GUIDE TO INTERVIEW SUCCESS
Be on time.
Know where you are going.
Check in which office the interview will be held. If the interview is to be in a hotel or in the employer's offices, you need to ascertain parking or public transport availability. Whilst interviewers will commiserate with your tales of being delayed by traffic or parking problems, subconsciously you will already have been rejected.
Be pleasant to everyone you meet in the building.
Many otherwise acceptable candidates have been rejected due to their off-hand treatment of a receptionist, secretary or messenger.
Dress conservatively.
Once you have been recruited you will have more than enough opportunity to impress your colleagues with your dress sense. At interview, however, interviewers want to listen to what you are saying and not wondering why you are wearing that powerful aftershave or those Homer Simpson socks. Ideally you should try to get some idea of the company's dress code, but bear in mind that even the most relaxed organisations expect interviewees to wear a dark suit or a business skirt / blouse.
Clarify the interview procedure.
Will you have a number of interviews followed by a psychometric test? Or a brief interview followed by numerical testing?
Be prepared to answer detailed questions on your career to date.
This might appear to be self evident, but many candidates are surprised by the level of detail sought regarding their previous track record and are then rejected as a result of being poorly prepared.
Do not be derogatory about your current role or company.
Leave questions regarding remuneration and benefits until the final interview.
Be prepared for killer questions!
75% of employers admit asking these as they encourage you to think on your feet (allegedly!) Examples include 'what was the one question that you did not want me to ask?', 'give me three reasons to remember you by', 'would you ever lie in the interests of your job?' and, possibly the most terrifying interview question ever, 'tell me a joke'. The good news is that there are no wrong answers here.
Interviews generally divide into three seperate blocks of unequal duration:
Initial 30 seconds
This is where you MUST make a positive impression. A strong handshake, good eye contact and a smile will go a long way.
Formal interview
Signing off
This stage begins when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions and finishes when you walk out of the door. A good impression here will imprint you on the interviewer's mind, so ensure that you have made your enthusiasm clear and ask about the next stage. This should elicit an answer indicating their level of interest in you.
Good luck!
