"Interview Skills"

‘‘There are just too many interviewing books and training tools available that teach people the right things to say. After a while, all their responses start sounding the same, and interviewers don’t feel like, I’m actually getting to know the real person,’’

What is an interview?

An interview is a face-to-face meeting for the purposes of consultation. In other words, it is a discussion between two or more people for one reason or another.

Employers have to make their decision based on three areas relevant to any job:
1- Your qualifications and skills – what you know and what you can do;
2- Your experience and work background – where you have been and what you have done;
3- Your personality and character – who you are and how you behave.

Types of Interview:

One-to-one: 
- Probably easier to build rapport with the interviewer
- Could be one of a series of interviews as different specialists take turns to assess you
- Likely to be quite specific and focused as the interviewer could be directly involved in your future work

Panel: 

- More challenging than one-to-one
- Could involve facing between 3 to 6 interviewers & The Director of the organization may be present together with the H.R Manager.
- Popular with large organisations

Group: 

- Consists of several applicants answering questions either individually or as part of the group
- Could be given a topic to discuss as a group
- Could be asked to make a presentation either as a group or individually

Competency based
- Increasingly used by organisations which look at key skills and qualities such as communication, problem solving and team work
- Questions based on providing examples of how you possess these skills and competencies
- Could involve detailed and persistent questioning – be prepared to be challenged

Assessment centre
- Multi-disciplinary method of assessing applicants
- Could involve up to 2 days of intensive interviewing, testing and exercises
- Could expect to experience all the above types of interview

You need to prepare for the interview, because if you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Whoever makes the best impression at the interview gets the job.

1- PREPARE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW

- You need to check the company website and look at any company literature (if there is any) to find out as much as you can about the organisation.

- A valuable tool you need to prepare is a statement about yourself so you can answer the key question which is often asked "Tell me about your self ?"

- Analysing the job "The job description": Underline the words which mention the main activities of the job,

Make notes to show how you have gained experience of all these activities

- Dress for impress: Your visual appearance is very important and you want to make the right impression. Looking good will also boost your confidence.

2- BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

- Take with you copies of any documents sent with your application (CV, Cover letter), The letter inviting you to come for interview which confirms the address and telephone number (if there was no letter, take a note of these details), Notepad and pen to make notes during the interview and record the names of people you met, Any company brochure which you will have studied before the interview.

- BE ON TIME: You will have confirmed in writing the date & time of the appointment, so they know to expect you. About 10 minutes is perfect as this gives you time to freshen up, calm yourself, perhaps with deep breathing exercises and to take the opportunity to get a ‘feel’ of the place.

- Be pleasant to the receptionist, turn off your mobile phone when you arrive.

3- DURING THE INTERVIEW

- The interview is designed to find out whether you are the best person to do the job. this is the time that show your skills, abilities , activities and experience that match to the job description to the interviewer.
- Some important tips for you in any interview:

1-Give a firm but gentle handshake when you meet your interviewer2- Sit when invited to do so3- Make direct eye contact 4- Remember to smile. 

From the moment you meet, your communication with the interviewer forms part of the decision-making as to whether to recruit you; in fact most decisions are made within the first three minutes!
So, you need to be aware of both your verbal and non-verbal communication skills

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Verbal communication- Show genuine interest in the position
- Listen and answer the questions asked
- Never argue a point
- If you do not understand or hear a question, ask for it to be repeated
- Do not interrupt
- Appear at ease with other people
- Initiate conversation 

Non-verbal communicationAppearance and mannerisms are VERY important – think of body language and facial expressions
- Put anything you are carrying on the floor
- Rest your hands in your lap
- Nod your head to show you are listening
- Do not fidget
- Be serious but do not forget to smile

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DEALING WITH CORE QUESTIONS:

- Employers are looking for someone to do the job well, not for problem people. Your role is to persuade them that you are the answer to their problem, so it is important to: Look enthusiastic, Emphasise your strengths and achievements, Play down your weaknesses, Smile now and then.
- Always listen carefully to the questions to avoid misunderstandings.
- Questions about your interests are designed to find out the sort of person you are:
Active or passive (player or observer) - Active in solo or team activities - An outdoor type - Mechanically minded - Intellectual.
- Interviewers will be taking notes or marking you evaluating you on all or any of the following:
Appearance - Ability to express yourself - Achievements and experience - Education and training - Work history - Performance in present job – Aptitudes – Personality.

- For first jobbers:

1- Tell me about your school/college.
2- Did you have a good attendance record? 3- Which subjects do you feel you could have passed, given the opportunity? 4- Did you do as well in A levels as you expected? 5- Why did you decide to do business studies for BTEC?
6- What special projects did you undertake at school? 7- Did you consider applying for Youth Training? 8- What do you really want to do in life? 9- Do you see your hobbies/interests/sport as separate from work or connected with it?
10- What was involved in your Saturday job with Safeway? 11- Do you live with your parents? 12- Do you have any brothers or sisters? 13- Are they older or younger than you? 14- Do your parents work? What do they do? 15- Are you ambitious? 16- Do you plan to continue your education later on? 17- Have you considered a vocational course?

