Interviews

Preparation

How you prepare for an interview, and your performance throughout the interview process, are critical to your application to work with an organisation.

How you prepare for an interview is arguably the most crucial part of the whole process. Guide to successful interview preparation:

Make sure you know the contact details (phone number), interview time, location and who you’ll be meeting. You should also have a detailed job description, along with information about the company you’re interviewing with
Research the company. Use the company website. get to know the products & services the company offers.
Know your own CV, review important facts and figures of your own employment history. Focus on the facts and figures. Be alble to illustrate key accomplishments and achievements
Your interview may include competency based questioning. Think about what skills might be required for the role and be able to detail examples from your employment history to demonstrate these core competencies.

Presentation

First & lasting impressions are critical to the process. The impression you can make starts from the moment you arrive at the company to the time you leave. It includes all emplyees from the receptionist to the interviewer.

Make the best first impression you can by being well groomed in appropriate business attire, attending to all facets of your grooming, and being careful not to dress too loudly.

Male - always wear a suit for professional interviews, sombre suit (Black, Grey or Navy), black Shoes and appropiate shirt & tie

Female - always wear a suit for professional interviews, sombre suit (Black, Grey or Navy), suitable shoes & appropiate shirt/blouse

Dress conservatively, until you can assess the corporate dress code at interview.

During the Interview

Remember, the interview isn’t just about the questions and answers. The whole process also takes account of your appearance, your posture, your mannerisms and the like. However, the questions and answers are a crucial part, so be prepared to give well thought-out and clear answers to questions. Consider the following standard questions:

Tell me about yourself.
What are you immediate objectives? What are your future aspirations?
Detail your strengths and weaknesses? Be able to discuss three of each
What interests you in the position and/or our company?
What do you know about our company?

For a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions, see our Interview Questions Guide.

Closing the Interview

The final step in the interview will usually be about any questions that you have. It’s always beneficial to ask at least a couple of questions. It shows that you are keen and inquisitive. If the interview has been comprehensive, it can often be hard to think of questions. Here are some examples that might be of use:

How would you describe the culture of the company?
What would a typical working day be like?
If you were to prioritise the different tasks that I would be performing, in what order would you put them?
What do you see as the most challenging aspects of the position?
What characteristics in a person are you are seeking for the role?
What are the opportunities for training and professional development?
What are the company’s growth plans for the future?
What will be the next step?

For a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions, see our Interview Questions Guide.

Rarely will a job offer be made in a first interview, however, if they do decide to offer, explain that you are delighted with the positive outcome and politely agree a timeline for consideration of the offer.

In most cases, the interviewer will close the interview without giving you much indication of where you stand. If this is the case, don’t be discouraged. Simply thank him or her warmly and re-iterate your enthusiasm for the role. You may also want to briefly restate why you want the position, and what you feel you can bring to the role and the company. Sell yourself right to the end, but do it tactfully.

After the Interview

Most importantly, contact your Recruitment Partner immediately after the interview and provide detailed feedback. By talking with you before the interviewer calls back, we will know your feelings about the position, together with your perception of what the client's reaction is likely to be. We may be able to intervene and influence how parts of the interview were percieved.