6 job interview tips to help you pass your next job interview.
Need more support? Scroll down to access 101 job interview questions
Job Interview Tip #1
Focus on criteria, not confidence
The biggest mistake job applicants make is not referencing enough of the job criteria in the job interview. Instead, they focus on small talk, having a quick response and asking the interviewer mundane questions about salaries and annual leave.
Criteria is king in the job interview
Ignore it at your own demise
Job Interview Tip #2
Posture creates perfection
Candidates look confident when their posture is perfect. A straight back, head held high and relaxed use of gestures results in an impression of confidence
Confidence creates authority, authority results in job offers
Job Interview Tip #3
High performing answers show value
Giving everyday examples for technical questions doesnt cut the mustard. To stand out, always present ‘best performing’ answers. Each answer should state an industry-related problem that would cause a major disruption, before blowing the interviewer away by explaining how only you could save the day.
High performing answers create high performing employees
Job Interview Tip #4
Self-promotion isn’t only good, it’s expected
If you don’t self-promote in a job interview, the interview is dead. Interview self-promotion is gold. To be successful in the job interview you must always state clearly what it is you can bring to the team, your unique selling point.
Self-promote for a promotion
Job Interview Tip #5
Dress to impress
Your interview outfit is your armor. What you wear creates that all-important first impression. Your outfit, haircut, scent, everything about you helps to showcase you at your best.
Your armor needs to shine
Job Interview Tip #6
Worry about self-disclosed weaknesses
The biggest barrier to interview success is self-disclosed weakness. Stop giving away information that will ruin your job interview. Focus on strengths, not weaknesses. Focus on successes, not failures. Focus on the good, not the bad.
Employers hire people for their strengths, not their weaknesses
The structured job interview is based on academic research to support organisations to recruit the most suitable applicant for an advertised role. Applicants knowing (or believing) they meet the job criteria and/or possess additional expertise (unique selling point) can still receive a high job interview fail rate, rarely gaining job offers.
Download a PDF version of this article here (no references): IPG No References
Structured Job Interview
In the main, organisations use the structured interview process as the principal intervention to make a decision on which applicant to offer an advertised position to. “The employment interview remains the most widely accepted method for employee selection” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000) Two key types of structured interviews include: behavioral interview and situational interview. “Structure has been defined as “the degree of discretion that an interviewer is allowed in conducting the interview and can accordingly be characterized by the degree of standardization of interview questions, interview administration and response scoring.” (Ingold et al., 2014)
In each structured interview, the interviewer will ask each candidate the same, on average, 6-10 job interview questions. “There are several variations to structured interviewing, all of which share a reliance on job analysis, consistent questioning, and anchored, numeric scoring.” (SIMONS, 1995). The interviewees’ replies are recorded and scored on an interview score sheet, with the quality of the answer being awarded a score based on a point system. “Suppose you are a front-desk manager and you have an idea for a change in reservations procedures to reduce errors, but there is a problem in that some members of your staff are against any type of change. What do you do in this situation? Excellent answers: “Explain the change and try to show the benefits’; and “Discuss it openly in a meeting’ Score — 5 Good answers: “Ask them why they are against change’; and “Try to convince them ” Score = 3 Marginal answer: “Fire them .’ Score = 1” (SIMONS, 1995) Post interview, the candidate’s interview question scores are collated and the highest scoring candidate, as long as the interviewee has met the minimum scoring benchmark, is offered the position.
The two types of structured interview questions; behavioral and situational, frame the interview question based on either past behaviours or potential actions for future situations. The goal here is to ensure the type of interview questions used support the interview panel to choose the ‘best’ candidate for the advertised job role. “When selecting employees, organizations can strive to select candidates who can or candidates who will do the best job.” (Klehe and Latham, 2006)
Which structured interview question is most suitable? “Based on the assumption that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, Janz (1989) argued that “the more long-standing the applicant’s behavior pattern in the past, the more likely it will predict behavior in the future.” (Klehe and Latham, 2006) But in a world where more career professionals job-hop, due to the changing landscape of job sectors, not all interviewees will have direct previous experience. “Behavioral questions, however, are of limited usefulness when candidates are not experienced at the type of job for which they are applying. This limitation in some cases might unfairly influence the interview performance of youthful or nontraditional candidates” (SIMONS, 1995)
By asking questions about a future scenario, the interviewer can gain an understanding of the applicant’s approach to situations, therefore identifying the interviewee’s relevant skills and abilities “Situational interviews take an approach similar to that of behavioral interviews, but the questions asked are hypothetical, future-oriented questions.” (SIMONS, 1995)
From the applicant’s perspective, to increase successful job interview outcomes, they need to be aware of how they are perceived by the employer and how this perception affects their interview performance. “We know, for example that the more an applicant is similar to the interviewer, the more highly the applicant will be rated higher on likable, competence, and confidence” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
The interview prediction grid provides a basis to compare two equally required job interview criteria; sector knowledge/experience (KE) and level of confidence (LoC)
The decision of where an interviewee is placed on the ‘interview prediction grid’ needs to account for their behaviour in a job interview, not in the workplace. Environmental factors play a large part in the level of competence and confidence. “an implied assumption is most research on employment interviews is that interviewers assess, not provoke, applicant behaviour during interviews. Recent theoretical models (Jablin & McComb, 1984) and empirical work (eg Philips & Dipboye, 1989) suggest that interviewer behaviour may influence applicant behaviour” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993)
In the workplace, an employee may possess high levels of sector knowledge and feel confident completing task(s), but if, in the job interview, they are unable to express their sector experience and competencies (as a result of interview stress or being interviewed by either a cold or expert interviewer) and/or lack job interview confidence, the job interview outcome will be based on this fiction, not the reality of the applicant’s real value in terms of what they can offer a new employer. “Considerable research has found that candidates who are anxious in the job interview receive significantly lower ratings of interview performance and are less likely to be hired for the job” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
Successful job interview applicants possess or are perceived to have high levels of sector knowledge/experience relevant to the position they are applying for, and high levels of confidence in a job interview environment. The combined score of KE vs LoC changes the interviewer’s perspective of the applicant, creating an ‘interview identity’. The perspective or ‘interview identity’, which is created unconsciously, acts as a filter; a positive ‘interview identity’ filters each interview answer through a positive (high levels of likability) filter and vice versa for a negative filter “Furthermore, once an impression of another is formed it necessarily will influence our behavior toward that individual. In fact, our behavior may be affected in such a way that we may unwittingly cause that individual to behave, act, or appear in a manner that is consistent with out expectations. In other words, our first impressions can often lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
The interview prediction grid (IPG) highlights how an interviewer(s) perceives the interviewee based on their job interview behavior. The perception, which can be predicted using the IPG, is an indication of the potential outcome of the job interview. “Taken together, these biases in person perception and their subsequent effects on interaction behavior lead to the conclusion that the most obvious threat to the validity of an evaluation based on a structured interview is the immediate snap judgment that is often made very early on in the interview process, or perhaps even prior to it’s onset. It is not only possible, it is likely that the final evaluations made by interviewers will be determined in large part, or at least anchored, by the first impression, which may have been formed at the initial handshake and introduction” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
Generic Overview of the Interview Prediction Grid Outcomes
Low/Low;Low Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
Incompetent; low/low interviewees can come across as weak, lacking in skill and unemployable due to displaying negative verbal cues. “For anxious interviewees, the ability to portray a positive impression may be especially compromised if such individuals are exhibiting negative cues” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Employers are aware that if they do recruit a low/low employee they will be required to spend time supporting and developing this individual.
The interviewee’s high anxiety levels result in a poor performance with interview answers lacking specifics as the applicant fails to identify the required job criteria. Furthermore, low/low interviewees will deliver an answer with excessive filler words. “Several studies have found that interviewers can and do form impressions of interviewees based on their nonverbal, verbal, and even vocal cues in the job interview” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Due to low knowledge/experience, interview questions are answered incorrectly as the interviewee misinterprets the meaning of the interview question. “Candidates should understand exactly what the employer is looking for, be able to compare their abilities with the hiring company’s needs, and gauge how well they fit the position’s requirements.” (Meyer, Michael F; 1999)
Low/low applicants are mainly successful when applying for voluntary positions, but for paid roles, the job offers tend to be given to applicants with either a higher level of knowledge/experience and/or higher levels of confidence.
Low/High;Low Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
Deceitful; low/high interviewees will often say a lot without saying anything at all. High levels of confidence will help build rapport initially, but the likability factor can quickly diminish if the interviewer becomes aware of the interviewee’s lack of knowledge/experience shown through a lack of job criteria understanding. “We found that interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria scores were not only positively related to their interview performance, but also predicted job performance as rated by their supervisors.” (Ingold et al., 2014)
Confidence, especially when an individual identifies themselves as a valuable asset, can result in a person relying on their persona to pass the job interview. “Conversely, individuals with high self-esteem would be expected to externalise the interviewer’s behaviour and perform at nearly the same level regardless of the interviewers behaviour” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993)
Once a lack of knowledge/experience is uncovered, the interviewer may feel the interviewee has misrepresented themselves, causing the interviewer concerns over the applicant’s potential appointment. “Previous research suggests that interviewers typically weight negative information more heavily than positive because they fear being criticized for making false positive selection errors” (RYNES and GERHART, 1990)
A low/high applicant can have success in low skilled job interviews, but for medium-skilled positions, depending on the level of job role/interviewer, the interview scoring process can uncover a lack of sector-specific insight. The structured interview is designed to uncover a lack of experience/knowledge and to predict how an applicant would act within a workplace. “Based on goal-setting theory (Locke & Latham, 1990), the SI relies on the assumption that intentions predict behavior” (Ingold et al., 2014)
High/Low;High Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
Uninterested; high/low applicants may have a positive interest in the organisation/role which is hidden through their nervousness, creating the perspective of lacking interest. “Unfortunately, there are many factors that can misguide a manager’s “gut feel.” First, your personal assessment of the applicant’s intelligence, reliability, and interpersonal skills is apt to be influenced by whether you like the applicant” (SIMONS, 1995)
Low confidence results in short interview answers that deflect the interviewer’s awareness from the interviewee’s high level of knowledge/experience. “It could be the case that anxious interviewees engage in cues such as verbal fillers, speaking in a monotone voice or fidgeting, resulting in lower interview performance ratings” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
For high/low interviewees, the low level of confidence can overpower their high level of knowledge/experience. Repeated short answers and moments of awkward silence decrease the applicant’s likability. “For example, socially anxious individuals tend to self-disclose less, select safe discussion topics, conform to others, nod their head, and show less dissent” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
With an understanding of the job criteria and possessing varied sector experience to back up their claim of being employable, high/low candidates should score high during the interview process. The job interview doesn’t only score applicants on their skill set and experience as interviewers are influenced by ‘likability’ and ‘motivation.’ “More recently, Van Iddekinge, Raymark, and Roth (2005) outlined several features of structured interviews which support the notion that both of these interview formats assess an interviewee’s motivation. Specifically, the diverse cognitive demands placed on interviewees during the interview likely mitigate them giving socially desirable responses (e.g., the challenge of conceiving reply-distortions that are consistent with what the receiver might already know, time constraints, and the need to maintain an ongoing positive interaction with an interviewer)” (Klehe and Latham, 2006)
Expert job interviewers, asking for specific details/examples, can see-through the nervousness and gain an insight into the applicant’s knowledge/experience. Even with the additional prompts, many high/low interviewees fail to gain a successful job interview outcome for high-level positions or high paid medium level roles but can be successful in a recruitment campaign for average pay medium posts.
