The Way to a Successful Interview
- 1. The Way to A Successful Interview A Recruiter’s Inside Guide
- 2. In this Interview guide we will walk you through the steps you will need to take to ensure that; when you put the phone down or walk out of that interview room, you are left feeling positive about how it all went and whatever happens you did your absolute best. From the first initial call from the Recruitment Specialist, through to an interview with the Hiring Manager, we will give you the tools you need to be well prepared.
- 3. Applying for a position with a company Your Resume Should…. • Be a professional document which truly reflects your skills, experience, who you are and what you do For Each Position you should…. • Tailor a cover letter which addresses the job criteria and how your skills, experience and attributes meet these requirements. Once you have submitted your application, be sure to save a copy of the advert. Online advertisements will be removed once the application timeframe has closed.
- 4. The Telephone Interview Prepare yourself… • Be sure to convey your relevant skills and experience in line with the position criteria. • Understanding what sort of questions they are going to ask you and what sort of information they are hoping to gather.
- 5. Standard questions When the Recruitment Specialist calls you in regards to a position you need to ensure You feel confident that you remember: • The role • The Company • Why you applied for the position • Be able to articulate your relevant skills and experience If the call catches you off guard, do not worry. Simply thank them for their call and request that you call them back shortly, confirm a time and take their details.
- 6. Standard Questions • What are you working rights; are you on a VISA which enables you to work in that country, do you have Permanent Residency or are you a citizen? • How did your hear about the position and have you previously interviewed with the company? • What experience do you have relevant to the role? (The recruiter will want you to walk them through your career. Be briefly descriptive yet focus on relevant experience, you will only have a short time to do so.) • What qualifications do you have? • What are your motivations for applying for the position and why are you interested in working for the company? • What are your future career objectives? Do not be afraid to say you are not sure yet, however, follow up with; ‘but I would like to progress further and I would be open to opportunities which allowed me to do so as I feel I could add value to the organisation.
- 7. Standard Questions • What is your notice period? • Do you have any upcoming holidays? • What is your availability to start if successful? • Are there any conflicts of interest with your application i.e. do you own a consultancy company on the side? • Have you applied for any other roles? (Be upfront it you have, they will respect your honesty. Be careful though to only be open about roles that you have been contacted about or think you might get contacted for.) • What is your current salary? (this is so that they can understand where you sit in the market and whether you would be open to negotiation. At this point you may ask if they are at will to disclose the salary, if not don’t push. Whilst money is important you should be driven by the opportunity.) It is imperative that you call the Recruiter back when you say you will. Only call them once and leave a message, they will call you back as soon as they can. Most people have caller ID and needless to say when they see they have 15 missed calls from the same number it doesn't look the best.
- 8. Interview with Hiring Manager You may ask the recruiter these relevant questions √ How many people will be attending on the day? √ How long will the interview go for? √ Is there anything that I need to bring with me? √ Would they mind sending you a copy of the advertisement with the interview confirmation, so you may fully prepare beforehand? etc. Questions which are not relevant and should not be asked are; х How many people are you interviewing? х What do you think my chances are? х How much money are you paying? etc
- 9. Interview With the hiring manager At this stage it is too early in the process to begin asking questions around remuneration and benefits. • A good Recruiter will talk you through what will happen on the day of the interview • Who will be there • How long it will go • Where it is The Recruitment Specialist will describe a company’s interview structure and style • A popular method with large organisations which is now beginning to be adopted by many smaller companies is; behavioural interviewing combined with competency based questions, some specific positions may require you to do a presentation also.
- 10. The best way to prepare for an interview of any kind is to ensure that you are 100% familiar with the information stated in the advert. • Brief description of the Company • The function of the position • The key responsibilities of the role • The Technical and non-technical skill set the preferred candidate should possess • The companies values and preferred candidates personal attributes Go through each point of the advert and look for synergies with your own experience. Pose each of these points to yourself as a question and using your experience answer it.
- 11. Star Technique Follow the STAR technique included in this guide when practicing the answers to your questions. • Situation – Describe a particular work related circumstance. • Task - Describe the particular task you were undertaking. • Action – Describe your actions • Result – Describe the outcome of your actions and the overall result of the situation This technique or ones similar are most likely to be used during the interview itself, so it is important that you have taken the time to remember the details of relevant events
- 12. Highly Advised preparation Research the company thoroughly • Know what the business is about and the recent ventures it has been involved in, is a local or global company. • Where does it sit in its specific market, how is it tracking with its projects etc. • Know what the company’s values are, as there will normally be a question or two related to these or behavioural questions written to be in line with them. • The company will be assessing to see how your personal values match with theirs and whether you are a good culture fit for the company. You will not normally be quizzed on this in the interview but do not be surprised if you are asked what you know about the company.
- 13. The Interview This is the perfect time to ask questions. Make sure you have a list of questions prepared. Keep it brief, about three is sufficient. Some standard questions which are appropriate to ask are; • What do you see as the key challenges of this role? • What would you be expecting of the successful candidate in the first 3 - 6 months? • I feel I have a good understanding of the role but can you provide a brief insight into how you feel it fits into the bigger organisation/project. • In regards to the team you manage can you provide an insight into the size and make up of responsibilities? • What do you think are the key challenges of this project and how can this role help to make a difference?
