Interview Skills

When you are invited to an interview be confident that the hiring manager likes your profile enough to be considering you for the position. The interview process is a way for the client to ensure you will fit into the company culture, the team and the role - they will want to get a feel for your personality, experience and potential. But it’s also a chance for you to discover if this is a company you want to work for.

Preparation is Key:

Prepare, prepare, prepare. We can’t emphasise this enough. If you choose to use a recruitment agency, such as ourselves, to help you find your next role then your consultant will brief you thoroughly on the company and job ahead of your interview. But it’s still vital that you are clear on the following:

• Where, when and with whom you are being interviewed.
• The company, including culture and the role.
• The clients they have and who their competitors are.
• Whether it is a new position – if so, why? or, if someone is leaving the position - why?
• What your expectations for the role are.

Pre-match your skills to the role as this will give you an edge in the interview. Think about relevant examples of how you’ve used your skills during projects you have completed and be prepared to use these when answering competency-based questions.

What can you bring to this company, why do you want to work for them and what are your career objectives? These are all questions you should be asking yourself ahead of the interview.

Interviewers are likely to ask you why you are leaving your current position so be prepared – be positive, negative answers do not generally go down well in an interview situation. Think about any questions you may have about the company. Go beyond the usual and think about whether the information is freely available on their website. 

The Interview:

Dress appropriately for the interview. Even though some companies may have a dress down policy, it may not be appropriate for you to dress in this way. Check with your consultant, but as a general rule go for the smart option.

• Use eye contact and shake hands with a firm, but not knuckle crushing grip!
• Try to remain calm and hold your hands still if you have a habit of fidgeting when nervous.
• Be concise and listen carefully to the interviewer.
• Be enthusiastic about yourself, your experience and the position they are offering.
• Ask questions but wait until the 2nd or 3rd interview to ask questions regarding the specific terms and conditions.

After the Interview:

Feedback your thoughts on the company, interview, role etc ASAP to your consultant so that they can work quickly on your behalf. They can share your enthusiasm, or otherwise, about the role to the client to assist the decision-making process. This process obviously runs both ways and you will be informed of any client feedback at the same time.

If you’re not using a recruiter, it’s a thoughtful gesture to send a follow-up email to your contact at the company expressing your thanks for being invited to the interview and how enthusiastic you are about the role.