High/High;High Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
Employable; high/high applicants are viewed by the employer as highly employable. Being high/high allows the interviewee to deliver strong power answers that give detailed descriptions (including examples) for the stated question. “When an interviewer likes a candidate, that feeling most often leads to an impression of competence and intelligence, known as the halo effect. This effect occurs when an interviewer unwittingly assumes that a candidate’s positive impression or presentation in one area indicates abilities in other areas” (SIMONS, 1995)
The high level of confidence allows the applicant to create a conversational style interview, where the interviewee will often ask the employer questions throughout the job interview. “According to person perception researchers, individuals communicate information through their expressive behavior that enables others to construct an accurate representation of them. Similarly, in the job interview context, researchers have suggested that interviewers also can make valid trait inferences and that such inferences guide interviewers’ judgments of candidate suitability” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). Being over-confident in one’s own abilities can create a persona that doesn’t match reality, which an expert interviewer will see-through. “Related to confidence is overconfidence, which has been defined by Koriat, Lichtenstein, and Fischhoff (1980) as “an unwarranted belief in the correctness of one’s answers” (Kausel, Culbertson and Madrid, 2016)
More importantly, high/high applicants are self-promoters. “Self-praise involves highlighting one’s positive attributes, e.g., repeatedly alluding to one’s specific talents (i.e., bragging).” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) Promoting one’s self increases the interviewer’s awareness of the applicant’s skill set, how they meet the job criteria, and what they can bring to the team. Interviewers (especially in the western world) view self-promoting applicants as strong candidates. “In particular, it seems that initial reactions to self-promoters are actually positive. We suspect that this initial (even if temporary) advantage may be sufficient enough to promote success in short-term contexts such as job interviews” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The high level of knowledge/experience also shows the value of recruiting a high/high individual, as they will often give solutions to stated problems, build on employers ideas and state sector-specific updates which could include, as an example; industry trends, new technology or how their sector is affected by global and/or local issues and events. “Specifically, ATIC (ability to identify criteria) enables interviewees to provide more evaluation-relevant answers, experiences, and behaviors, which in turn may lead to more successful performance in the selection situation. Furthermore, it has been argued that this ability is important not only in the interview and other selection procedures (e.g., assessment centers), but on the job as well” (Ingold et al., 2014)
Over self-promotion does have a negative effect. “Nonetheless, there are limits to the use of self-presentation. For example, self-promotion does not engender liking). Conversely, although it may increase liking, tactical modesty does not necessarily benefit perceptions of competence” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) As long as rapport is good, expressing confidence in your abilities will increase job offers. “Empirical evidence confirms that greater use of self-presentation tactics fosters positive interviewer evaluations” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
At the extreme high/high interviewees can come across as overbearing and self-centered which, in some cases, can ruin the chance of a job offer, especially when in competition with another more charming high/high applicant. “A key element may be the persistence exhibited by chronic self-promoters. Recent studies have shown how relentless narcissists can be. They won’t back down on their exaggerations even in light of concrete contradictory evidence” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The consistent self-promotion of a high/high interviewee, in the main, will increase likability. But the tactics used by high confident applicants aren’t consistent in all job interviews. The level of knowledge/expertise and the level of confidence of the interviewer plays a key role in the impact of candidates, including high/high interviewees. “In short, there is no guarantee that engaging in self-promotion will result in success. Similarly, ingratiation is a tricky tactic to carry out successfully. Humor, for example, can backfire.” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) and goes on to say: “Obvious or excessive attempts to manipulate or influence create a defensive response and a negative evaluation”
The first axes indicate a person’s perceived level of knowledge and experience, on a scale of 2-8;
8 – High K/E.
6 – Medium K/E
4 – Sufficient K/E
2 – Low K/E
An applicant’s level of confidence within the job interview environment is represented by the second axes, using a 2-8 scale;
8 – High LoC
6 – Medium LoC
4 – Sufficient LoC
2 – Low LoC
Job Interview Identity
Sector knowledge and experience are seen by many employers as the key criteria in the job specification. “It has been argued that the pre-interview impressions of job candidates can influence an interviewer’s post-interview evaluation by influencing how the interviewer conducts the interview or by causing the interviewer to interpret the information collected during the interview in a manner that is consistent with their initial impression” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000) Even in graduate job roles, employers request that applicants have a ‘particular’ level of knowledge and experience. Low skilled jobs are the same, with many minimum wage positions requiring a level of soft skill knowledge; customer service skills, communication skills, teamwork.
Not having high levels of K/E, or not being able to express a high level of K/E, for the applicant’s job level (low, medium, or high skilled positions) weakens the interviewee’s job application outcome. “Although past research has criticized the interview process because interviewer evaluations do not predict supervisor ratings, promotion, training success or tenure, it is important to remember that the interview can not reflect how successful or unsuccessful the rejected candidates would have performed the job if hired.” (Bernieri, Frank; 2000)
Being able to communicate a high level of K/E can add value, if framed correctly, especially for medium-high level positions. “Self-promotion is designed to impress an audience with one’s competence. It includes self-enhancement and specific self-praise” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013) Experience, as an example, can be communicated in a variety of ways; stating experience (and facts), giving examples (storytelling) and future projection (explaining how your experience will create a positive outcome for the recruiter’s company)
The frame of the interview answer, and how this answer is conveyed, impacts the employer’sperspective. “Rather than hiding their mistakes, candidates involved in a failed venture should focus on what the experience taught them” (Meyer, Michael F; 1999) Levels of confidence plays a key role here, as high/high candidates are more likely to use detailed storytelling and future projection when answering interview questions, compared to a low/low applicant who often states experiences and facts.
A person’s level of confidence influences their behaviour and attitudes. “research indicates that people with low self-esteem are more likely than those with high self-esteem to internalise negative feedback” (Liden, Martin and Parsons, 1993) Confidence is communicated through a person’s body language, gestures, tonality, how they represent themselves, even the way a person dresses. “Nevertheless, a consistent finding across studies is that interviewees believe that their anxiety is more transparent to interviewers than is actually the case (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015).
Interviewers are repeatedly impressed with high confident applicants as rapport is easy to build. “Another proven strategy is ingratiation, i.e., appearing likable. This strategy creates an affective halo that brightens a wide range of other judgments” (Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda; 2015). As decisions are created emotionally this likability factor plays a key part when it comes to organisational recruitment. “Recent research findings suggest that emotions are a powerful determinant of impression formation, and they complement or sometimes even override the influence of cognitions” (Pingitore, Dugoni, Tindale and Spring, 1994)
Many biasesaffect job appointments; from attractiveness to obesity, late arrivals, and the candidate’s level of confidence. “Once a category (e.g., obese) has been triggered by a particular person, the emotion associated with the category remains associated with the person even when other contradictory information is presented” (Pingitore, Dugoni, Tindale and Spring, 1994)
At one end of the scale is an individual with high levels of anxiety and low self-esteem, and at the other end is, what is known as ‘overconfident’ -someone who believes so much in themselves that their perspective can alter their reality; they may believe they are better than others who have more skills, experience or knowledge and will even challenge an expert interviewer. “The reaction of self-promoters, although predictable from the literature, seems less rational: They chose to augment their self-enhancement when faced with an expert interviewer” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
As with low confidence, high confidence can also be a barrier to employment, as an interviewer can feel threatened or may see through the confident ‘mask’ of a low/high interviewee. In this sense, high levels of confidence, which improves self-promotion, doesn’t always increase desire but can lower it, unless the job sector, such as high-risk and high-stress roles, actively recruit egocentric personnel. “Instead of a universally optimal personality style, the evidence suggests that specific presentation styles flourish in specific contexts” (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez and Harms, 2013)
The identity created from the combined score of experience/knowledge vs level of confidence can help predict the level of position a job hunter will receive. It is highly unlikely, as an example, that a 2/2 – inadequate interviewee would secure a high skilled position.
To be offered a medium or high skilled position, applicants need to exhibit their level of knowledge/experience, as particular job roles require a certain level of expertise. Therefore any interviewee with a 2-4 scale of knowledge/experience, no matter their level of confidence, (unless they can dupe the interviewer, which high levels of confident applicants can do) won’t be able to evidence the essential criteria required for a successful applicant.
Low/Low; Low Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
2/2 – Inadequate
As the lowest score on the IPG, it is highly unlikely that a 2/2 – inadequate interviewee, coming across as lacking the required criteria (competence and confidence) will be offered a paid position. In fact, many voluntary interviewers, unless they feel they have resources to support a 2/2 – inadequate applicant, will also refuse an offer of unpaid employment, as the employer, due to a lack of rapport, will stop looking for potential and instead will be hoping to terminate the interview at the earliest stage.
