At some stage of everyone’s life comes the time for an interview. Some people only attend 3 or 4 interviews throughout their entire career – others may attend 34.
Whatever the number may be, we all know everyone has different feelings and different ways of approaching interviews. Regardless of your feelings and or fears, the most successful interviews are ones that you have been most prepared for.
Realising that no two interviews are the same, you should aim to get the most out of the opportunity that is right in front of you. The opportunity to sell your skills, knowledge and experience to a potential employer.
How you respond to the questions or test situations raised can result in you walking away with the job, or looking for other opportunities and putting this interview down to experience.
Some of the simplest questions can be the hardest to answer. Some examples of typical interview questions may be:
- “So, tell us about yourself?” – This may be rather basic yet catch you by surprise. Always try to keep your answers short and to the point. Never start with the classical “um, ah, hmm” – appear confident and talk about your most positive and interesting attributes and achievements.
- “What do you know about our company” – researching the company and industry shows your dedication and genuine interest in obtaining a position there. This is a very imprudent yet common mistake that is repeatedly made.
- “What is your biggest weakness” – this is the ultimate trap. A future employer wants to know any areas you may need to develop or improve on. . Be honest and state your weakness as a positive e.g. “I have high attention to detail – my colleagues often get annoyed but I can’t send something to a client without it being proofread and edited correctly.” Turn your weakness into a strength.
- “What is your reason for wanting to move on” – although you may not be happy with your current workplace – never bad mouth or speak in a negative way about your current organisation or employees. Express that you would like a change, there may be some restructuring in your current workplace, you may want to be more challenged, take the next step in your career, work for a larger organisation etc.
- “Recently this happened – how would you handle this situation?” – When answering scenario questions draw upon your past experience with a relative situation. Identify your managerial skills, your great work habits and ethics, your ability to handle pressure, your problem solving skills, your drive to achieve and overcome each situation in the most efficient and effective way possible.
The more prepared and confident you are, the more chances you have of obtaining the role. So do as much research as possible and practice your answers. Remember – there is no such thing as a second impression, so present the best you can and you will succeed.
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