Interview Tips

How to Impress Your Interviewer

The purpose of the interview is firstly to see if you match the requirements of the role and will include personal qualities, how well you express yourself, your motivation and your level of enthusiasm.

Preparation:

Find out what you can about the company – your Morson consultant will be able to tell you what your role is about and will either have information available or tell you where to find it (e.g. a company’s website). The internet is usually the best place to research a company but if you do not have internet access, ring the company and ask for a brochure. Having a good knowledge of the company shows you are genuinely interested in the job and can be worked into questions about what attracted you to the role.

Know exactly what the role entails (again, your Morson consultant should be able to help you out).

Ask your Morson consultant about the interview – they’re there to get you through the process as effectively as possible. Ask: what format the interview will take, if there will be more than one interviewer and the name and role of the interviewer.

Try to anticipate questions, and prepare your answers accordingly. Ask your Morson International consultant for a mock interview to make sure you are as prepared as possible.

Remind yourself why you want the job; try to pick out exactly what it is that interests you.

Be sure to have a thorough knowledge of what your C.V. contains and make notes on the points you feel could be relevant to the interview or that show you in a particularly good light.

Prepare questions to ask your interviewer; try to make them prove your interest in the role and/or company.

On the day:

Get there early! Try to get there about fifteen minutes in advance. If you are thirsty, ask for a glass of water. If you need the toilet, ask where the toilet is. You do not want to arrive harassed or be uncomfortable during the interview. Give yourself time to relax and centre your thoughts.

Dress smart. Wearing a suit may make you feel over-dressed but it is better to be too smart than not smart enough.

Be polite to everybody you meet – not only could you be working with them one day soon, you may meet the MD or CEO and not realise who it is!

When in the interview, keep eye contact with the person you are speaking to. If there is more than one person, look at the person who is talking and, when answering, the person who asked the question.

Sit up straight and try to keep your body language open. Folding your arms can be defensive and slouching looks lazy - be aware of what others may see when they look at you.

Types of interview:

Competency based interviews

These are used regularly and you are expected to give detailed examples of when you have shown certain attributes. These will usually be along the lines of ‘Describe a situation where you had to...’:

Show leadership
Make a difficult decision
Work as part of a team
Show initiative
Overcome an obstacle
Refuse to compromise
Work with others to solve a problem

These are popular questions but by no means the only examples you could be asked to give. You should pick out the key competencies in the job description and plan an answer in advance, using the ‘CAR’ format:

CONTEXT: What was the situation you found yourself in and what was the specific task you had to achieve?

ACTION: What action did you take?

RESULT: What was the outcome of your action?

DO NOT exaggerate your role or make something up – you will most likely be unprepared for further, related questions if you have fabricated your answer.

If you need to think your answers through, take the time to do so. A pause before answering a question is fine.

‘Traditional’ Interview

Traditional interviews are like conversations with a purpose. When answering questions, do so in a way that shows you are right for the job. Questions will be based largely around your CV so be prepared to tie your experience in with the question. You can give examples even if you are not asked for one, e.g. ‘Can you cope under pressure’ can be opened up with ‘Yes because in my previous job...’.

Popular questions in traditional interviews include:

Why do you want this job?
Why do you want to join our organisation?
Describe a situation where you have worked in a team.
Describe a situation when you have lead a team.
What are your weaknesses?
What interests you about this position?
What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
Why are you seeking a new job?
Why should we hire you?

Turn negative questions into positives. Perhaps show how you have worked to overcome weaknesses (e.g. you found using computers difficult so signed up to an I.T. course)

Follow the link and use the ‘random interview question’ tab at the top of the page to see perfect answers to over 100 randomly generated questions:
http://www.interviewquestionsandanswers.com/interview-question.php

Targeted Interviews

Targeted Interviews are especially specific to the job. The questions your interviewer asks will prove:

If you are able to perform the tasks the role requires
If your proficiency level, acquired knowledge and individual characteristics enable you to perform the tasks laid out in the job description
If you can do the job
If you have the knowledge, skills and personal attributes to allow you to do the job

In interviews such as these it is exceptionally important to have a strong knowledge of the role, the company and the industry sector.