2/4 – Inexpert
Showing a lack of experience/knowledge creates a persona of being inexpert. Inexpert, at this level, includes soft skills; communication, teamwork, problem-solving. Voluntary employers may recruit a 2/4 – inexpert, due to the interviewees ‘sufficient’ level of confidence – as this shows potential, only if the pool of applicants is low. Employers will be aware of the interviewee’s nervousness and lack of sector experience, which affects the job interview outcome, but some organisations could be willing to spend time to develop the applicant once employed.
4/2 – Amateurish
The 4/2 – amateurish interviewee may highlight their ‘sufficient’ level of knowledge/experience (at this level of job role the knowledge/experience includes soft skills; communication, teamwork, problem-solving) during the job interview question and answer process, but each answer is delivered in an unskilled way, due to a low level of confidence. The employer will get a gist of the meaning of their answer but, depending on how the answer has been delivered (often lacking substance), the meaning will often be misunderstood creating the impression of ‘amateurish.’ A ‘cold’ interview will further reduce the applicant’s confidence which can result in a poor interview performance.
4/4 – Unprofessional
Out of all the low/low identities, the 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee is the most likely job applicant, in this segment, to be offered a paid position. But compared to other applicants from the additional three segments, the 4/4 – unprofessional applicant will be seen as a weaker candidate. The employer will be aware of the 4/4 – unprofessional applicants’ knowledge/experience level, as the 4/4 – unprofessional has a ‘sufficient’ level of confidence that allows the interviewee to give a more detailed reply to job interview questions. This detail, allows the interviewer to gain an understanding of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. In most recruitment campaigns a 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee will be seen as below the required level of standard for paid employment, but for some large recruitment drives and/or for large organisations and for voluntary employers, who have the time to support a new recruit, the 4/4 – unprofessional interviewee can have a successful interview outcome.
Low/High;Low Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
2/6 – Insincere
Confidence is an advantage in a job interview, as referred to in the high/high segment, but when combined with low knowledge/experience, the increased self-assurance can be seen as hollow – you talk the talk but can you walk the walk? Often ‘medium’ confident individuals will make up for their lack of knowledge/experience by increasing verbal communication without making reference to the job criteria, confusing the interviewer. Unlike their ‘high’ confident counterpart, who can use their persona to influence the interview outcome with a non-expert interviewer, the 2/6 – insecure interviewee doesn’t have the required level of confidence to sway the interviewers opinion. This is because their lack of knowledge/experience puts them on the back foot and this realization can reduce their confidence during the job interview itself. Depending on the interviewer, the ‘medium’ confidence level is enough to secure some job offers above the low skilled job level, but in most cases, the lack of expertise results only in low skilled positions.
2/8 – Dishonest
Possessing the highest level of confidence and the lowest level of knowledge/experience increases verbal diarrhea. The distance between the two axes; low knowledge/experience and high levels of confidence, sends off warning signals to the employer, creating the feeling of distrust. The 2/8 dishonest interviewee will answer interview questions quickly, assertively and confidently, to cover up their lack of knowledge/experience, but this approach comes across as false, especially if the applicant states confidently that they possess a skill/experience that they don’t have. As we have discussed, self-promotion and rapport building influences the job interview, and hiring decisions are often based on initial impressions, with this in mind a 2/8 dishonest interviewee can be viewed to be more employable than they actually are, especially if the interviewee isn’t an ‘expert’. The overconfident interviewee may believe they would be an asset to any organisation but without having a higher level of expertise it is unlikely, but not impossible, that they would be offered any position above a low skilled role, due to the scoring system of the structured job interview.
4/6 – Misguided
The interview process is designed to uncover the interviewee’s strengths and weaknesses, through a series of questions. With a ‘sufficient’ level of experience/knowledge and a ‘medium’ level of confidence, the 4/6 – misguided applicant can often believe, due to the ‘medium’ confidence level, that they are entitled to a higher-level position. This belief is unwarranted, as many other interview identities possess the same or higher level of confidence along with a higher level of expertise. A 4/6 – misguided interviewee may have had previous successes winning low-skilled positions (as a ‘medium’ level of confidence can increase job offers, especially against ‘sufficient’ confident level applicants), but employers recruiting medium-skilled workers demand a particular set of essential criteria. It is often the lack of ability to identify the job criteria, and therefore present the relevant skills embedded within the job interview answer(s), that is the downfall for a 4/6 – misguided applicant applying for any role above a low skilled position.
4/8 – Pretender
Being self-assured, especially in a job interview, is a positive attribute as it increases self-promotions, but there is a fine line between a high level of confidence and being overbearing. Most 4/8 – pretender interviewees believe they should be offered the position, as they possess ‘sufficient’ sector knowledge/experience and, due to high levels of confidence (or in most cases overconfidence) believe they can learn what they don’t already know. Being overconfident in the correctness of their interview answers can ruin the applicant’s job chances, especially is the interviewer is an ‘expert’ in their field. Against other low/high applicants and for low skilled roles, the 4/8 – pretender will often be triumphant in the job interview, but against confident interviewees with more industry knowledge, they are unlikely to be successful. The 4/8 – pretender, when applying for medium-skilled positions, will claim to know more about the role/sector without being able to back this up with evidence. A trained interviewer will spot the lies through the question and answer process, but an inexperienced interviewer may be duped, due to the candidate’s assertiveness and presence, into recruiting an unsuitable staff member.
High/Low;High Knowledge/Experience and Low Level of Confidence.
6/2 – Unresponsive
The lack of confidence for a 6/2 – unresponsive interviewee outweighs their ‘medium’ level of knowledge/experience, leading to short snappy answers that lack detail. Some employers will encourage the interviewee throughout the question and answer process, and even hint that they require more information, but the anxiety of a job interview can result in a poor performance that will make the interviewer remember them for the wrong reasons “we gave them every chance to answer the interview questions.” Many interviewers will create a bias at the interview start based on the candidate’s obvious nervousness that will influence the hiring decision. It is the 6/2 – unresponsive interviewees consistent lack of good answers that results in regular job offer rejections. Against more confident high/low applicants applying for medium-level positions, the 6/2 – unresponsive interviewee will often fail unless they possess a unique desirable skill that they can express during the job interview. It is the lack of confidence that results in the 6/2 – unresponsive sometimes working in positions below their level of knowledge/experience.
6/4 – Indifferent
Possessing a ‘medium’ level of knowledge/experience makes an applicant more employable as the candidate can identify the required criteria for the desired position. A ‘sufficient’ level of confidence allows some ‘good’ answers to come through, highlighting the applicant’s knowledge/experience, but this level of quality answer is sporadic. The result of the sporadic level of quality answers, when answering job interview questions, comes across as if the 6/4 – indifferent interviewee isn’t interested in the position they are applying for, as the applicant answers some questions with detail and others with, from the employer’s viewpoint, a lack of effort/interest. The 6/4 – indifferent applicant can have success if the ‘good answers’ are for the key criteria job interview questions. 6/4 – indifferent interviewee often performs well when all the interview questions relate easily to their direct experience, but when the questions are framed outside of their area of expertise, they struggle to reply confidently which affects the employers perspective of their employability value.
8/2 – Bored
Interviewers can sense when an applicant has high levels of K/E (in this case the highest level of K/E within the high/low segment) as sector terminology, industry references, and specific details used by the applicant gives unconscious clues to the interview panel. But the low level of confidence for an 8/2 – bored interviewee can come across as though they aren’t interested in the position, even though they are. This perceived lack of interest kills the likability factor which will influence the job interview outcome. It is often the monotone voice with an unchanging pitch and/or the short snappy answers which creates this negative illusion. It is rare for an employer to recruit such an employee for a ‘medium’ level position, as they believe that anyone who is ‘bored’ in a job interview will surely be bored if they were offered the position. Many employers will recognise that the interviewee is lacking in confidence and will support the applicant throughout the interview, requesting for more details and/or examples, but if the nervous applicant fails to state the required criteria for the job role, the interviewer has little choice but to mark them low on the interview scorecard.
8/4 – Aloof
A cool and distant interviewee, created through a ‘high’ knowledge/experience and ‘sufficient’ confidence level, can be viewed as distant. The 8/4 – aloof applicant is the highest scorer in the high/low segment, with some 8/4 – aloof career professionals looking to move from medium level positions to high level roles (or high paid medium level jobs) At this level of job role, the interviewers are likely to be experts and therefore are likely to have high levels of confidence in their ability. We know from research that interviewees will receive more job offers when the interviewer finds commonality with the applicant. If the applicant being interviewed by a confident interviewer, themselves lack confidence, rapport will be broken. Employers are looking for a new team member that will ‘fit-in’ with the team dynamics and the company culture. Anyone who sits outside of this image; the aloof applicant, can be viewed as potentially harmful if allowed to join a current group of motivated employees (especially in managerial roles) The 8/4 – aloof applicant, because they possess a ‘sufficient’ level of confidence can give enough detail to interview questions, allowing the employer to be aware of their ‘high’ level of knowledge/experience. But each answer lacks the specifics and/or a confident delivery that decreases the likability factor, creating a sense of ‘distance’ between the applicant and interviewer. The employer will put the lack of detailed answers down to nervousness or character, but when applying for high paid medium level positions, organisations are expecting applicants to have the communication skills and confidence levels to be able to express themselves clearly.
High/High;High Knowledge/Experience and High Level of Confidence.
6/6 – Self-assured
All high/high interviewees are employable. The 6/6 – self-assured applicant will easily build rapport with a job interviewer as their ‘medium’ confidence level and knowledge/experience is expressed with industry-related anecdotes and detailed examples. Being ‘medium’ in both knowledge/experience and level of confidence, the 6/6 – self-assured individual is aware of their own abilities and expresses this well. Within the high/high segment, the 6/6 – self-assured applicant is the lowest high/high quadrant, but this does not always mean they will be unsuccessful against other high/high interviewees as some applicants with an 8-level of confidence can overplay their hand. But the reality is that a 6/6 self-assured career professional is often at the beginning of their senior-level career, applying for roles against other, more experienced, high/high applicants.
