Interview Process
Preparing for your interview
At the interview
Questions you may be asked at the interview
Questions to ask at the interview
What to expect at a second interview
Negotiating your remuneration package
At the Interview
Style of interview
Generally there are two styles of interviews: Unstructured - these meeting tend to be a bit relaxed on a one to one basis and more of a fire side chat over a cup of coffee, to get to know more about each other. The interviewer might ask you questions more around your interests, educational background, and previous work experience and any other subject that they feel is important in their organisation or to the job. Structured - will be a more formal interview where an interviewer will have a clear agenda and list of questions to ask you throughout. They will ask you questions about your skills, knowledge and experience in areas that relate to the job you are being interviewed for. They want to get an idea of whether you have the necessary skills to do the job. An example question might be'Give me an example of a time when you have had to plan and organise your own work.' Here they want to look at how you assess your workload, plan and prioritise it, monitor your progress and evaluate whether you hit your deadlines. Examples you could use are school projects, a dissertation or any other long project where you've had to plan you own time and look after your own workload.
Types of interview
One to one
This will be a meeting with the line manager, maybe someone in personnel or a senior member of the team. You will be asked questions about your background and your aspirations, but more importantly they will be looking for your personality to come out. The interviewer will want to see that you are confident and have a good way with people, with the ability to build a rapport. It is also your chance to find out more about them and their plans for the future.
Sequential interview
This is far more common in large organisations. You may find yourself in a series of one to one interviews with different people – maybe the line manager for the job, a more senior manager, a personnel representative or maybe a technical person. Apart from the danger of feeling your running a mental marathon, this is quite a good system for you. You get to start each interview afresh, so even if you feel you underperformed at the last one, you can still give a stunning performance at the next.
The interviewers, of course, are not operating in isolation. They will have discussed in advance what areas each will cover and they will compare notes at the end before reaching a decision. They may also chat to each other between interviews. If this happens, you may find yourself being questioned about something you’ve already covered with the previous interviewer – very possibly they have asked the next person to probe the same area.
With sequential interviews, you need to bear in mind that each interviewer is looking at a different aspect of your application. There’s no point in them all repeating the same exercise with you, after all.
Panel
Thisis where you will find yourself interviewed by three or four people. This might include the line manager for the job, senior manager, someone from personnel, and perhaps a technical person. Panel interviews tend, by their nature, to be more formal than some one to one interviews. This can make them seem more daunting and stressful, but there’s no reason why they should be any harder to handle than any other interview. You should know in advance that you will be interviewed by a panel. Ensure you have been informed of their names before hand and if you didn’t realise that you were being interviewed by a panel until your arrival ask the receptionist for their names and write them down.
Telephone interview
Some interviewers use telephone interviews as a way of an initial filtering process. Others may use this technique if the position involves a lot of telephone work so that they can assess your telephone and communication skills. They are also often used as an initial interview for overseas positions. Be ready for your telephone interview;
- Keep a copy of your CV by the phone, along with a pen and paper
- Keep your diary near the phone; if they like the sound of you on the phone they may arrange for an interview
- If there is the possibility that you may be out when they call make provision for this. Give the best times to contact and make sure that you answer phone message is clear and professional
- Treat the interview with the same importance you would a face - to – face interview. It may feel less formal but it matters just as much
- Do your best to take the call in private. It’s fine to ask the interviewer to hold on while you pick up another extension.
- Sit down during the interview if you can, remember to use the right body language (it really does affect the tone of your voice) and smile readily even though no one can see you
- Make sure you write down the name of the interviewer and any other details they may give you such as their phone number or directions on how to find them if they invite you for an interview
Your opening greeting
Think of an interview as a conversation where the interviewer and you are finding out more about each other. You must have met most of the requirements for the position for them to want to meet with you and now they want to find out more about you. The interview is your chance to shine!
