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Interview Tips and Techniques
MAKING THE SELECTION STAGE FOR A JOB IS ONE HURDLE - NAILING THE INTERVIEW IS ANOTHER. WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME INTERVIEW TIPS & TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.
If you have been asked to attend an interview with an employer, you have already passed the initial stage of the selection process and been deemed to be a potential fit for the role, even if on paper.
The importance of being 100% truthful on your CV is absolutely paramount and you must ensure that everything written on your CV refers to your own personal experience and skill set. (See Resume Writing Tips).
An interview has a number of different objectives and can often be conducted using different styles and techniques.
Preparation is very important and now easier than ever with the use of the internet, (LinkedIn, other social media, company websites, YouTube etc.)
Should your interview be arranged through ourselves, your consultant at Orbital will give you some insightful information about who you will be meeting, the environment and what the role involves.
ONLINE VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Check your camera and mic are working properly to the interview. Be familiar with the platform being used by the interviewer (Teams, Google Meet, Zoom etc)
Being late doesn’t make a good impression and it is recommended you join the meeting a minute or two early in order to ensure camera angle, backdrop, mic and camera are working properly.
Locate yourself in a quiet, well-lit room. Look to have the camera directly facing your eyes and body from the front at an elevated eye contact height if possible with your full head and upper body/shoulders in the video frame
MEETING FACE TO FACE
Research interview destination, possible travel routes and allow plenty of time to get there. Allow for walking, queuing for tickets, delayed public transport and traffic on the roads. If you arrive early, you can relax, ultimately being better prepared, you will make a much better representation of yourself, however being rushed or later can cause unnecessary stress and start you off at a disadvantage.
Greet the interviewer with a firm but not crippling handshake and maintain eye contact when being introduced.
WHAT TO ASK
Prepare any questions that you might wish to ask about the role in case they are not covered throughout the meeting.
THE INTERVIEW
You have been invited to the interview because they feel that you match the role they are looking to fill. The interviewer wants the interview to go well, and they want to hire the best person for the job.
Throughout any interview there are a number of factors that will be being assessed – These can include:
- Your strengths and weaknesses.
- Evaluating your qualifications.
- Skills.
- The integrity of your CV.
- Attitude, aptitude, motivations, stability and other personal attributes.
Many organisations opt to conduct what are called competency based questions, these questions will cover a number of core areas relevant to the organisation and role, you being asked for specific examples of when you have faced certain situations or dilemmas.
The interviewer will be looking for you to answer in a manner which explains the situation, the task, the actions you took / input you had, and the end result / outcome. It is important to always talk about I, they want to understand the role you played, not (we) the entire team, however it is also important to explain how you worked as part of a team in given situations.
We recommend researching the STAR technique when practising competency-based questions.
S – Situation
T – Task
A – Action
R – Result
Log on or arrive on time or just a few minutes early. Do not arrive too early and of course never late.
Your interview starts as soon as you pick up the phone, log on to your video meet or walk through the door. Turn your phone off, always be polite, professional and be aware of your body language.
Never interrupt the interviewer. Listening skills are just as important as verbal communication skills.
In situations where there is more than one person conducting the interview, ensure that you engage with all those in the room and not just to one person.
Answer questions in a clear, concise and factual manner and make your answers specifically about yourself. Be to the point and give good examples. Do not get side tracked and go off on a tangent.
Conduct yourself in a confident manner but ensure that you are not arrogant. Everyone should be open to learning and change and no one knows everything.
It is recommended that you do not enquire about salary, holidays, bonuses in the initial interview.
As part of your pre-interview preparation – make sure you can answer these questions.
- What do you know about this company and the role we are looking to fill? If using a good recruiter they should brief you fully.
- What are your long-term aspirations and goals?
- How would others describe you?
- What are your main strengths and weaknesses?
- What would make you stand out from the crowd?
- What are the reasons for your previous roles finishing?
- How do you like to be managed?
- Can you give me some examples of where you have worked well in a team and on your own?
If you like the role and are interested, you must let the interviewer know.
The interviewer will often take some time to reflect on your interview to make a judgement before talking with your Orbital representative. We will speak to you first to gauge your feedback before talking to the client.
Always thank the interviewer for their time and for the opportunity to meet with them.
Call your Orbital Consultant straight away to discuss how the interview went.
If you have any afterthought, feel free to contact discuss this with your consultant, who can then pass on to the interviewer.
Do not contact the company/interviewer direct and always communicate via your Orbital representative. Clients do not wish to be contacted directly until after a position has been offered.