| No matter how expert or experienced you
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| | managers, experts, consultants, a
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| are, when you are applying for a
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| | business outfit is expected at the
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| promotion in your own organisation, or a
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| | interview, even if, after appointment,
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| post in another organisation, being fully
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| | they would never again expect you to come
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| prepared for the interview is critical.
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| | to work in anything remotely as formal.
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| Your expertise, knowledge, reputation,
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| | Your approach. In a word, think
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| experience, and appearance, will help
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| | positively. You are offering your
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| you, but it is highly likely that the
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| | talents, your experience, your time,
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| other candidates will have similar
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| | effort, and energies, to this
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| attributes.
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| | organisation, and you need to give the
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| Here is list of actions that you should
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| | impression that you would be a valuable
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| carry out in order to be fully prepared.
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| | asset that they would be foolish to
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| Gather information about the recruiting
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| | reject. This doesn't mean being
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| organisation (this includes your present
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| | aggressive, over enthusiastic, pompous,
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| employer if it is an internal interview):
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| | or pretentious, but it does mean showing
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| before you decide whether to attend the
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| | the interviewers that you are a
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| interview, it is essential that you
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| | confident, assertive, pro-active,
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| gather information about the organisation
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| | flexible, professional who would perform
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| and analyse this. You need information on
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| | successfully if appointed.
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| its recent and forecast performance, the
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| | Prepare for, and practice answering, the
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| condition of the business sector in which
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| | interview questions: think about
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| it operates, and the post that it is
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| | questions that you are likely to be
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| offering. If the organisation and sector
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| | asked. Brainstorm this with a colleague,
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| are healthy, and the post looks secure
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| | friend, or partner, and practice
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| and has potential, then you can move on
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| | answering. Practice using the interview
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| to the next stage. If your findings are
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| | questions to strengthen your argument
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| negative then it is almost certain that
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| | that you are the best person for the job.
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| the best decision would be to reject the
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| | For example, you will be almost certainly
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| opportunity. You need to gather
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| | be asked about your experience and
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| information about the condition of
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| | qualifications, even though this will be
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| yourself, looking at how your personal
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| | shown in your CV. Your response should be
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| and career plans are progressing,
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| | phrased in such a way that you relate
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| focusing on how the prospects in your
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| | your experience, knowledge, and
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| current job match with your personal and
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| | qualifications, to the role and
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| career objectives, and then how the new
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| | responsibilities of the new post, showing
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| post could help you to achieve those
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| | how these existing attributes will give
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| objectives.
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| | you the confidence and skills to
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| Decide to attend or not to attend the
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| | successfully handle the tasks that lie
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| interview. You need to make an objective
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| | ahead. With luck you will not be asked
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| decision as to whether taking up this new
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| | questions such as - What do you think are
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| post is the right decision for you, at
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| | the main benefits that you could bring to
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| this time. Armed with the information
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| | this job, if appointed? However, it still
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| that you gathered earlier, you can assess
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| | happens, so you must be prepared for
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| the merits of being appointed to the new
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| | them. Again, practice responding in a way
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| post, against staying in your current
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| | which links your experience and existing
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| post, albeit perhaps until a more
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| | skills to the demands of the new role. If
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| appropriate opportunity arises, and make
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| | you are asked - What would you say are
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| your decision confidently. It is, of
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| | your biggest strengths and worst
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| course, tempting to apply for a job which
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| | weaknesses? then talk mostly about your
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| appears to offer a higher salary, more
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| | strengths, giving examples of how these
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| responsibility, more status, and new
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| | have been effectively used, and be very,
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| directions, and if this is so appealing
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| | very careful talking about your alleged
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| that you are confident that you can
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| | weaknesses. Choose a relatively harmless
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| adjust your development plans to match
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| | weakness that could be interpreted as a
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| it, and be happy with that decision, then
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| | strength, such as being over-zealous
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| yes, attend the interview and perform to
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| | about quality criteria being met, or
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| the best of your ability. However, be
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| | insisting on deadlines being met which
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| warned that the interviewers may well
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| | can upset some team members. Don't, under
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| reject you because it will become obvious
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| | any circumstances, negatively criticise
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| to them that the position they are
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| | your present or past employers, or
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| offering is not a natural fit with your
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| | colleagues. Even if the organisation that
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| career to date, and worse, they may well
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| | you work for is known to have faults or
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| ask you how this new opportunity fits
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| | bad practices, don't criticise it or any
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| with your future personal development
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| | personnel within it. This is almost
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| plans, and be disappointed with your
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| | always a fatal mistake. You will almost
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| unconvincing response.
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| | always be asked some questions about the
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| Gather details of the job itself. You
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| | interviewing organisation. Again, use
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| need as much information as you can
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| | these as an opportunity to show you have
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| gather about the nature of the job, the
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| | researched the organisation, but also to
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| role, responsibilities, reporting
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| | explore what the organisation is planning
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| relationships, location of the workplace,
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| | (at least in the area that you will be
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| working conditions, and conditions of
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| | working in), and-or what they are
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| employment such as working hours,
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| | expecting of you. For example, you could
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| holidays, and corporate policies and
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| | mention new markets that the organisation
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| procedures that apply to the position.
