Selling yourself
Interview techniques
Selling yourself
Key areas
Once the interview has been organised, preparation and research will give you the best possible chance of succeeding. You must think what it is that the potential employer is looking for. Points for consideration that may be used by the interviewer include:
- Your previous work experience
- Accomplishments, both at work and on a personal front
- Academic achievements
- Personality & strengths
- Career motivation
- Likes/dislikes about current situation
- Working relationship with current subordinates and superiors
- Communication skills
- Objectives both in work and in your personal life
CV preparation
This document is the key to open doors, so you must feel completely comfortable with how it represents you. It must be creative, concise, accurate, factual and truthful about your experience. Try and make this document reflective of your personality.
The CV must include the following:
- Personal details: include your full name, address and contact telephone numbers
- Educational history and professional qualifications: include the name of institutions and dates attended. Include all training courses.
- Additional skills: for example, computer skills and foreign languages
- Career history should include:
- Company name, job title, dates of employment
- Under each company name you must write a brief and informative description of the business which includes its size, sector and status.
- Under each job title you must outline your job description and responsiblilites concisely. Emphasise your achievements within this role.
- You must place your employment history in descending order i.e. your most recent employment first emphasising your most recent positions in more detail than those positions in your earlier career.
- Ensure when sending your CV off that it is relevant to the job specification you are applying for.
- Interests: ensure that you show the future employer that you have a balanced lifestyle.
- Personal achievements: include achievements that show leadership qualities and commitments.
Presentation
You must present yourself in a professional, positive and enthusiastic manner. When presenting your career history be concise and accurate, ensuring that your strengths and achievements are emphasised and relevant to the opportunity you are applying for. It is important that you show a balanced view of life and be prepared to show examples that will demonstrate your point of views.
Presenting yourself in this way will give you control of the interview situation because you will be able to lead and not be led. You should look to prove to the interviewer that you possess the following:
- Professionalism
- Organisation
- Communication skills
- Analytical skills
- Confidence
- Desire
Research
Research the company's financial performance, market position, product offering and competitors. MWN will help with information but you should also do as much research as you can. Obviously the best place for company information is their website but information can also be collated from the recruiting company.
The interview
First impressions last so the initial impact should represent confidence and professionalism. Try to give an enthusiastic aura when you first meet the interviewer and continue this throughout the interview, demonstrating a hunger and desire for the opportunity.
Be familiar with your CV and be prepared to answer questions from it. Ensure you have read any job description thoroughly.
In an interview panel situation ensure that you are speaking to the whole group. Do not direct your answers to the person who you believe to be the key decision maker of the group. He or she may not be and often is not. Listen to what is being asked of you. Give positive examples of your experience to date. Leave the interviewer with a positive affirmation of your interest.
Interview techniques
Interview styles
You will find that different companies adopt different interview styles, with some companies adopting multi-level interviews, each level designed to test for a different set of skills. It is therefore important to find out what the interview structure will consist of, as this will help you do the correct level of preparation for each interview stage.
The main interview can be demanding. Take time to weigh up what approach the person interviewing you is taking. Are they intent on relaxing you? If so they probably want to find out more about your personality and what motivates you.
Are they being aggressive? It could be that they want to test your ability to handle pressure. Examples of how you have excelled in such situations will be of importance here.
Are they intent on asking you what you would do in certain situations? Here they are questioning your problem solving skills, your creative ability and overall judgement.
This is not an exhaustive list, but you do need to be aware of why the interviewer is taking the approach you are subject to. Understanding the interviewer's motivation is the key to successful interviewing!
Your qualities
There are many qualities that employers look for in successful applicants, but here is a quick reference list of the most common:
- Reliability: time spent in jobs, a stable home life, reaction under pressure.
- Enthusiasm: body language, gestures, smiles, eye contact, voice levels.
- Determination: past achievements, overcoming problems, reaction under pressure.
- Ethical/professionalism: organisation, personal standards, integrity.
- Communication skills: listening skills, relevance of answers, no waffling, body language.
- Desire & ambition: short- & long-term goals, career planning, future plans, questions asked about the position, opportunities and financial package, past achievements.
- Flexibility: quick thinking, previous examples, coping with change, awareness of interview tactics and subsequent reaction.
- Personality: sense of humour, social graces, ability to make small talk, body language.