6/8 – Charismatic
Interviewers have a hard time when all applicants are high/high candidates. With each interviewee having ‘medium’ to ‘high’ knowledge/experiences, it is often the smallest of things that can change the job interview outcome. Decisions are made at the emotional level, not logically. It is this reason why the 6/8 – charismatic applicant can have, in some interviews, an advantage over the 8/6 -optimistic interviewee. Their ‘medium’ rather than ‘high’ level of knowledge/experience, twinned with their ‘high’ level of confidence creates a charming effect. The ‘medium’ knowledge/experience means that not every answer if perfect. This lack of perfection, combined with a natural confident delivery, increases rapport as the illusion of vulnerability and/or authenticity is created. Interviewers, due to making emotional decisions, buy-in to the individual, not the polished, faultless, and often robotic presentation of other high/high applicants. 6/8 – charismatic applicants have to be careful not to fall into the trap of sticking to their guns when challenged by an expert interviewer on a particular point they themselves are not an expert in, as this lack of high levels of knowledge/experience along with an argumentative approach (due to having a high level of confidence) can break the charismatic spell.
8/6 – Optimistic
Often 8/6 – optimistic career professionals will possess over 10 yrs industry experience; they are experts in their field but humble enough not over-egg their high-level skill set, experiences and unique selling point, due to being a ‘medium’ confidence level rather than a ‘high’, as we will see with the 8/8 – egocentric. Of all 16 interview identities, the 8/6 – optimistic is more likely to be consistent with receiving job offers. The employability factor comes down to having specialist skills and knowledge gained over a vast period of time (high level of knowledge/experience) and being able to identify the job criteria. It is unlikely that the 8/6 – optimistic interviewee won’t have an example or two to each asked interview question. Further, they are able to state sector models, theories, and give additional information that will add value while informing the interview panel (an example would be how the increase/decrease of the global economy will impact their sector.) Interviewers will often be impressed with the 8/6 – optimistic presence; as they come across calm, collected, and confident, without being too overbearing.
8/8 – Egocentric
Possessing both high knowledge/experience and level of confidence doesn’t always make the 8/8 – egocentric applicant the most likely interviewee to gain an offer of employment. In fact, their overconfidence in their ability (which is likely to be true due to having, on average over 10yrs+ industry experience and a specialist skillset) comes across as domineering, compared to the 8/6 – charismatic applicant. The extreme 8/8 – egocentric truly believe they are better than other interviewees and often the interviewers themselves, and will show off their knowledge/experience throughout the job interview, even arguing over a minor point with the employer. On the interview score-sheet, the 8/8 – egocentric interviewee scores high, as they genuinely have experiences/knowledge that would add value to an organisation. 8/8 – egocentric, at the extreme can be narcissistic; they will self-promote which increases a positive job interview outcome, but they won’t back down on a point they have made even when presented with contradictory evidence. As alluded to previously, decisions are made emotionally, not logically. If purely a logical decision, the 8/8 – egocentric career professional would, in most cases, be offered the position, but as some interviewers feel threatened by the overbearing 8/8 – egocentric and/or feel annoyed by their self-centered appearance, the emotional judgment of an interviewer plays a large part in the interview scoring process.
Summary
The article set out to increase interviewees’ awareness of the psychology in play during the job interview, including unconscious bias, and how they, due to their level of knowledge/expertise and level of confidence, are viewed by the interviewer through an ‘interview identity.’
Research has shown how first impressions created by the interviewee’s communication, appearance, and confidence levels affect the interviewer’s judgment creating a filter or bias that affects the job interview outcome. Possessing a high level of knowledge/experience alone is not enough to increase job offers. Confidence, often highlighted through self-promotion is seen as ‘positive’ in the job interview (even expected). Confidence, which improves likeability, will increase the prospect of a successful interview but alone this isn’t enough as research shows how being able to identify job criteria (which comes from having high levels of knowledge/experience) improves interview performance, as answers relate directly to the scoring requirements on the scorecard. It is a combination of medium to high levels of knowledge/experience and confidence that increases the likelihood of potential job offers.
Bernieri, Frank. (2000). The importance of first impressions in a job interview.
Ingold, P., Kleinmann, M., König, C., Melchers, K. and Van Iddekinge, C., 2014. Why do Situational Interviews Predict Job Performance? The Role of Interviewees’ Ability to Identify Criteria. Journal of Business and Psychology, 30(2).
SIMONS, T., 1995. Interviewing job applicants? How to get beyond first impressions. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 36(6).
Klehe, U. and Latham, G., 2006. What Would You Do—Really or Ideally? Constructs Underlying the Behavior Description Interview and the Situational Interview in Predicting Typical Versus Maximum Performance. Human Performance, 19(4).
Liden, R., Martin, C. and Parsons, C., 1993. INTERVIEWER AND APPLICANT BEHAVIORS IN EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWS. Academy of Management Journal, 36(2).
Powell, Deborah & Feiler, Amanda. (2015). Behavioral Expression of Job Interview Anxiety. Journal of Business and Psychology. in press. 10.1007/s10869-015-9403-z.
RYNES, S. and GERHART, B., 1990. INTERVIEWER ASSESSMENTS OF APPLICANT “FIT”: AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION. Personnel Psychology, 43(1).
Paulhus, D., Westlake, B., Calvez, S. and Harms, P., 2013. Self-presentation style in job interviews: the role of personality and culture. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(10).
Kausel, E., Culbertson, S. and Madrid, H., 2016. Overconfidence in personnel selection: When and why unstructured interview information can hurt hiring decisions. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 137.
Meyer, Michael F. “Improving job interview skills.” Healthcare Financial Management, vol. 53, no. 9, Sept. 1999, p. 64+. Gale Academic OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A55834431/AONE?u=ccm_jisc&sid=AONE&xid=4536d0ba. Accessed 23 June 2020.
Pingitore, R., Dugoni, B., Tindale, R. and Spring, B., 1994. Bias against overweight job applicants in a simulated employment interview. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(6).
Christopher Delaney is an experience careers advisor and interview coach and published author; The 73 Rules for Influencing the Interview
With the increasing competition in the job market, job interviews never seem to get any easier. With every next job interview you need to sell yourself and your skills, and often have to hear some embarrassing remarks.
That said, there are a few ways that can make the entire job process interview a less painful one. Only a little planning can go a long way. In fact, the more time you prepare yourself for an interview in advance, the higher you feel more comfortable during the actual interview.
Getting done with job interviews is not as difficult as you may think. Rather, you simply need to do your homework in inquiring about the organization, see precisely what they are searching for in a new hire, and make sure you’re ready to discuss your experience and what makes you a perfect fit for the vacancy.
Essentially, a well-designed game plan is crucial to get hired!
Here are five job interview tips you need that will hopefully get you hired faster.
Prepare well in advance
The first and the foremost thing you need to make sure you is that you are completely prepared for the big day. The easiest way to start is by reviewing all the typical job interview questions the employer asks, and prepare your responses. Good responses are those that are precise and completely specific to the question asked.
Go through the job description; check out all the requirements and find relevancies to your experience. Make sure that your experience and education are directly relevant to the vacant job position so that you can prepare yourself in the best way. Also, don’t forget to have at least one or two questions to ask the interviewer, as you will most probably be asked if you have any questions. And when you don’t have any, it’s a turnoff for hiring managers.
Research about the company
It’s all important to research about the company you have an interview scheduled. Make sure you do your homework and know whatever you can before you are being asked the all-important and repetitive question, “What do you know about our company?
It’s recommended never to go to a job interview without having the information about the company’s history, mission, and its values. Therefore, check out all the available information online and gather information precisely what you need to know.
Be ready and be on time
You can make or break on the interview so make sure you are completely ready and leave nothing for the interview day. Get everything ready from your outfit to copies of your resume a night before.
In addition, make sure you reach the interview location on time. For that, plan your route ahead of time and leave some margin for any sort of unexpected delays. Don’t forget to give yourself some extra minutes so you can calm your nerves and check your outfit.
Create a first Strong Impression and be calm
Unquestionably, the first impression you give to your interviewer counts a lot. A confident handshake, good eye contact, and a confident smile can create a strong impression. Moreover, matching your dress style to that of the company is a really good idea. In most cases, a formal dress code works pretty well on most job interviews. Also, it projects your personality and charisma.
On the other hand, you may be asked tough questions in your interview sessions so make sure to stay calm and relax as possible. A cool and calm body language will allow you to exude confidence. While a less confident one will make you look jittery.
If you need a moment to think and answer a question, it’s totally fine rather sounding nervous answering the question.
Keep It Simple
Job interviews are a good way to express your abilities and experiences relating to a job. Therefore, don’t make things completed in any way. Answer to the point and keep things simple. And make sure you don’t confuse or mislead the interviewer as it will do more harm than good.
Author Bio:
Kirsten Pike is recruitment specialists who also carry great writing skills. She is currently associated with 6 Pound Essay – a well-known online academic writing company operating from the UK. Over the year of her professional career, she has assisted hundreds of students to do exceptionally well at a number of academic papers.
Everyone talks about how the first ten seconds of a job interview is the most important – well they are wrong and here’s why
So what is this 10-second rule in a job interview all about? The interviewer comes to the reception to invite you into the interview room, it is in this initial meeting when the first impression is received.
Many job interview coaches will tell you “make a good impression in the first 10 seconds and the rest is easy” Well the 10-second rule is a lie and even when you make a good first impression that doesn’t mean the job interview will be easy, it only means that the interviewers will listen to your job interview answers more favourable …without even knowing it
Is the 10 Second Rule a Lie?
A psychologist will tell you the truth about the 10-second rule; that its a lie.
Because first impressions are made in milliseconds.
That’s right, the first impression is made instantaneous.
The subconscious will take billions of pieces of information; your stance, hairstyle, posture, micro facial expressions, the colour of your interview clothes, the material of said clothes, your voice, tonality, the words you say…the list does go on a bit so I will stop there. And without conscious awareness creates a first impression – the interviewer will feel an emotional association to you – this could be positive or negative
Make The First Impression a Good One…
Here’s a great trick to help improve your first impression.
So, I’m not going to say dress in a nice suit blah blah blah…if you’re not already doing the basics stop reading this blog.