As well as the way you look, the way you greet the interviewer will also be a very important part of the first impression you create. So be ready to exude warmth and confidence as soon as you see them. The key points to remember are:
- Smile
- Make eye contact with the interviewer or everyone on the panel and make sure all feel included
- Offer a hand to shake as soon as they introduce themselves
- Say “Hello”, “Pleased to meet you”, or whatever you feel most comfortable with
- Shake hands firmly (you can practice your handshake with a friend) – with all interviewers if there is more than one
- Wait to be invited before you sit down
The interviewer will generally chat for a couple of minutes at the start to put you at your ease. Be responsive, but remember that neither of you are there to chat. So when they ask, for example, how your journey was, they don’t want a blow by blow account of it. A friendly but brief response will do just fine. And if by chance it was horrendous, express the fact (if you mention it at all) with humour rather than sounding like your moaning.
During an interview projecting the right image
You must remember the importance of first impressions, although it doesn’t stop there, you have to continue to give the best possible impression throughout the interview. Quite apart from what you say, the way you say it will have a big impact on your interviewer’s opinion of you and whether you’re the best person for the position.
There’s no need to put on an act, just be yourself and your natural personality will have many different qualities, and you need to make sure it is the positive and relevant ones which stand out at interview. So projecting the right image is about being you, but using the behaviours which will most impress your interviewer.
Apart from answering the questions as positively as you can, there are a few other skills that will help you impress your interviewer. The manner in which you answer questions can be as important as the answers you give, so you need to deliver the whole package.
There are certain general guidelines for answering any question which you’ll need to follow. All of these are aimed at giving the interviewer a positive view of you as someone who is confident, capable and honest. During the interview remember the following key points to make a positive impression throughout;
- Look bright and attentive
- Be yourself and be honest
- Speak clearly and confidently and do not allow yourself to be discouraged
- Answer the question that is asked and do not volunteer irrelevant information
- Keep your answers concise and concentrate on the facts not opinions
- Quote your prepared examples of when you’ve used certain skills
- Make sure you understand the question and take your time if you need to think and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification
- Illustrate your answers with examples
- Sell yourself, be positive about yourself and your experiences
- Ask questions at the end – use it as an opportunity to find out more about the role and the company
- Treat the interviewer/s with respect and give them your undivided attention
- Adopt a similar tone to the interviewer. If they are very formal you need to follow suit. Be very wary of anything more than gentle humour unless your interviewer is injecting a lot of humour into the conversation (in which case you can laugh politely at their jokes – don’t burst into loud screaming laughter)
- Enjoy it
- Give the bulk of your attention to the person who asked the question you are answering
- When you come to ask questions of your own, direct them primarily at the person who is chairing the interview
Also be aware not to do the following throughout the meeting;
- Swear or use slang words
- Don’t look disinterested
- Lie! The interviewer may see through you. Even if you get the job, your employer can dismiss you if they find out
- Let your nerves show too much
- Arrogant and assume you’ve got the job. Nothing turns off employers more than someone who is disrespectful and over-confident
- Discuss controversial topics such as religion, politics and gender relations
- Read from notes or your CV. You should be familiar enough with your own history to be able to talk about it unprompted
- Criticise former employers or colleagues. Interviewers may mark you down as a troublemaker and a gossip
- Argue with the interviewer. Remember to keep things positive
- Don’t ask your interviewer questions about salary, holiday, sick pay etc. If you do this it looks as if you are only interested in the job for the money. If things are taken to the next stage you can discuss this then or when felt most appropriate
If you can minimise the likelihood of things going wrong, you will minimise your fears. The best thing to do is to rehearse as thoroughly as you can. Think through your replies to likely questions and tough ones and practise your answers in front of a mirror. Rehearse your opening greeting. Try your outfit on in advance if you haven’t worn it recently.
The five most important qualities
The five most important qualities where you need to demonstrate your suitability in each area to influence the interviewer in order are:
- Your personality, how you present yourself in the interview
- Your experience
- The qualifications you have for the position
- Your background and references
- The enthusiasm you have towards the organisation and position
How you come across in an interview is the single most important factor as to whether you get the job. Some of the essential qualities you need are:
Be responsive
Make an effort to give full (but not rambling) answers to your interviewers’ questions, and to volunteer relevant information. Don’t give one word answers, so if you are asked “I see you originally specialised in pensions” don’t just say “Yes” expand on your answer for example “Yes I did. In my first role I specialised in giving pension advice and found it very rewarding.