- 14. The Interview Typical standard questions you may be asked in a face to face (or formal telephone) interview are: • Career overview and key achievements • Safety - if it is a mining/resources/oil & gas company they will always ask this. • Technical questions related to the key responsibilities of the role behavioural/soft skills questions related to the key criteria of the role • Company values • Role motivation and career aspirations o Focus on your relevant experience in line with the position o Keep your overview to 5/10 mins - You will have many other questions to answer in order to get your experience and skills across o Describe a relevant career achievement Do not read from your resume, you should be able to highlight your experience and tell the interviewers more than what they can read on paper
- 15. Safety If you are applying for a role within a mining/resources or oil & gas company then you can guarantee that there will be a question based on safety In the mining/ resources and oil & gas industry organisations take office safety as seriously as field safety, so make sure you do not show/ demonstrate your indifference to it. They are assessing your attitude towards safety and that you care, they do not expect you to be a HES professional (unless you are one) but they will want to know you take it seriously.
- 16. Motivations Your motivations for applying for the role you are interviewing for, why you want to work for the company and what your longer term career aspirations are. • This question tells the interviewers more about you, your drivers and your attitude, so be careful how you answer it. • The simple rule is, do not be negative or problem focused, instead be positive and solution focused. The question is NOT "Why do you not want to work where you currently are?" • Why you want the job (not the company, not any job, THAT specific job) • What do you think you can bring to the role and how can you add value • Talk about the company and why personally you are driven to work for them • What you want to do longer term, do you have a set career goal you are working towards? • Talk about your shorter term goals to achieve this. (At the same time if you do not know which direction you want to take be honest about that.)
- 17. Interview Behaviour and EtiqueBe 1. Try to be flexible with interview times: Try to be flexible as this shows that you are keen for the opportunity and can be adaptable 2. Research the interview panel: Once you have the names of the interviewers, it is helpful for you to know who you will be meeting and where they have come from as they may be things in common and you will know how to better present information to them. 3. Name dropping mutual contacts only: If you notice that you have a mutual contact then you can casually drop a name during the interview if it links to a relevant example or company you worked for. 4. Note taking prior and during the interview: prepare and have notes which you can refer to if there is an opportunity to, but know them well enough that you do not need to rely on them if they are not permitted
- 18. Interview Behaviour and EtiqueBe 5. Language used including the universal “we”: It is very important that you consider the language that you use during an interview. “WE” does not tell the interviewers what you particularly did and what you are capable of. On the other hand, those who refer to ‘I’ throughout the interview can be perceived as egotistical and not someone who recognises the value of their team members. 6. Listening - Be sure you listen to the interview questions carefully: When the interviewer is asking a question and pull out the key criteria you need to address. If you feel that you haven't got a grasp of the question, ask the interviewer to repeat the question.
- 19. Interview Behaviour and EtiqueBe 7. Engage with everyone in the room and make eye contact: Make sure to make eye contact when talking to people, don't look at your hands or feet. Be interested and show it. 8. Time Keeping: It is important to be clear and concise with your answers, on average you will only have approximately 4 - 5 minutes to respond to each question. Being brief is really all about practicing and making sure that what you are saying is relevant, on point and follows the STAR technique. 9.Asking questions of the panel: Be sure that you always ask a couple of questions, you should already have these prepared but you may find that you have through of some others throughout the interview. Close out the interview by thanking them for their time and the opportunity to meet with them.
- 20. Interview Do’s and Don’ts Do’s • Be prepared for the telephone interview with the Recruiter, have a saved copy of the advert and your resume at hand. • Ask the Recruiter for a better time to discuss the role if you are not in a position to speak with them, but be sure to call them back at the exact time you say you will. • Ask the Recruiter appropriate questions about the recruitment process and nature of the interview. • Prepare for your interview thoroughly, using the information provided by the recruiter and the description of the position on the advertisement. • Consider the STAR technique when preparing your examples which you may use in the interview Prepare notes for your interview but do not be reliant on them, you may not be able to use them in the interview. Ask the recruiter if it is ok if you refer to them. • Be sure to listen to the interview question, jot down notes and consider the main criteria. • Be engaging, make sure you engage with everyone in the room not just the hiring manager. All of the interviewers will be provided their thoughts and feedback on your skills, experience and culture fit. • Practice your examples and time them, remember; do not waffle, do not go into too much detail, be relevant and consider the STAR technique. • Be honest and respectful at all times during the recruitment process, no matter who you are liaising with.
- 21. Interview Do’s and Don’ts Don’ts • Do not ask the Recruiter or panel inappropriate questions about remuneration, benefits or about other candidates. • Do not be late for your interview, always arrive early to the general interview location and approx. 5 minutes early to the actual interview. • Do not attend the interview in non-appropriate clothing, if unsure ask the interviewer if it is smart business, business casual or casual. • Do not make jokes, you never know the full background of the panel and who might be offended. • Be aware of body language, this can speak louder than words so make sure to sit upright and be present and engaging with the room.
- 22. Pro Resume Write wishes you all the best for your interview! Think you could use help with your resume? Let our team of specialists conduct a free resume health check by simply emailing your resume to info@proresumewrite.com or review our website full services/prices as well as testimonials from our previous customers.