In the thousands of interviews we’ve been through, La Crème consultants have learned a thing or two about interviewing successfully. Drawing on our extensive experience, we’ve put together the following countdown to success. A few days before the interview - The most important thing you can do is to discuss the interview with your La Creme consultant and take on board what they have to say.
- Do your own research on-line about the company to really give yourself the edge in the interview.
- Go over the job description again to see exactly what they’re looking for.
- Go over your CV again and look at how your skills and achievements match the job description.
Read the following interview questions and think about what you would say to make a positive impression. Remember you want to be concise, relevant and positive. You are trying to show how your experience, skills and achievements match their job description. - Write a few notes and practise saying the answers aloud.
These are some likely questions: Can you tell me a little something about yourself
Keep your answer to less than five minutes. Describe your qualifications, career history and skills, emphasising everything that’s relevant to the job on offer. Tell us about a recent achievement?
Identify the skills you used in the achievement and the benefit it had to the company. Try to be as specific as possible. Are you happy with your career so far?
The answer should be 'yes', followed by a brief explanation. Tell us about a difficult situation you’ve faced.
You want to show logical problem-solving and highlight your skills. Don’t choose a work problem that you caused. Explain in a few sentences how you defined the problem, what the options were, why you selected the one you did and what the outcome was. Always end on a positive note. What do you like about your present job?
Make sure that the things you like about your job match the skills required for the job on offer. What do you dislike about your present job?
Be careful not to say too much here. Don’t be too specific about people or processes you currently work with. Choose a characteristic of your present company, such as its size or location or sector that is different to the job being offered. “It’s too far from where I live” is a good answer if the new company is located closer to your home. What are your strengths?
This is one question that you know you are going to get so there is no excuse for being unprepared. Concentrate on your main skills as related to the job description e.g. your ability to learn quickly, determination to succeed, positive attitude, your ability to relate to people and achieve a common goal. You may be asked to give examples so be prepared. What is your greatest weakness?
Don’t pick something that is on the job description. For example, if they state that they want someone with great attention-to-detail; don’t say you can be careless. Why do you want to leave your current employer?
Say how you are looking for new challenges, more responsibility, experience or a change of environment. Do not be negative in your reasons for leaving or mention money. What are your goals? Or where do you see yourself in five years time?
It’s best to talk about both short-term and long-term goals. Talk about the kind of job you’d eventually like to do and the various steps you’ll need to get there, relating this in some way back to the position you’re interviewing for. Show the employer you have ambition, and that you have the determination to make the most of every job you have. Why should we hire you? Why have you applied for this particular job?
Other common interview questions to think about beforehand How does your job fit in to your department and company? What do you enjoy about this industry? Give an example of when you have worked under pressure. What kinds of people do you like working with? Give me an example of when your work was criticised. Give me an example of when you have felt anger at work. How did you cope and did you still perform a good job? What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with? Give me an example of when you have had to face a conflict of interest at work. Tell me about the last time you disagreed with your boss. Give me an example of when you haven't got on with others. Do you prefer to work alone or in a group? Why? This organisation is very different to your current employer - how do you think you are going to fit in? What are you looking for in a company? How do you measure your own performance? What kind of pressures have you encountered at work? Are you a self-starter? Give me examples to demonstrate this? What changes in the workplace have caused you difficulty and why? How do you feel about working long hours and/or weekends? Give me an example of when you have been out of your depth. What have you failed to achieve to date? What can you bring to this organisation?
Finally, think about a question you are going to ask them if they ask if you have any questions. You need to have something up your sleeve based on your research about the company. The day before the interview Check the address and plan your route giving yourself plenty of time to get there without being flustered. Plan your outfit. Remember a well-groomed, professional appearance is essential. Anything else will detract from the best possible presentation you can make. That means don’t show too much flesh, don’t accessorise too flashily or wear too much makeup or jewellery.
The night before the interview
The interview itself The single most important thing you can do is to establish a good rapport with your interviewer/s. You can do this with a firm handshake, good eye contact, a warm smile, good posture, and introducing yourself in a relaxed and confident manner. Remember to speak slowly and try not to fidget. Your interviewer/s will lead the pace and ask the questions, but it’s important that you bring up your specific skills and achievements that are relevant to the role and the organisation. Your interview is your chance to make a positive impression. Find opportunities in the interview to highlight your attributes that are relevant to the position.
After the interview
After the interview call your recruitment consultant as soon as possible and tell us how it went. We want to do everything we can to help you find the right job, and your feedback is an essential part of that process. Your La Creme consultant wants to help you succeed at interviewing so please ask if there’s anything we can help you with. |