ why your career in a certain position did not progress as you would have wished and don’t include ‘reasons for leaving’. Negative-sounding words are also out – don’t say ‘problem’, for example, say ‘challenge’ instead.

Criticism of previous employers
Always remember that you are posting your CV to an employer. Don’t criticise your previous employers or the way they run their business or there is a good possibility that the reader will view this as disloyalty.

Repetition
We all have words that we prefer to use, but be sure that you haven’t repeatedly used the same word or phrase through the CV, or you will appear unimaginative.

Referring to yourself in the first or third person
Do not start sentences with either ‘I’, ‘he’ / ‘she’, or your own name. It is best to leave out all of these and use a report-writing style instead.

Mistakes
One of the most common error is spelling mistakes. Remember to spell-check and proof read your CV several times, and find someone else to check through it. It is easy to miss grammatical and spelling mistakes on the first read-through. In the hands of an employer, just one mistake could label you as careless and lacking attention to detail.

Cv's & Cover Letters

Making Your CV Work for You

Until your interview, you are only as good as your paperwork and perhaps telephone manner.

This makes your CV and covering letter crucial. They are essential tools in most job searches. Like any marketing document, a CV should help you sell yourself.

Preparation:

Think about your skills, competencies, qualifications and experience. What are your unique selling points and strengths? Think in terms of what you have achieved.

If you are replying to a specific job advertisement, review what key words and tasks were used in the advertisement. Which of these words applies to you? Use these words in your CV.

Helpful Hints:

Remember that you want your CV to be read and responded to. Include enough information to stimulate interest, but not so much that you bore the reader. If you provide small, digestible pieces of information you stand a better chance of having your CV read. Three pages maximum is preferred, but keeping it to one page is even better! Every word must contribute to the overall message - so keep it brief and ensure that the content is relevant to the job you are applying for.

Ensure that your CV is well structured and well laid out; this gives the impression that you think logically and makes it easier to review. Remember - a CV that is hard to read is often put aside and forgotten. When writing the CV, remember that self-opinion is best avoided. Aim to include factual information or objective evidence and remember to focus on the benefits of your achievements.

Pay close attention to reply instructions in advertisements (e.g. spelling of a contact's name). Always have someone else on hand to check your spelling and grammar. Nothing can ruin your chances of getting a job faster than easily preventable mistakes. Avoid colored paper or fancy fonts, if you plan to fax or e-mail your CV, you'll get a much better result with clean fonts and a simple lay-out.

The First Page:

This should contain your personal details, your home address and contact details located right at the top, followed by a brief summary of educational credentials and qualifications. An overview statement should be included covering your strengths in the relevant area, skills and experience, and the type of position sought.

Pages Two/Three:

Here you should highlight your employment history. Present this in reverse chronological order, (i.e. last job first). If you have only worked for one company, break it down with an entry for each position or project dealt with. For each position held, briefly describe responsibilities and work undertaken.

Do include achievements, not just regular tasks, if possible, quantify them in sales, financial or production terms.

Each professional position that you've had must include at least one statement of accomplishment. For your current and recent positions, you may want to have several bulleted items under the job that list your most significant experiences.

List your hobbies and interests in no more than three lines, and only if they are relevant to the position in question. Any voluntary or charity work or external posts you hold are worth including. Always include any languages, courses or training you may have done, or any professional memberships.

It is recommended that two referees be given at a later date - including the referees' official titles, addresses and telephone numbers.  

The 'Covering' Letter:

CVs are seldom used alone, they should always be introduced by a letter or a telephone call. The letter can really let your personality come through. Remember, recruitment consultants and employers read hundreds of CVs, an interesting introductory letter can make yours stand out.

Your letter can be used to pick up points which modesty or space prevented you from including in your CV (i.e. to highlight your key strengths relevant to the job). An introduction letter can save you from having to rewrite the CV each time you want to target your application to a specific advertisement or sector.

Nevertheless, keep your CV up to date. Using an out of date CV looks sloppy at best and may exclude you from consideration.

