| There are few people who do not feel nervous when | | | | about 60-90 seconds. |
| attending a job interview. Even those who currently | | | | 2. Don't tell them your age, where you live, and the |
| have jobs, and have nothing to lose and everything to | | | | names of all your pets/children!!! I know its very |
| gain by attending, get butterflies in their stomach prior | | | | tempting, and it's an easy way of introducing yourself |
| to entering the interview room. The main reason for | | | | but remember, you have about 30-45 minutes to sell |
| this is not fear of not getting the job, but of being | | | | yourself, and you need to make the most of each |
| asked interview questions and suffering the | | | | minute. Preferably, you should be telling them about |
| embarrassment of not being able to answer them. | | | | your skills and attributes that you have achieved in |
| This is compounded by the realisation that you don't | | | | your employment career; successes that you have |
| know what questions might be asked. | | | | accomplished; and any recognition that you have |
| Hopefully this article may help you someway to | | | | gained as a result of your achievements. Prepare this |
| overcoming that nervousness, as you are going to be | | | | beforehand and practice it at home until you feel |
| introduced to some interview skills that are usually only | | | | comfortable with it, but don't worry during the interview |
| accessed by employing the services of expensive | | | | if you don't get asked! |
| career consultants. | | | | Some standard interview questions you may be asked |
| The many years I have spent attending job interviews | | | | can be prepared for beforehand. Why you want the |
| was a learning experience every time and, gradually, | | | | job; what skills and qualities you can bring to the role; |
| by developing a method of approaching interviews I | | | | why they should appoint you above the other |
| learned, not only to stop that apprehension that I used | | | | candidates. |
| to feel, but actually to look forward to the interview | | | | You may be asked to give an example of a certain |
| and develop an air of confidence, and a set of | | | | situation, such as "give an example of when you had |
| interview skills, that made even the most difficult | | | | to deal with an awkward customer". A good technique |
| questions answerable. | | | | to adopt when faced with this type of question is to |
| The types of interview questions that are asked will | | | | pause for about 15-20 seconds whilst you reflect on |
| usually depend on the level of management that the | | | | your experiences, and select the one that has had the |
| job applies to. Interviews for front line management | | | | most impact upon you. If you haven't experienced the |
| traditionally focus on more specific areas of the job, | | | | situation then, again after pausing for a short period, |
| whereas the senior/executive type interviews will | | | | give an example of how you would react if you were |
| consist of questions that are more strategic. The first | | | | to be placed into the situation itself. |
| lesson to be learnt from this is to do your homework | | | | At senior management interviews, the types of |
| prior to the interview. In both instances you should find | | | | questions normally asked are concerned with |
| out about the company prior to the interview. What | | | | improving the performance of the company. For |
| are its main products/services? Where are the main | | | | example: |
| offices located? How many employees are there? | | | | - How would you manage the area budget? |
| Obtain magazines, annual reports, news items, press | | | | - How would you build a high performance team? |
| releases and the like. For front line management you | | | | - How would you increase revenue? |
| should also be researching local rules and policies, and | | | | If you approach these types of questions with the |
| any specific duties that you will be carrying out. I will | | | | mindset that these are very open questions and that |
| address the senior management interview questions | | | | there is no single right answer, you should be able to |
| later in this article. | | | | answer these questions, especially if you are looking to |
| The first question that you will probably be asked is | | | | enter senior management. |
| "Tell me about yourself". This is an opportunity for you | | | | Using the above methods and interview skills as part |
| to get used to speaking in the interview to help you | | | | of an overall strategy for every job interview, |
| relax. There are 2 golden rules to follow here: | | | | overcame any nervousness that I used to feel |
| 1. Keep your introduction to a respectable timescale. | | | | beforehand and has resulted in me being able to |
| Too short a time and you will not get into the flow of | | | | formulate an answer for every question that has been |
| talking freely; too long, and you run the risk of boring | | | | put to me. |
| your interviewers. You should be aiming to speak for | | | | |