Be confident
Confidence is an attractive quality in a candidate so you need to show you have it. Interviewers won’t give a job to someone who put themselves down. However, this doesn’t mean you should be pushy and arrogant. If your interviewer says “So it’s a three years since you did any actual gave pensions advice” don’t say “I’m afraid so”. Say something along the lines of “Yes but I am still very knowledgable in this area as I take the time to keep up to date with new regulation.
Be energetic
People who project life and energy come across as so much more positive, capable and even inspiring than those who seem flat and sluggish. So stay upbeat, sit up straight, speak clearly and make eye contact (with all the interviewers if there’s more than one).
- Don’t perch on the edge of your chair. Sit well back in it – unless it’s a very deep, upholstered chair in which case there’s a danger of looking too relaxed if you get lost right in the back of it
- Sit with both feet on the floor, leaning slightly towards the interviewer – inquisitively
- Make frequent eye contact with the interviewer. If there is more than one of them, make eye contact with them all but look predominantly at whichever one asked the question you are about to answer
- Smile, it will help you relax and it will help you come across as a warm and friendly person, too
- Don’t hide your face with your hands
- Don’t give off defensive signals by crossing your arms and your legs
- Try to keep your hands still except when you’re gesturing
- Don’t play with your hair or put your hands in your pockets
- Wait for the interviewer to finish their question before you give your answer
Be enthusiastic
This is very closely related to being energetic and is on par with it. You can see that enthusiasm towards the job and the position is important to interviewers. The best way to transmit this enthusiasm is by seeming interested in what both you and the interviewer are saying. If you genuinely are interested, you shouldn’t find this too difficult – just make sure you let it show.
Body language
The way you come across visually can be as important as the way we come across verbally. When attending an interview you should sit as follows: So it’s worth knowing what the optimum body language signals are but don’t get hung up on them. If you are projecting the right qualities and feeling the appropriate emotions, the body language will follow naturally. But if you sense that you are flagging, that you sound less positive than you would like to, you can monitor your body language and adapt it in order to lift your mood and your verbal tone.
Types of questions
As well as specific questions there are general types of questions you need to be prepared for. Here’s a potential list:
- Hypothetical Questions – These ask “If x happened, what would you do?” The thing to recognise is that there isn’t necessarily a right or a wrong answer. The interviewer may be more interested in how you go about addressing the problem rather than the final outcome. It’s fine to pause and think for a moment before you answer.
- Technical Questions – If you are being interviewed for a technical post be ready for questions which ask you to take the interviewer through a problem or process. This may be a hypothetical situation they set or they may ask you to give an example from your own experience and take them through it in detail. So be ready for this kind of question, with examples prepared.
- Stress Questions – Some interviewers will deliberately try to rile you or put you under pressure as a test. They want to see how you respond to this type of treatment. Many people feel this kind of interviewing technique is ethically dubious and even question whether they want to work for someone who uses this tactic. But if you still want the job – and you may well feel that for the post you are applying for this interview method is justified – you’d better make sure you remain calm and pleasant no matter what the pressure.
Making an exit
The interviewer will signal when the interview is over. And just like any good sales person you may not expect to clinch a deal on the spot but you will at least want to agree the next step. So ask what happens next and when. You want to know whether there will be a second round of interviews, whether you’ll hear by phone or by letter, when they’ll be in touch and so on.
Apart from that when the interview ends, stand up, collect your things and leave promptly. Before you go, shake hands with the interviewer/s again. Thank them for seeing you and smile warmly (however you feel inside) and make a clean exit.
If the interviewer accompanies you to reception or to the main exit chatting as you go remember that you are still on show. Don’t be lulled by the official end to the interview into making any unguarded comments.