When you arrive at your interview, you will, in most situations, be greeted by the receptionist. The receptionist will take your name and you will be asked to take a seat until the interviewer is ready to collect you.
Most people, in this situation, will sit nervously thinking (thinking is an internal process) about how they can sell themselves. This is bad because if you start thinking like this you are sure to increase your nerves – not a good start.
Secondly, when the interviewer comes to meet you, what do they find someone daydreaming – not a good first impression.
Ask the receptionist about her day? I know not what you expected? Follow this up with more questions – basically get the receptionist into a conversation with you (you could even ask questions about the organisation to see if you would like to work there)
What happens now is that when the interviewer arrives to greet you, their first impression is a friendly, confident and professional person engaged in a conversation – that’s just the conscious first impression.
Remember we said that the subconscious makes an automatic first impression in milliseconds based on, well, everything about you.
When you are involved in a conversation your body language to your voice is more charismatic compared to when you are sat nervously in a waiting room chair. The interviewers subconscious will be screaming they’re amazing, hire them now – well not quite but you can see how this simple strategy creates a better first impression
If you were a hypnotist could you simply hypnotize the job interviewer into offering you a job?
Hypnosis is all about suggestion. In hypnosis, you use various language patterns to embed suggestions ensuring your subject think in a certain way.
In this article, you will learn several easy to use hypnotic language patterns that can be tailored in a job interview environment.
Hypnotic Language Patterns for Job Interviews
If I asked you to repeat “Black, White, Orange” several times, then asked you to name a vegetable – the first vegetable that popped into your head, around 80% would say “carrot” as the colour exercise linked the colour orange with an orange vegetable (there aren’t many black or white vegetables)
This is ‘priming’ Your thoughts are influenced by what we see and hear around us. And what you think about effects what you notice. In the job interview, we want the interviewer to notice, well search for your best qualities – we want them to associate positiveness to you.
If you use a variety of positive strength words when describing yourself (when answering the interview questions) the interviewer will naturally start to look for your qualities, strengths and positive characteristics.
Create Sentence That Are Accepted Without Question
I know you’re excited to learn this compliance technique, but before I go on, there are two things I need to share with you first. This is an example of an acceptance sentence. Let me ask you, did you question the opening statement? “I know you’re excited to learn this compliance technique…” Most people didn’t, they accepted it and wondered what the “two things” are.
You can embed this type of compliance sentence in your job interview answer. Heres an example that you can tailor for your industry
“You may be thinking about how I will increase your profits within the first 3 months of being employed. If I explain what I did in my last organisation you will have a better idea of how I will tailor this strategy to increase your profits…..go on to give a real example”
The employer wasn’t, in all likelihood, thinking about how you will increase their profits, but this statement will be taken as red. They will now think about you and what you can achieve and believe that this was on their own accord.
It’s the same psychology as when I say, “Don’t think about a pink elephant.” To make sense of my words, you have to visually think of a pink elephant.
When given a positive statement “I can do X” the interviewer can easily have doubt in the intention. In the job interview environment, you need to ensure that doubt is left outside the interview room.
To ensure there is no doubt you need to always give an explanation to any statement. In hypnosis, we call this “linking” link one statement to another using a linking word such as “because”
You can see the power of this simple linkage here
“I always achieve my targets.”
“I always achieve my targets because I have three years’ experience in the sales industry.”
With a reason for the statement, the interviewer doesn’t need to think, they simply believe what you are suggesting
This article is quick and simple. It will teach you one amazing psychology trick to give you, the interviewee, the upper hand in the job interview.
Every job interviewer is tasked with finding the most suitable applicant for the advertised position. The recruitment process is designed to get rid of any unsuitable applicants, leaving the interviewer a small group, on average 6-8 applicants, to choose from
Suitable Applicants
Each of the applicants will meet the essential criteria; They will have the required qualifications, experience and they would have demonstrated, through their application form, that they possess the required skills for the job they are applying for.
What I am saying is that everyone who is applying for the position will be similar to you in terms of suitability. So what will make the employer recruit one suitable person over another?
The answer is likeability and first impressions. This psychological technique will ensure the employer has high levels of rapport with you and sees you in a favorable light, right from the interview start.
Job Interview Psychology Applications
When you are invited into the interview room you have a small window of opportunity to initially influence the job interviewer. Most interviewers will offer small talk, at the interview start prior to asking you to set job interview questions, to put you at ease.
It is during this time that you can use the following psychology tactic to influence the job interview outcome. All you have to do is ask “what was it about my job application that made you want to interview me?”
This simple question is used as a priming effect. By asking “what was it about my job application that made you want to interview me?” You will focus the interviewer’s mindset on what they liked about? Your skills, your strengths and your unique selling point. If someone focuses on your positives, they have an automatic positive feeling about you. This positive association is powerful in a job interview environment.
Priming is the phenomenon that makes first impressions so valuable. The interviewer will rely on this first impressed as a filter to all your following job interview answers. People generally don’t change their mind, initially, on first impressions, which is why creating a positive priming effect will only add value to the interview process.
Business development managers’ responsibilities is to improve and grow a business. A key task is to develop relationships with stakeholders, customers and partners.
Job Interview Guidelines
The guidelines below will explain the type of answer the interviewer is looking for. After you have read the question, start by reading the explanation and then think about the organsiation you are applying for a position with; what are the job criteria they deem important? Tweak your job interview answer using the guidelines to ensure that your answer will highlight your skills set during your forthcoming interview and set you apart from other unprepared candidates.
Job Interview Questions and Answers
Tell me about yourself and why you applied for the position as a business development manager.
At the start of the job interview, you are going to be asked to give a summary of your experience as a business development manager.
This question gives you the opportunity to deliver a short statement about your experiences and skills relevant to the job position you are applying for.
Open strongly by stating the years you have worked as a business development manager and explain one of your key successes or mention a high-level qualification
Talk about 3 different strengths and/or qualities – not the generic ” I’m a good communicator” instead, make it industry-relevant; the ability to think strategically or the ability to analyse sales figures and write reports
Keep each point brief as you can explain each point again in more detail throughout the interview – remember this opening answer is a tease – get the interviewer to find you interesting
End this answer with a reason why you’re looking for a new job
What experience do you have in this field?
This interview question, if it follows the question above means that the employer requires more specific detail from you. They are giving you a chance to sell yourself – remember to discuss your unique selling points
For this question, you need to have fully prepared. Each employer and orgnaisation, even though they are recruiting for the same position, have a list of criteria they deem important. The same job doesn’t mean the same job duties. You need your answer, your experience to match the required duties you will be competing with this new organisation.
Your answer should relate your experience and achievements to that of the job role.
You can use the following structure and edit it to match your skillset and the criteria the employer is looking for.
“I have over 6 years experience in (sector and niche) and I am qualified to (add highest industry qualification) My experience is key to my success, as someone who has spent the last (add duration in industry or specialism) as a (add specialist role) I am able to (add a unique selling point making reference to the specialist role) An example of this is (add a real-life example that will highlight the above)
Are you applying for any other jobs?
Most applicants will be applying for other positions, so why is the interviewer asking this question? What the employer is really asking is “why are you applying for this job?” They want to understand if you are applying for any job or if you are really interested in gaining a position within their organsiation. Why? Because of retention. Recruitment is a costly business.
The employer is looking to employ someone that they believe will stay with the organisation. This explains the importance of this question and your reply.
“I have applied for several positions, including roles with some of your competitors. But after researching your company and from knowing your reputation, I know that I would be happy here and my experience and skill set would add value to your team If I am offered a position where I see myself working here for a long time. So, in short, I am applying for other roles but I am very keen to gain a position with you.”
How do you identify new business opportunities – including new markets?
Ok, the interviewer is getting into the details of the job. Every question from now on will be designed to uncover if you have the skills to complete the day to day duties of the job role.
For these “how” questions you need to answer with assertiveness and follow this up with a real-life example.
“Sourcing profitable new business is a strength of mine, and something I have always done in all of my previous positions. Last month I secured new business worth (add value) To secure this I (give a 3 step answer; how you spotted the opportunity, how you made contact and how you closed the deal)”
Are you willing to work overtime?
There are certain interview questions that will give you, the applicant, an insight into life in this organisation. The interview is a two-way street where the employer is deciding of you are a good fit for the organisation and where you the applicant are deciding if the organisation is a good fit for you.
In the business development industry, you have to be flexible due to the nature of the work. You know this, the employer knows this, so why do they asked these interview questions. When obvious interview questions are asked, it is often because the employer is having an issue with the said question, in this example getting staff to work overtime or to be flexible with their hours, so they are checking if you too will have an issue?
Make it clear that this isn’t an issue for you:
“yes, in my previous role I had to be very flexible with the working hours, meeting potential clients at times that suited them. For me overtime is part of the job.”
Don’t put up any barriers or start to confuse the employer by saying “I can work overtime on a Monday 6-8, Wednesday 8-9 etc..” keep it simple.
How do you meet your targets through cold calls?
Your job essentially is to make the orgnaisation a nice profit. Part of your role will be cold call, networking and even using social media for generating leads. The employer wants to know your strategy, they want to understand that you have techniques that actually work. This is the type of interview question where you blow your trumpet …and blow it hard!
“In all my previous roles I have consistently excelled and overachieved my targets time and time again. Cold calling is a particular skill of mine. The reason I am so successful with cold calling is that I make ‘warm’ cold calls. I research the business I will be approaching to check compatibility, I use my large network to understand what the need of the business is and use this knowledge to match our services and products to solve their solutions. This has worked time and time again for me ” Make sure you discuss your own technique and strategy
Why should we hire you?
A great question because it is so open. You can talk about anything you want. That’s the problem here. Don’t fall into the trap of talking about irrelevant skills and experiences. Instead, focus on saying you have the skills and experiences to complete the job duties recorded on the job specification.
“You should hire me because I have 3 key strengths that are highly relevant in this job. The first is my ability to work strategically to carry out necessary planning in order to implement operational changes successfully. I am able to draw up client contracts accurately understanding of the businesses’ products and services. My final skill is the ability to ensure staff are on board throughout the organisation making them aware for the need for the change. This saves both time and money”
Tell me about a suggestion you have made?