- Graduates

1- Why did you choose your degree subject? 
2- Why did you prefer Reading when you had an offer from Cambridge? 
3- What aspects of your course are most relevant to this job? 
4- What experience did you gain from your vacation work or course? 
5- Were you prominent in any university activity or society? Which? 
- Some employers see politically committed candidates as potential troublemakers. Too much interest in sport may be interpreted as a lack of dedication to the job, but on the positive side, builds leadership and teamwork skills. Always emphasize the positive aspects. 
6- Which of your existing skills do you think will be useful if you come to work for us? 
7- Why have you applied to this company? 
- Here is your chance to praise the company and demonstrate what you have learned about it: it seems to be the best, the leader, most reputable, expanding, a good employer, offer outstanding research facilities, etc. 
8- What do you know about this industry/profession? 
9- What do you want to be doing in five years’ time? 
- You should have achieved appropriate professional qualifications, deserving of promotion, as well as considerable experience. You look for advancement in your chosen career. 
10- Tell me about yourself. 
- Have a short presentation already prepared which you can memorise, so it comes across as spontaneous. Emphasise your sound education, skills, and how they integrate with your leisure activities and career aspirations. 
11- What are your strengths? 
12- What are your weaknesses? 
- Turn past weaknesses into present strengths. ‘I used to...but I realised that...and so I...." 
13- Describe a tricky situation where, with hindsight, you should have acted differently. 
- Have a story ready. If you admit to a mistake, follow this by showing how you remedied it, and present the incident as a learning opportunity from which you have benefited. 
14- Describe a difficult situation which you consider you handled well. 
15- What are your greatest achievements? 

- Job changers:
1- Why do you wish to leave your present job?
2- What exactly do you do?
3- What have you achieved in this job?
4- What have you learned from this job?
5- Why have you stayed so long in each job?
6- Why have you changed jobs so often?
7- What was your attendance record in your last job?
8- Did you get promoted in your last job?
9- Why did you leave your last job?
10- Are you computer literate?
11- Do you write your own letters/reports/agreements/ press releases?
12- Can you handle figures? Prepare budgets? Work out commission?
13- What training have you had since starting work?
14- Did you ever disagree with your manager?
15- How did you resolve the disagreement?
16- What was the worst situation you faced?
17- How did you deal with it?
18- What has been your greatest achievement at work so far?
19- What do you dislike doing most at work?

- Career Movers:

1- Why are you planning to leave your organisation? Is there no scope for promotion? 2- What has been your experience of managing staff? 3- How do you react to working under pressure? 4- Are you able to undertake travel abroad at short notice? 5- What size budgets are you used to handling? 6- What control did you have over your department’s expenditure? 7- Did you engage your own staff? 8- What motivates you? - They want to know how important status, power, money and achievements are to you. 9- Are you good at motivating others? 10- What have you achieved in your present job?

At The End of The Interview:

- Having told you about the job, outlined the terms and conditions, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions.
- You may have no questions at all, so instead of a bald ‘No’ which may sound like lack of interest, say that the information already provided covers everything you can think of at present.
If you can manage a question or two, it looks better, and shows you have been taking notice.
- Select questions with care. If yours all centre on salary, perks and holidays, it looks as though they are all you care about. The employer wants someone dedicated to the job in the first instance, not to the benefits. These questions can be raised once you have an offer if the interviewer has not dealt with them.
Questions everyone should feel free to ask: 1- When can I expect to hear from you again?
2- How soon do you expect to make a decision?
3- When would I be expected to start, in the event of an offer?
4- I have two weeks’ holiday arranged in September. Would this be any problem?
5- Is there a probationary period before a job is firm?
6- Would any offer be subject to satisfactory references? To any other condition?
- If a whole new employment area is being opened up, you can ask about training, but training questions are best avoided if you have presented yourself as skilled and experienced in the particular field. Anyone recruited as a trainee will have a programme prepared for them. If relocation is on the cards, you could raise the issue:
1- There are rumours of relocation following the takeover. Have they any foundation?
2-Will the company have a relocation package to assist with the move? — This should come up when a job offer is made.
3- Does the company expect to expand in this country or abroad?
4- Could you tell me a little about what personal development you support for your employees?

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- The most common reasons for failure at interview:1. Arriving at the interview unprepared for what is to follow.2. Having a bad appearance or negative attitude to the interview.3. Not showing any enthusiasm for the work.4. Not seeming to understand the requirements of the job properly.5. Not answering the questions fully and giving answers that are too short.6. Not being clear about their skills and abilities.7. Seeming overly concerned with what they can get from the job rather than conveying exactly what they are offering.8. Using pretentious language instead of normal speech.

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