Help with interviews
If you are invited to an interview it means you have passed the first hurdle. It is important to prepare yourself for the interview to make sure you make the most of the opportunity. It may be useful to plan your journey to make sure you get to the interview on time. The vast majority of job interviews are perfectly straightforward – you attend the interview and everything goes well, but there are a few simple common sense rules that you should always remember for your own safety.
Interview Preparation
Help with preparing for an interview
Getting invited to an interview means you’ve passed the first hurdle – your application must have made a good impression. Well Done!
Now you need to prepare yourself for the interview to make sure you don’t waste the opportunity.
Before the day – Gather information
Find out about the employer and the job – you could ask the employer if they have an information pack or speak to people you know who work or have worked for the company. Try to find out the answer to the following questions:
- What do they do/make/sell?
- Who are their customers?
- What sort of organisation are they?
- Financial information – turnover, profits etc.
- What exactly will the job involve?
- What sort of person do you think they want?
- How can you best fit your skills to match the job?
Plan for the interview – Then think about the interview itself:
- Who will be interviewing?
- If it is your prospective manager, the interview may be more detailed.
- If the Personnel Manager is interviewing, it may be less direct or detailed, but could still be testing.
- Will there be a test to take?
- Find out before the interview and ask for an example of the things you’ll be asked to do.
- If you have a disability, contact the employer prior to the interview if you require any particular arrangements. Check the day before to ensure details have been noted prior to your arrival.
Other types of interview
Not all interviews will follow the same one-to-one model. You may have to face other interview situations.
The following gives a brief outline of some of the different types of interview.
Panel Interview
The panels are often made up of two or more members, for example Personnel Officer and Head of Section/Foreman/Supervisor
Try not to be intimidated by this situation. Look at the person asking the question, and glance at the others occasionally as you reply. Remember the decision will be made by more than one person which in turn could increase you chance of success
Competency-based Interview
These interviews are designed to allow you to demonstrate your level of competency in key areas of the job. You may be asked to discuss examples of your previous work and achievements. The examples you give should be different from those on your original Application Form. Before the interview you will need to list the competencies needed for the job and think about things you have done which illustrate each one.Group Interviews
You may be invited to be assessed as part of a group. This is to test how you might work as part of a team. Be prepared to take an active part in the discussion/task and put forward your ideas in an assertive but not aggressive way.
Skills Tests
These are designed to measure the level of your knowledge, or understanding of the job, such as typing test, driving tests, manual dexterity, etc. Find out what the test will involve and try to practice before the interview.
Personality Tests
You could face questions on your thoughts, feelings and behaviour in certain situations.
There is no such thing as a right or wrong answer as the overall picture is what is important. The end result is a personality rating used to see if the person fits the job advertised. Analysis of these tests is highly skilled and may be used by larger organisations to supplement other recruitment methods.
Aptitude Tests
These are designed to predict how well you might do certain tasks. They test abilities such as reasoning with words/number/diagrams; problem-solving; following instructions. These are usually set as a test paper which you have to complete within a set time limit. You can try to improve your ability to do these tests by answering or completing practice tests.
Dealing with the unexpected
The following situations can cause problems but being prepared may help you deal with them if they arise.
The unprepared interviewer
Not all employers have had training or are experienced in interviewing people. They could be just as nervous as you are about the situation. You might find yourself being talked at and given little opportunity to sell yourself. This may mean waiting for a gap in the conversation and taking the lead during the interview (but not taking over!)
Delays and interruption
Don’t become impatient if the Employer keeps you waiting. They may have good reasons for this, so try to keep calm. If the interviewer is interrupted – for instanced by a Telephone call – offer to leave the room.
Uncomfortable surroundings
If you find yourself being interviewed in unsuitable surroundings such as a busy public area, or noisy part of a factory – again, keep calm and try to do your best. You could ask the Employer if you could go elsewhere but you will have to use your own judgement as to whether this request would be acceptable.