The business development role is about improving and growing a business. You need to talk about a suggestion you have made relevant to growing the business. Don’t talk about suggesting bright red paint for the office! Your suggestion has to be strategic. Explain how you saw the bigger picture and made a suggestion that had a positive outcome.
Here is an example answer.
Break the answer down into his structure:
“While working at X They had a process for X. This was outdated. The problem was (state the problem clearly but simply) I suggested (add a suggestion in detail) which resulted in (give positive outcome)
Do you have any weaknesses?
I hate it when interviewers ask negative questions. What’s the point? The applicant, unless they are blindly honest, isn’t going to list all their negatives.
So, what is the interviewer looking for with this negative question? They want to see that the applicant has the skill to develop, to reflect, to improve. To answer this question, you can mention a past weakness but you need to follow this up with the actions you took to improve this area of development.
A frequent mistake many make when answering this question is to frame the answer negatively “I can sometimes let things get on top of me”.
Remember to positive overall by turning a negative into a positive. For example,
“What are my weaknesses? Well, I remember in my previous position one of my tasks was (name a duty you had to perform) and I hadn’t completed this task before, so this was a perceived weakness. When I ever find an area of development I am keen to improve this. In this example I (add the action you too to develop yourself). We all have weaknesses, but when I recognise my weaknesses I always take action to improve them.”
Why do you want to work for this organisation?
Interviewees often forget that the job interview process is a two-way street. An employer, when they meet a perfect applicant, doesn’t want a competitor to steal them.
The employer understands that you will be applying for other positions, but they want to offer the position to someone who will be committed to their organisation. When answering this question show the interviewer how enthusiastic you are about the job, industry and their company.
“I have been applying for several positions recently. I applied for this position because the organisation has a very good reputation. I like the values and the company mission, this is something I can relate to. I have over X years of experience and specialize in X. I know together we can achieve (add something industry related)
Do you have any questions?
Every interviewer will ask this final job interview question. Remember to prepare for this question but don’t ask about salaries or holidays until you have been offered a job position. Instead, ask;
“Do you have any future plans to expand the company?”
“Does your team work well together?”
“Have you put in any new bids for any new contracts?”
“What is the company’s policy on personal development and training?”
“Where do you see the company being in 5 years time”
“What are you looking for in an employee?”
“What would my first day/week look like?”
“Why did you choose this job/company?”
“What made you choose to work here?”
“What is it like to work here on a day-to-day basis?”
“How are advancements in technology going to affect the organisation?”
If you are struggling with questions you can end with “I did have several questions planned to ask you, but you have answered these throughout the interview.”
On average six candidates are interviewed for every single job position; The good news is, the employer is interested in YOU! Whatever you recorded on your CV or Application Form has impressed your potential employer. Research is varied but two to three hundred applicants can apply for every advertised job position and guess what? They chose you! Well done.
Below are some of the most common asked questions in interview situations for your sector, along with a rough guideline to help you tackle them effectively.
Job Interview Guidelines
The guidelines below will explain the type of answer the interviewer is looking for. After you have read the question, start by reading the explanation and then think about the organsiation you are applying for a position with; what are the job criteria they deem important? Tweak your job interview answer using the guidelines to ensure that your answer will highlight your skills set during your forthcoming interview and set you apart from other unprepared candidates.
Job Interview Questions and Answers
Job Interview Question – Tell me about yourself
Ok, we are starting with the obvious one! The tell me about yourself job interview question, which is asked in a number of ways (tell me about your work experience, give me an overview of your career to date, what bought you here today, tell me your elevator pitch)is the most common asked interview question in the world!
Every employer from every business, from every sector, from every niche, will ask this question in some format or another – you think they’d change it up a bit but they don’t!!!
The good news is – we know you will be asked this question so you can prepare a killer response. Be cheeky – you can even deliver your job interview answer for this question like you didn’t expect to be asked it.
So I will stop waffling and get straight to the point – here is how you will answer the question to create a response from the interviewer that will make them want to employ you on the spot! well not on the spot but at least a few days later
This question gives you the opportunity to deliver a short statement about your experiences and skills relevant to the job position you are applying for.
Open strongly with a “selling” line that will highlight your unique selling point – if you don’t have a unique selling point get one!
Talk about 3 different strengths and/or qualities – not the generic ” I’m a great team player” not only is this a little cringe, but every other interviewee will also be saying the same thing. You have to be unique, you have to be different, you have to stand out.
Keep each point brief as you can explain each point again in more detail throughout the interview – remember this opening answer is a tease – get the interviewer to find you irresistible
End this answer with a reason why you’re looking for a new job
As an example….
“I have over 8 years experience in X, specialising in A, B and C. As a qualified X, I am able to bring the methodology and the practical experience to gain favorable results for the organization. What makes me stand out from other applicants is my ability to (add unique selling point) which always results in (benefit for the organisation) The reason why I am applying for this position is because I am now ready for a new challenge and with your company having a great reputation, I believe that we will collaborate well together”
Job Interview Question – Why did you leave your last job?
Are you one of the many interviewees who fears this question? Don’t be this is a great question to be asked. And once you know how to structure your answer you will be able to turnaround this potentially negative interview question into a winning interview answer
Be positive with this answer and smile – employers like to hear that you left your last position for a good opportunity or reason, a chance to do something special or for a good career move.
Break your answer down using the following structure:
Start the answer with a look back at the old position (highlights)
Explain what you enjoyed about your previous role (passion)
Give a positive reason for leaving (values)
An example could be:
“I enjoyed working at Company Name and really enjoyed the interaction of working with a wide range of individuals – I feel I gained a lot of transferable skills from this experience, which I can use in this role. One of the highlights was (add highlight) But now I feel I need to progress with my career. It was a hard choice to leave but I felt that this is a great opportunity and that a career move is the next obvious step for me”
Job Interview Question – What experience do you have in this field?
This is a silly question. Is the interviewer has done their job properly they know what experience you have from reading your application. But many employers like to ask it, which means you need to prepare for it.
For this question, you first need to read and understand the job specification, as this will tell you what experience the interviewer is looking for. Don’t fall into the trap of just telling the employer the things you find important (as they don’t care even if they find it interesting) The employer has a list of criteria they score you against if you don’t state that you have the required criteria you will not be offered the position.
Your answer should relate your experience and achievements to that of the job role.
You can use the following structure and edit it to match your skill set and the criteria the employer is looking for.
“I have over 6 years experience in (sector and niche) and I am qualified to (add highest industry qualification) My experience is key to my success, as someone who has spent the last (add duration in industry or specialism) as a (add specialist role) I am able to (add a unique selling point making reference to the specialist role) An example of this is (add a real-life example that will highlight the above)
Job Interview Question – How would your colleagues describe you?
Interviewers have many tricks up their sleeves. One technique many interviewers use is to ask a negatively framed question as a positive question.
The interview question – how would your colleagues describe you? Is an interview question designed to catch you out. The employer is really asking- would any of your colleagues say anything negative about you? The employer knows that asking the question the second way will pull up your defensives.
The trick here is preparation. Have a couple of positive quotes ready.“David always said I was….” or use statements like: “In my last job I was always known for…” Here you are giving a verbal reference from a college that makes you shown like the ideal employee.
An example would look like;
“In my last company, I was always known as the person who got things completed on time and to a high standard. I have always had this reputation in all my previous positions, probably because of my strong work ethic. I remember overhearing my manager last month saying ‘if you need a job doing quickly and efficiently to get (your name) to do it”
Job Interview Question – Are you applying for any other jobs?
This for me is a stupid question as it is rare for someone to only be applying for one position. What the employer is really asking is “why are you applying for this job?” They want to understand if you are applying for any job or if you are really interested in this position.
Why? Because people who apply for “any” job often job hop on a regular basis as they haven’t committed to the role or organization. From the employers perspective, this is negative, unless you are working on short-term contracts. The reason is the cost of recruitment is high, for some employers recruitment cost can be as high as 33% of their profits. The employer is looking to employ someone that they believe will stay with the organisation. This explains the importance of this question and your reply.
“I am in a position to take on a new challenge within a new organisation. I am keen to find an employer that I know I can collaborate with, as I always commit to my role rather than constantly seeking new opportunities. I have researched your company and feel this is the type of company I would really fit into and I know I can value to the organisation, this is why I am applying for the role with yourself”
Job Interview Question – What motivates you?
Every employer requires a motivated worker, someone they can rely on, someone that will put the effort in, an employee that will go above and beyond.
When interviewers ask the motivation interview question, they are really asking is will this job motivate you? Will this job keep you excited? To answer this question you need to tailor your answer and what motivates you to the job criteria
Don’t talk about being motivated by a team if you will be required to work mainly on your own initiative.
“I am a highly motivated person who always puts 100% into every challenge I am set. There are certain things that help to increase my motivation at work. These include working for an organization that has a positive mission and values, working for a company where staff personal development is a priority and (add job criteria)”
Job Interview Question – Are you willing to work overtime?
There are certain interview questions that will give you, the applicant, an insight into life in this organisation. The interview is a two-way street where the employer is deciding of you are a good fit for the organisation and where you the applicant are deciding if the organisation is a good fit for you.
If you are not asked these insight questions, you need to ask the employer questions about the organsiation at the end of the job interview.
Let’s get back to this example interview question – are you willing to work overtime? The question could easily be “are you willing to work weekends?” “would you stay behind if a last minute job came in?” “are you good at dropping a task is something with a higher priority came through the door?” “do you work well in a pressurized environment?”
You are only asked these type if this is the reality of the organsiation. The employer here is telling you how it is. If you are happy to work within this framework then let the employer know that this is the environment you would excel in.
“yes, I did a lot of overtime in my last company”
Don’t put up any barriers or start to confuse the employer by saying “I can work overtime on a Monday 6-8, Wednesday 8-9 etc..” keep it simple.
If you cannot, tell the employer this and give the reason why. You won’t be offered the job, but the likelihood is you wouldn’t accept the job anyway or if you did you wouldnt enjoy working with this particular employer.
Job Interview Question – Why did you apply for this position?