Recruitment Consultancies and CVs

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has an important role to play in raising recruitment industry standards through members who must adhere to a Code of Practice. REC members believe that candidates have a right to decide how their details or CV are put forward to clients, so have issued the following guidelines about best practice.

Always ask the recruitment consultancy for a copy of the CV they are intending to send to clients on your behalf.

Ask the recruitment consultancy to explain its policy on submitting your CV or details to a prospective employer.

Will they always contact you before putting you forward? If you always want to be consulted before your name is put forward for a vacancy, tell the consultancy- but bear in mind that employers often put consultancies under a great deal of time pressure. To avoid missing opportunities you will need to stay in close contact with the consultancy.

If you are happy not to be consulted on each occasion, again tell the consultancy, but make sure you inform them in writing of any companies that you do not wish to receive your CV.

Only allow the consultancy that first contacts you about a specific vacancy to act on your behalf. Multiple submissions by different consultancies can confuse potential employers - they do not multiply your chances of success.

Always ask the recruitment consultancy if it is a REC member. Members of REC comply with Codes aimed at giving you a high standard of service and they are subject to REC complaints and disciplinary procedures.

Successful Interviewing

You rarely get a second chance to make a good impression on a prospective employer, so at your interview it is important that you get it right first time.

Below is some advice on how to prepare for that all important first meeting.

Preparation

Prepare yourself, interviews are two way meetings. They are both an opportunity for the interviewer to find out about you and whether you are a suitable candidate - and for you to find out about the organisation and if the position will provide you with the challenge and job satisfaction you are looking for.

Think about your skills, qualifications and experience and ensure that you can talk confidently about what is written on your CV. Particularly ensure that you can talk about the skills relevant to the position you are going for.

Prepare some questions to ask at the interview. At the first interview it would be wise to restrict your questions to the details of the job and the organisation. Salary and benefit discussions are best left until a second interview or a job offer is made.

Do your homework

Find out as much as possible about the company prior to the interview. A good starting point is to look up their website and find out about the products and services they offer, the location of the office/s, and the number of employees. Ask the consultancy if they have any extra information on them. You could also phone the company and ask them to send you an annual report.

Dress code and appearance

Ask your consultancy what the client's dress code is. For office work, smart business dress is a must.

Ensure you are well groomed with tidy hair, clean shoes and clothing. Do not wear too much perfume or aftershave and keep make-up, jewellery and nail polish simple.

Travel and timing

Plan your journey beforehand to ensure you arrive a few minutes early. Allow for possible travel delays. Just in case of a major hold up, make sure you have your contact's telephone number so that you can call if you suspect you will be late.

The Interview

What to expect

Interviews come in many forms - panel interviews, one to one interviews, group interviews etc. Ask your consultancy what form of interview it will be beforehand. You may be asked to take a test before the interview, depending on the type of organisation. These might consist of psychometric or aptitude tests.

There are many different interview styles and each interviewer will have their own personal style. Some interviewers will fire questions at you while others will start off with an open question such as "tell me about yourself" leaving you to do most of the talking. The majority of interviews will be somewhere between the two. Be prepared for any style of interview.

Two-way communication

Make sure the employer knows the benefits of employing you. It is important to sell yourself by telling the employer details of your relevant skills and experience that you have to contribute to the organisation.

Try not to monopolise the meeting - let your interviewer talk.

Find out what the key parts of the candidate specification are so you can show how you meet them.

Ask how the job contributes to the success, efficiency and profitability of the organisation.

Show that you have done some research.

Don't give negative information or bad news if you are not asked for it and don't criticise previous employers or jobs. The key is to turn negative information into positive information.

The next steps

Agree exactly what the next steps will be, such as who will contact you to let you know if you have been successful and by when. You should also find out whether there will be second interviews and who will conduct them. If you are really interested in the position make sure you tell the interviewer.

After the Interview

Tell the consultancy how the interview went and get feedback from them.

Negotiation

Everything is negotiable. If the final offer is not what you had hoped for, ask the consultancy to talk to the client. Say that you like the job but the package is not up to your expectations and ask if the company can be at all flexible.