Every now and then we like to pass on on a few words of wisdom. This month we wanted to take a look at how you can prepare for your interviews.
Preparation is the absolute key for interview success, along with expect to be asked the unexpected. In our long and illustrious careers as recruiters, we have heard all sorts of interview questions, such as the ‘famous dinner party’ and ‘if you were an animal’ questions, that always amuses the interviewer and often throws interviewees off their stride. Whilst, you cannot anticipate questions like this, you can anticipate what job related questions you may be asked. And, this is where a job description will come in handy.
1. A job description is a vital tool when it comes to anticipating what skills or work related questions you can expect and prepare for. For example, if the job description requires you to have strong problem solving skills and a background in Java development, it is fairly likely that you will be asked to give examples of when you have overcome complex problems, or how you may have solved a problem through the use of Java. Expect to be asked to walk the interviewer through examples of problems, highlighting where you worked as part of a team and as an individual, the action taken, along with the outcome. For senior level positions, you may want to consider questions, such as how you led change, and got the team working to a common goal.
TIP: Remember to ensure that you have a few case study examples to talk about.
TIP: Look at each skill and qualification required and turn it into a question.
2. Online networks are a fantastic way to research the interviewer and the company. They can give you a sense of the culture and types of people working at an organisation. Begin by reviewing the company’s recent activity and up and coming events. Look at press releases and recent blogs, to see what projects they have worked on, and consider if they have similar projects again, where you could fit into it. Look for ‘bio’s’ on the leading executives and interviewer, to give you an insight into the company message and mission statements.
Go one step further by looking at other people who work in the organisation. What background do they have? What skills do they list? Where were they educated? And consider, if they are different or similar to your own profile and what you could contribute within the team.
TIP: You can also get a sense of the person who will be interviewing you, by looking for common interests / work projects that will help build rapport with your interviewer.
3. Finally, consider putting together an action plan of the things you would like to accomplish in the first three to six months of your new job. Chunk it back to manageable bite-sized projects. Be realistic, but not too conservative. Preparing an action plan is a great way for you to envisage how you will fit into the role, and when asked during an interview “what will you bring to the company?”, will demonstrate that you have given serious thought to the role.
TIP: If you are applying for a leadership position, then consider using a PowerPoint Presentation, but keep it short and to the point.
TIP: Never leave anything to the last minute, always ensure you have done your research ahead of time. Take notes of the most important things that you have learned during you research to the interview, to act as a prompt.
Once you have all of your preparation material in place, keep reading it ahead of the big day. Knowing your example case studies off by heart, along with the interviewers name (particularly if slightly unusual)…with give you one less thing to worry about on the day.
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