Get That Job - Interview tips to help you succeed - Irish Examiner Feature

Feature in Irish Examiner - Monday 12th January 2009

Mounting unemployment figures mean an increasingly competitive jobs market, and a confident interview is more important than ever in securing a role. Melissa Foley, Research and Recruitment Specialist with career coaching company, Harmonics, offers her top tips.

Top Interview Tips

Preparation
You can never prepare enough for an interview. Preparation is really going to differentiate you from the competition, but a lot of people tend to leave it until the last minute. I advise practising, even in the car on the way to work - conversationalised questions, know your CV inside out, be able to verbalise it, know your dates and, if there are any gaps, be able to explain them. 

Know the Role
One question everyone tends to ask is: what’s your understanding of the role? If you trip up on that, it’s very hard to get back from it. Interviewers don’t want a big regurgitation of something that was seen on the website. If you know someone who works at the company (though not someone who has anything to do with the interview), speak to them to get a feel for the company, the products, the culture. If you can get an idea of the kind of fit they like, that can be very helpful. You can also ask the company to send out any relevant information. The worst thing they can do is say no.

Study the Format
Is it a HR style interview? Is it competency based? Is it a technical interview? If you’re dealing with someone in HR, they’re more than happy to give you the information. But some people, when they get called to interview, ask for the time and that’s it. The onus is on you. If anything, asking for information is encouraged, because it shows you are interested. As long as you’re not phoning every day or bombarding the company, the worst it will do is demonstrate that you are eager. 

Know the Panel
As well as researching the company, make a note of who you’re meeting with and arrive a few minutes early. Having interviewed a number of people myself, there is nothing as off-putting as someone who gets your name wrong. You need to have as much of the groundwork done as possible. 

Make Eye Contact
First impressions are vital. Studies have shown that more emphasis can be put on body language than what you actually say, so you need to have the right demeanour. You have to make eye contact. If you have two or three interviewers, it’s important to maintain eye contact with all of them, or involve all of them in the conversation - even if they’re not asking the questions. It’s all about building rapport. If an interviewer is relaxed and you’re formal and stiff, it won’t gel. Posture is important. And don’t fidget. 

Be Personable
Clients want people that will fit into their culture. If you present yourself as a confident individual, they will be confident in your abilities. If you come across as really nervous; if you’re not making eye contact or you’re not that friendly – they may not be able to picture their team working with you. It’s important to put it across that you will fit in well. You wouldn’t be in front of them unless they thought you were suitable for the role, so you’re halfway there already. It all comes down to being personable. 

Dress Up
Definitely wear a suit. You’d be surprised, but some don’t take that basic advice. I’ve had a person at very senior level turn up for an interview with a large, multinational pharmaceutical company, in jeans and runners. I don’t know what he was thinking. He was an absolutely fantastic guy, but the company regretted him was because he came in jeans. When in doubt, wear a suit. Even if you’re going for a role that mightn’t require you to wear one, it’s better to be overdressed. 

Sell Yourself
Verbalise what’s on your CV. If the interviewer has a CV in front of him, candidates may think they don’t need to go through everything on it. But it is your main selling tool and you need to be able to discuss it in detail and apply the skills you have to the actual role. 

Be Honest
If you find the interviewer is highlighting an area where you’re lacking, don’t lose confidence. Be honest, but don’t be negative - you don’t want to go warts and all. Highlight an area where you took a positive approach to something, or where you started in a previous company without a particular skill and were able to pick it up quickly. Show that you’re proactive, that you may not have the skill at present, but you’ll be able to hit the ground running. 

Location, Location, Location
If you live near to the job, highlight that. Even if you’re looking at relocating, it helps if you can mention that you went to school or college nearby. Location is a huge factor. Companies want to think you have a reason to be in the locality... they may have had previous employees who have come, gotten their experience, and then found the commute to be too much. If you live close by, it’s a huge advantage. 

Show that your Education is Ongoing
If you don’t have a strong enough educational background for the role, and that’s picked up in the interview, highlight that you would have no problems doing additional courses or on-the-job training. There is more of an emphasis put on education these days. 

Ask questions
It’s important to ask questions, but they should be intelligent questions. If an interviewer has just run you through the entire working day, don’t turn around and ask what a typical day is. Perhaps ask about new products, competitors, or the reporting structure. Show that you’re interested. My feedback from clients suggests that one of the main reasons interviewees aren’t successful is that they weren’t enthusiastic enough. Even if you’re halfway through and unsure as to whether the role is for you, make sure you come across as enthusiastic and positive. Give yourself that chance.

In conversation with Pól O Conghaile.