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| | has recently entered and ask if that will
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| Some of this information will be given to
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| | impact on the post that you are being
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| you in the information pack sent to you
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| | interviewed for. If you are asked about
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| by the interviewing organisation, or
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| | hobbies and interests, don't give a list
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| department, but often, sadly, the quality
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| | of twenty, keep it simple and don't try
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| of information sent out is poor. Most
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| | to impress with esoteric hobbies that you
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| professional organisations will have HR
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| | don't actually have. Imagine saying that
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| departments that will answer your
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| | you enjoy watching French films and then
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| questions on these issues, or pass you on
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| | being asked a question about this, in
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| to the appropriate line manager.
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| | French, by one of the interviewers who is
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| Research the interview format: you need
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| | fluent in the language!
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| to do some basic but essential research
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| | Questions asked by you. Most interviews
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| on the practicalities of the interview.
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| | will close with the interviewee being
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| Again, some of this information will be
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| | asked if they have any questions to ask.
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| sent to you. You should be clear about:
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| | The answer should always be - Yes. Have
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| how to get to the organisation and the
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| | two questions ready, and either ask these
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| specific interview location (don't rely
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| | or ask one of them and one that has
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| on asking for this information when you
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| | arisen because something raised in the
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| arrive, as this adds to the stress of the
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| | interview. Make sure that your questions
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| occasion); who is on the interview panel
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| | are ones that reinforce your suitability
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| (their titles will give you important
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| | for the post. You could, for example, ask
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| clues as to their relationships to the
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| | questions about personal development
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| post); what format the interview will
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| | opportunities, explaining, briefly, what
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| take (there is nothing worse than
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| | you feel would be a potentially useful
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| arriving expecting a traditional
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| | development activity (of benefit to you
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| face-to-face interview and finding that
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| | and to the organisation) if you were to
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| it is a day-long series of tests, group
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| | be offered the post (this should be an
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| activities, and interviews).
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| | area that you have considered whilst
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| Timing of arrival. Make sure that you
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| | researching the organisation and the job
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| arrive in good time, allowing time to
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| | itself).
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| tidy your physical appearance after your
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| | General behaviour: remember, you are
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| journey, and sufficient time to become
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| | being assessed at all times, possibly
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| calm before the actual interview.
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| | from when you enter the building and
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| Your appearance. Do not make the mistake
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| | approach the receptionist, certainly from
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| of thinking that it is only your history,
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| | the moment you walk into the interview
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| qualifications, skills, and knowledge
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| | room to the moment you leave. You must be
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| that will win you the job. Most other
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| | as natural and relaxed, physically and
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| candidates will have similar attributes,
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| | mentally, as possible, but also
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| so you need to make an impression, to
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| | professional, polite, and courteous.
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| look professional, smart, and appropriate
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| | Never argue, unless you have been given a
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| for the post. In many cases, there will
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| | direct instruction to give your opposing
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| have been a previous holder of the post
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| | views. Be alert, show an interest in each
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| that the interviewers may be using,
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| | interviewer as the ask questions, and
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| albeit subconsciously, as a benchmark.
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| | answer directly to that person, but
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| You can't guess what the interviewers
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| | occasionally look at the others during
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| want, or don't want, in terms of physical
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| | your answer. In answering questions,
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| appearance and personality, but don't for
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| | don't be evasive, be confident, and use
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| one second believe anyone that tells you
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| | your answers to demonstrate how you would
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| this doesn't matter (it shouldn't,
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| | make a good match for the position on
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| perhaps, in certain circumstances, but
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| | offer.
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| you are being invited into their world,
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| | Final word. As the interview ends, thank
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| and they will be looking for someone who
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| | the interviewers for their time and
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| they will be comfortable with (even if
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| | questions. Say that you would be very
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| the role requires you to be an aggressive
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| | pleased if appointed to the job and that
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| change-agent). Yes, in some countries
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| | you look forward to hearing from them.
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| there is legislation that says the job
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| | Even if you have doubts at that moment,
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| should be offered to the most appropriate
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| | this is a courteous and wise way to end
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| person, regardless of appearance, but in
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| | the interview. You may later decide that
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| real life this isn't what happens. The
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| | you would like the job and if you have
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| answer to this dilemma is to research the
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| | appeared negative as the interview ended
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| culture of the organisation that you are
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| | you will have reduced your chances
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| joining, so that you are aware of how
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| | considerably.
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| people, in positions similar to the one
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| | In summary, the key to being successful
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| you are being interviewed for, dress and
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| | at an interview is to treat it as a
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| behave, and you can comment on or ask
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| | project that needs to be planned and
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| questions about this during the
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| | executed in as professional a manner as
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| interview. However, don't go to the
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| | possible. Changing jobs, moving into a
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| interview in jeans and t-shirt, even if
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| | new position, changing organisations,
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| that's the day to day standard. You need
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| | changing the direction of your career,
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| to look as professional, as serious about
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| | perhaps moving into a different business
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| obtaining the job, as possible. For men,
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| | sector, leaving behind friends and
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| that almost certainly means a business
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| | colleagues, meeting, working with,
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| suit, or jacket and trousers, with or
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| | managing, new colleagues, is a major
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| without tie. For women, a business suit
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| | change in your life. The interview is
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| or business outfit. For both sexes,
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| | your doorway into a new world, into the
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| smart-casual can be acceptable, if, but
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| | next stage of your personal development.
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| only if, it is that type of environment.
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| | It is a major event, a major opportunity,
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| In most situations, for most posts on
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| | and must be treated as one.
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| offer to professionals, specialists,
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|