Your research will pay off with this question; explain you have always wanted to work for their company and the reason why. Use your research to quote the mission statement, the company values or recent company successes such as winning new contracts or company expansion.
Discuss how your career goal has always been to work within this industry as you always wanted to (mention a key job criterion from the job specification form) and finally finish by explaining how your previous experience or qualifications will add value to the company.
Use the below as a template to edit:
“Since becoming qualified in (add industry qualification)…
or start with
“After 10 years experience in this industry….
…my career goal has been to work with your organisation, as I believe in (add company values or mission). My strengths include (add industry skill) and I feel that my (add personal competency) will make a real difference for your company as I know I will be able to (add outcome to skill). My experience in (name sector), and my ability to (add additional skill) will add value to your company.”
Job Interview Question – where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
The career progression of employees has changed. 40 years ago you left school or university, gained an apprenticeship or graduate job and in the main, you worked for that one company for the whole of your life retiring with a gold watch gift and a pat on the back!
Now the job cycle is different. Most people will have 3 careers in their lifetime (some of you in 10 years time will be working in jobs that currently don’t exist) and job hop from organisation to organisation every 3-5 years.
Employers asking this question are looking for employees who have a longevity job in mind. They aren’t looking for a job hopper. You need to make it crystal clear that you plan to work for them for a long period of time.
“When I accept a job offer I feel committed to the organisation and put in 100%. Personally, I do not like to job hop between organisations, rather I put my focus on making my role a success. In 3-5 years I see us collaborating successfully together on a range of projects.”
Job Interview Question – Do you work well within a team?
Everyone, no matter what your job role is, works as part of a team. In some roles, retail as an example the team is obvious. For outreach workers and contract work you may feel distant from a team environment – but even here you are part of a team.
The ‘team’ question is one of the most common asked interview questions. Employers when asking this question want to know if you have the skills to work with others. Can you delegate, take direction, negotiate, support and motivate? Can you plan ahead, meet schedules and collaborate?
When asked this question you need to make it crystal clear that you understand the functions of a team and your role within a team environment.
“In all my previous roles I have worked as part of a team. Either in a small direct team of as part of a project-wide team. For me, teamwork and success go hand in hand. As a team, you have a collective knowledge and a large collective experience base to support you when facing new challenges. In a team I often take (add your role; leader, planner, innovator) an example of this was when (add real work-related team experience example)
Job Interview Question – Why should we hire you?
The job interview “why” questions are poor questions to be asked and only weak job interviewer, with little experience in job interviewing ask this question. This is because the “why” question creates a psychological reaction in the job interviewee – they get defensive.
When asked a why question you first step is to reframe or re-ask yourself the question. The why should we hire you question becomes what can you offer this role? Deleting the why element takes away your intuitive defensive mode creating a more professional response.
Start with “by hiring me…” now give them a great selling line, what is the one thing they want from you? and then tell them how you will do it, use examples from previous job roles to highlight your ability and knowledge
“By hiring me, you will gain an experienced (add job role) who has a proven track record of (add selling point). An example of this is (add real-life example) To summarise if you offer me the job I will (add one line summary of the above)
Job Interview Question – Why did you leave your last job?
A dreaded question for many! When answering this question never give a negative answer. “I did not get on with my manager” or “The management did not run the business well” as this will show you in a negative light (due to the psychology of association) and reduce your chance of a job offer. Answer the question positively, emphasizing that you have been looking for a career progression.
Start by telling the interviewer what you gained from your last job
“I enjoyed my last job, I quickly learned how to (add skills IE multitask and prioritize work) and over the last (add years in the industry) years I have built a reputation as a (add unique selling point). I am now ready to take the next step up the ladder with my career and feel I would suit working for company such as this”
If you were made redundant, let the interviewer know, this is not a negative!
Job Interview Question – Tell me about a suggestion you have made?
Not always interview questions are common. For the off-field job interview questions, you need to ask yourself what is it the employer wants to know from this question? If you are unsure ask the interviewer.
Here the employer is looking for someone who will innovative, suggest and improve systems and/or practices. They don’t want someone who will wait to be told what to do or the job interview question would be “can you follow orders?”
Here is an example answer that you can tailor for your sector:
“I always make a suggestion if I can see how something can be improved. After working in this industry of X years I have seen systems that work and add value and other processes that can be costly. When creating a new system it is always good to get the ideas and opinions of the whole team, especially the employees who work directly with the process that may be changed”
Job Interview Question – What irritates you about your co-workers?
Danger Danger – Don’t fall into this trap and answer the question straight away explaining how you hated Sally because she always talked about her cat!
With this question, the interviewer is trying to (in a sneaky way) understand how you work with other people in the team. So, instead of answering this question directly, you can flip this around and talk about your strengths as a team member:
“One of my strengths is the ability to get on with people. I’ve learned that my understanding the different personalities on a team can allow me to communicate differently to different individuals helping the whole team to be more productive. In my last team a had a colleague who was highly organised, so when working with her I would always hand over an action plan, whereas another colleague who was more innovative would get motivated when asked about his ideas about the project. So for me, it’s not important if someone is irritating or if you all work in different ways, what is important is how you all work together, and being able to get on wth others is a strength of mine”
Job Interview Question – What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
This managerial job interview question is asked in management job interviews as well as being asked in job interviews for none management positions. The difference is the frame of the interview question. For potential managers, you need to focus the answer from the perspective of how you manage teams, projects and how your strategies for achieving objectives.
As an employee, you need to answer this question from the position of what type of manager motivates you to be successful.
This job interview answer structure can be tailored for both positions.
“A successful manager will have 3 key qualities. The first is clear communication. A good manager has the skill to take high-level communication about the objectives of the organisation and make clear to employees at all levels, so each individual understands fully what they need to deliver on a day to day basis. This results in time focus actions and reduces the number of errors teams members may make. The second is creating a positive vision. People respond to a clear vision, they need to know that what they are doing has a positive outcome – meaning creates motivation. Successful managers reinforce the vision when communicating task. And the third is being to develop staff. Staff at all levels like to be developed. When a manager puts effort into an employees personal development, that staff member feels valued and valued employees work at a higher rate, they take less time off due to stress and they often want to impress the manager or organization. So for me, a successful manager embeds communication, vision and development into everything they do”
Job Interview Question – What are your strengths?
This is one of the most common job interview questions you can be asked. Don’t fall into the trap of listing a long list of irrlevenat skills. The employer dosent care what your strengths are, what they care about are the strengths relevant to the poistion you are applying for.
When answering the stregths job interveiw question you first need to understadn fully the job criteria recorded on the job specifciation. Then answer stating the required criteria; For example, if you are applying for a job where accuracy is an important issue, one of your strengths could be that you have an eye for detail. It may useful to find different words to describe similar attributes and qualities in order to avoid repetition.
“I have often been told that I have an eye for detail and that I am very accurate and precise. This was very important during my last role where I worked on large business accounts”
Job Interview Question – Do you have any weaknesses?
I hate it when interviewers ask negative questions. What’s the point? The applicant, unless they are blindly honest, isn’t going to list all their negatives.
So, what is the interviewer looking for with this negative question? They want to see that the applicant has the skill to develop, to reflect, to improve. To answer this question, you can mention a past weakness but you need to follow this up with the actions you took to improve this area of development.
A frequent mistake many make when answering this question is to frame the answer negatively “I can sometimes let things get on top of me”.
Remember to positive overall by turning a negative into a positive. For example,
“What are my weaknesses? Well, I remember in my previous position one of my tasks was (name a duty you had to perform) and I hadn’t completed this task before, so this was a perceived weakness. When I ever find an area of development I am keen to improve this. In this example I (add the action you too to develop yourself). We all have weaknesses, but when I recognise my weaknesses I always take action to improve them.”
Job Interview Question – What is your dream job?
I have interviewed people. I have asked this question. The answers you hear can be unbelievable. People will actually say, during the job interview, that their dream job is the opposite to the position they are applying for.
Why would any employer offer the job to an applicant that deep down they don’t really want? So how to answer this tricky question. Well, ideally you are applying for your dream job. But saying this can sound well weird or creepy. Rather than mention the job, talk about the company values, duties and skills you like. To impress the interviewer these values, duties and skills have to be relevant to the position you are applying for.
“My career goal is working for an organsiation that Values X. I am passionate about X and I know that by collaborating together we can (achieve X) My dream job has always been a role where I can (add skill or duty) What is really important to me, is to work within a good team in a company that is moving forward”
Job Interview Question – Why do you want to work for this organisation?
Interviewees often forget that the job interview process is a two-way street. An employer, when they meet a perfect applicant, doesn’t want a competitor to steal them.
The employer understands that you will be applying for other positions, but they want to offer the position to someone who will be committed to their organisation. When answering this question show the interviewer how enthusiastic you are about the job, industry and their company.
“I have been applying for several positions recently. I applied for this position because the organisation has a very good reputation. I like the values and the company mission, this is something I can relate to. I have over X years experience and specialise in X. I know together we can achieve (add something industry related)
Job Interview Question – How do you develop yourself?
Technology, automation and the shrinking world is making career sectors and job duties change at an unprecedented rate. Employers now require employees that have a passion for learning, someone who keeps up with industry changes.
When answering this job interview question make it clear that you have a high level of knowledge about your sector, talk about new changes and technology and showcase your talent, and finish with what you have done over the previous year to develop yourself
“This industry is changing rapidly. Last week I was reading how (mention a new technology that is making a change in the industry) this will affect the day to day task by (mention the potential changes this technology will make) This is one reason why I continue to develop myself to keep on top of new changes. Over the past 12 months I have (mention 2-3 developments you have undertaken)
Job Interview Question – Can you work under pressure?
‘Can you’ questions give you an insight into the day to day routine of the organisation. The employer needs you to have this skill. You need to answer this question with a real-life experience.
“Yes I actually enjoy it. One of my strengths is that I can start several tasks at the same time while working to deadlines. I don’t get flustered, instead, I keep a calm head and ensure that task get prioritized in order of importance. An example of this was (add example)
Job Interview Question – How do you know when you have been successful with a task?
Many interviewees get lost with this type of question because they don’t understand what this job interview question is about. The question is about motivation – what motivates you to keep on task?
