Information to help you in your search for a perfect position

Interview Guidelines

-Creating an Interview Strategy

-The Key to Interview Success

-Common Interview Questions

-Essential Homework

-The Day of the Interview

-Interview Tips/Ideas/Questions

-CV Template

Creating an Interview Strategy

In initial interviews, the most important thing is to try to relax and maintain your composure. This will allow you to listen properly to the interviewer and fully understand what you are being asked before replying. You should give prompt and complete answers to questions – try to avoid “trailing off” at the end of sentences. You can prepare and practice answers to common interview questions in advance: this will give you confidence.

When you feel more self-confident, you can begin to develop a strategy for interviews. One ploy is to make your speech rhythm or body language mirror that of the interviewer. He or she will not notice if you do this subtly, but will automatically feel that you are on the same wavelength, and will be more comfortable conversing with you.

You could also fine-tune your answers according to the type of organisation to which you are applying. If you are being interviewed for a position at a company that emphasises teamwork and is involved in a highly competitive industry, then you can describe your participation in team sports and explain how much you enjoy working together with others to achieve success and outclass your opponents.

When recruiting professional staff, companies generally hold a number of rounds of interviews. The first interview is used to eliminate unsuitable applicants and select the most promising candidates. Your goal for the initial interview is therefore to make yourself stand out from the other contenders by highlighting a unique personal attribute. You should focus on a major trait or talent that you have and subtly refer to it whenever possible during the course of the interview.

In subsequent meetings, employers do not look for individual strengths, but weaknesses – i.e. reasons not to employ you. You should therefore listen very carefully to the questions you are asked in order to identify what the interviewer’s concerns are and to alleviate these.