The job has been completed on time
The task has been completed to a good standard
When your customers walk away happy
When your employer tells you
When you have job satisfaction
The employer also wants to know that you can reflect on a task to ensure you meet the required standards. Employers want to ensure that their staff can stay motivated when task become hard. You need to reassure your interviewer that you are highly motivated.
“I have a track record for successfully completing a task. An example is (give real-life example) I know when I have been successful because (add how you know you have been successful) and by checking that the task has been completed to the required standards.
Job Interview Question – Can you tell me about the gaps between positions on your CV?
Employers are looking for employees that will stick around once they have been hired. The reality is that many people take a gap year after university or between jobs – now more than ever before. When an interviewer asks this question the employer is looking if you “bummed” around or took a break between jobs for a particular reason.
“After completing my (add course or say “between jobs..) I took a gap year and traveled and work in (country), it was a great personal development experience and I gain a large number of transferable skills. One experience was (add experience and required skill) I can use this experience to (relate the experience to the job duties)”
Job interview question – Do you have any questions?
Every interviewer will ask this final job interview question. Remember to prepare for this question but don’t ask about salaries or holidays until you have been offered a job position. Instead ask;
“Do you have any future plans to expand the company?”
“Does your team work well together?”
“Have you put in any new bids for any new contracts?”
“What is the company’s policy on personal development and training?”
“Where do you see the company being in 5 years time”
“What are you looking for in an employee?”
“What would my first day/week look like?”
“Why did you choose this job/company?”
“What made you choose to work here?”
“What is like to work here on a day to day basis?”
“How are advancements in technology going to affect the organisation?”
If you are struggling with questions you can end with “I did have several questions planned to ask you, but you have answered these throughout the interview.”
Your resume gets you in the door, but the interview seals the deal. A job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience for even the most extroverted, confident of applicants. But if you go into it prepared and looking and feeling great, you have no reason to worry. If you know why you want the job and why you’re the right person for the job, your interviewer will see that. Here are some tips to ensure you nail your interview.
Run a background check — on yourself
Thanks to the wonders of our digital age, it seems that most of recorded history is available through an online search — and that includes your history. Most potential employers search the web for potential candidates using search engines and social media, so beat them to the punch so you know what’s out there. If you learn from your research that there is anything libelous floating around on the internet about you, you may want to consider working with a reputation management firm. This is a team of legal and analytical specialists who can track down the identity of whoever is publishing false and damaging information about you, and take action accordingly. Ideally, this would be done before you start sending out your resume, but if there is anything potentially harmful about you posted online, be sure to address it before agreeing to an interview.
Even if that search comes back clear, you still have some work to do. Polish up your LinkedIn profile so you can dazzle HR teams before you even walk through the door, and set social accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to private mode. Most of us have at least one regrettable photo or posting we wouldn’t want anyone in our professional circles to see, so avoid the issue by kicking up your privacy settings.
Do your research
Part of being a successful job applicant is being able to articulate why you’re the right fit for a particular job at a particular company, not just why you’d be good for the job. Being able to mesh with the vision and workplace culture of the specific company is vital. That’s why you must start any interview by thoroughly researching to company. The Balance suggests checking employer review sites, including Glassdoor and the company’s own website.
Practice the typical questions
It’s not worth preparing for off-the-wall interview questions. You can’t possibly predict them. You can, however, prepare for the classics. These include, but are not limited to, questions about your strengths and weaknesses, times you solved a problem, your last job, and where you see yourself in the future. You can’t prepare for everything, but you can get a handle on how you plan to answer basic inquiries.
Dress (and style) to impress
It’s hard to overcome a bad first impression, and a good first impression can help carry you over any minor mistakes. Grooming and personal hygiene play a huge role in that. It’s not that the majority of interviewers only want to hire pretty people dressed in fancy clothing. The main reasons you’re focusing on looking great are that it will boost your confidence and help you perform better, and it shows that you’re serious about the process.
Don’t be afraid to answer technical questions
If you’re interviewing for a job that requires specific expertise (and you probably are), you may field some technical questions — your interviewer trying to test you a little bit. Don’t shy away from answering these, even if you don’t 100 percent know the answer. Most of the time, they are testing the process, not the answer. As one top recruiter says, “Try to work your way through the question as much as you can. Your thought process is often more important than answering correctly, so tell them what you’re thinking.”
Ask your own questions
Asking your own questions — whether about salary range, work environment, long-term goals, company mobility, etc. — shows that you are engaged. It’s important to come across as genuinely interested in more than just landing a job and getting paid.
Follow up
Don’t just go home and wait for a phone call. Sure, the interviewer probably said, “We’ll let you know,” or something to that effect, but what they really meant was, “I want to see if you truly want this job.” A call is nice, but an email will suffice. Thank them for their time, the opportunity to interview, and ask if there’s anything more you can do to show them you are the best person for the job.
Ultimately, you should remember this about all stages of the process: before the interview, research and practice; during the interview, be honest, forthcoming and highly engaged; and after the interview, follow up. That dream job is within your grasp. Ace your interview, and it’s yours!
Should You Keep Your Social Media Accounts Public When Looking for a New Job?
Social media has long since proven itself to have a bigger utility than posting pictures of dogs and following celebrities, and also a bigger influence in our ‘’offline’’ lives if such a distinction still even exists in our day and age. Few things can be more powerful of a self-promotional tool than social media, as recruiters are turning to websites such as Facebook and Instagram to seek fresh blood for their companies.
According to an article published by Career Builder, 37 % of companies have made hires using social media websites, a number high enough to make any sensible person whip out their phones and delete all video and photo evidence of their drunken shenanigans. Speaking of which, at this point in our conversation, you are probably wondering if and how you should curate your social media profiles to make a good impression on potential employers. Fortunately for everybody involved, we have a few suggestions in this sense.
Sponsored Ad
You can book an interview coaching session and/or a Mock Interview with an interview coach by e-mailing employmentking@gmail.com
Have A Complete and Relevant Profile
As ambiguous as this might sound, having a complete and relevant profile is ideal if you want companies to turn to your social media portals for recruitments. If you are using Linkedin, for example, make sure your profile is filled with all the relevant information necessary to attract legitimate employers – complete employment history, education, andany skills related to your job, and do not forget to include a pretty headshot for good measure. Try to think through the eyes of a recruiter and the fact that they go through literallyhundreds of resumes each year. Plus, there is nothing more frustrating than eyeing a resume and finding out that it is a half-written mess filled with irrelevant information.
Upload A Quality Photo of Yourself
If you are like everybody else, you might be tempted to upload a decent selfie of yourself on your Linkedin profile and call it a day. As subjective as this concept might be (the concept of a decent photo), as long as it looks slightly professional (and no, a background featuring Disneyland rides does not count), recruiters will appreciate the effort that you have put into the creation of your profile and take it into account. Nobody is saying you should dress like those people in 1850’s family photographs – sporting a business casual attire should suffice.
Keep Your Social Media Profiles Professional
Remember the drunken shenanigans we have mentioned during the introduction? Truth be told, nothing is truly private on the internet in our day and age. No matter how careful you are, some personal information (damning or not) will slip through the cracks. While there is nothing much you can do about this, what you can do is curate the personal information as much as possible.
What we mean here is you should strike a balance between pictures of you taking shots with your friends from four years ago when you were still in college, and photos of yourself in less-damning (in the eyes of recruiters, at least) situations. Or, at the very least, try to keep said photos under intense scrutiny, in friend-only security settings.
Highlight the Skills ThatYou Know Will Attract Employers When it comes to your career history, you should be very wary about what to include in your profiles and what to highlight. Recruiters do not need to know about how your organized the office fantasy football competition (or maybe they do, maybe they have watched The League and are big fans). Instead of adding skills and accomplishments that are unrelated to your career, try putting an emphasis on the goals that you have met, and prove them with real examples. For examples, ‘’I have delivered x deadline in y ahead of schedule’’, or ‘’By doing x task, I have eliminated y micromanagement issue for the company and improved efficiency’’.
Keep your Connections Focused on Your Career
Getting requests from your old roommate from college or buddies from high school is to be expected on every social media portal, but when it comes to Linkedin, you want to make sure that the majority of your connections are either in your career cohort, or at least professionals from a wide variety of fields. This will give potential employers the impression that you have your ‘’ear to the ground’’ and that you are constantly connected to your niche, and will become very helpful if you are applying for a job that requires you have an extensive network of contacts or is focused on goodold–fashioned networking (as much as we dread it).
Make sure To Update Your Profile Frequently
If you have already made the effort of signing up to multiple social media platform, do not just let them collect dust. Staying active and engaged on all the social media sites you have joined is key if you want to attract the attentionof employers. Nailed a new job? Update the profile. Got a promotion? Upload the new title. Finished a Master’s Degree in Arts and Crafts? Post that update as well. If you hold an important role in a particular company, you do not want a profile that says you still work at that shady McDonald’s near your college campus. Plus, updating your profile when ‘’required’’ will show recruiters that you care about your reputation and online presence.
Join Career-Specific Groups
As obnoxious and annoying as it might be, social media is virtually brimming of great groups that can connect you with job seekers and offer industry-specific information. If you work in marketing, for example, join groups catered specifically toward this niche. If you work in a more creative field (graphic design, content writing and so on and so forth), join online groups created for these jobs.
Remember that the groups that you have joined are visible somewhere on your Facebook profile, so try to keep communities dedicated to cat videos and dogs in unusual situations to a minimum. Nobody is saying you should keep your social media profiles focused solely on your career (we are not robots, after all), but it is still a factor worth considering. The last thing you want is recruiters judging your skills and value based on you frequenting groups dedicated to edgy and nihilistic memes.
Conclusion
If you are wondering whether or not you should keep your social media profiles open while looking for a job, the short answer is yes. The long answer, on the other hand, is more complicated than that. You should keep it open, but take great care on which personality quirks and interests slip through the cracks, and maintain them as professional looking as possible. Nobody is saying you should inhibit every facet of your personality, but keep in mind that the recruiter will see only what is on the surface and may not have the opportunity to get to know the real you.
