Prepared. Calm. Composed. Prepared. You can never be too prepared for an interview!
Interviews all seem to contain variations of the same core questions, so why answer with a reactive answer? Be proactive. You know it’s coming, so prepare before and give a calm, composed and well constructed answer.
Your responses can be adapted according to the interview so you just need to tweak them each time rather than rewrite them.
Q1: Tell me about yourself.
A: Here is the great first opportunity to sell yourself. Your application set out the facts, but here’s your chance to elaborate and expand, telling them all the relevant bits you couldn’t express on the form. What are some of your main attributes? What qualifications do you have? What’s your career history? What skills do you have – make sure to include skills that are relevant to the job you’ve applied for. Do you have any impressive achievements? Have you been responsible for any significant changes or improvements?
Whilst the interviewer won’t be dismissive about you telling them about your two children, Sophie and Harry, oh and your dog Oscar, they probably just want to hear about work related information!
Q2: What have your achievements been to date?
A: You don’t want to be digging too deep into the archives to get these so keep them recent so you don’t have to dust them off. Can you find a work related achievement to talk about? What skills did you use and how could they benefit the company? Did you design and implement a new system? How did that benefit the company?
Q3: Are you happy with your career to date?
A: Yes is the answer to this one! You want to show the interviewer that you have a positive attitude, you have confidence and self esteem. Explain why the career path you’ve followed (intentional or unintentional!) has made you happy. Explain any slow periods or lulls in your career and turn them round.
Q4: What is the most difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?
A: How difficult is difficult for you? Can you cope under pressure? Can you problem solve? Are you a good communicator? These are all questions they are trying to answer about you. It is important to find a situation that was difficult, but not your fault. Don’t waffle on for ages about it, get to the point. How did you identify the problem? What options did you find to resolve it? What option did you choose and why? End on a positive note and tell them the outcome of problem. Don’t choose one that still has raw emotion attached to it otherwise you could lose your focus.
Q5: What do you like about your present job?
A: No tricks here. Keep it positive and keep in mind the job you are being interviewed for. Make the elements you like about your current job relevant!
Q6: What do you dislike about your present job?
A: Beware! You don’t want to highlight your weaknesses and you don’t want to be negative about your current employer. Keep it fairly general and show that you can cope with issues or problems that arise. Maybe go for a corporate level answer rather than a personal one – for example, the size of the company rather than the fact your boss slams down the phone after every phone call and makes you feel inadequate.
Q7: What are your strengths / weaknesses
A – Strengths: Sell! Sell! Sell! Go with around 3-5 of your best bits – with examples to consolidate them. Choose ones that are relevant to the job you’re interviewing for – you can look for clues in the job advert or the person specification they give you.
A – Weaknesses: Trick alert! Try and pick a weakness that can also be a strength. Alternatively, choose one that doesn’t matter for the job. Remember to let them know how you are managing the weakness and what steps you are taking to resolve it. “I get frustrated when people spend a long time talking things through and without action.” You can also choose one that used to be a weakness and explain to them how you’ve improved on it. You could say you are a workaholic and that you need to take regular breaks to perform your best. Or that you are a perfectionist which does not always make enough allowances for people’s capabilities. Is an employer going to get upset about hiring a workaholic perfectionist??
Q8: Why do you want to leave your current employer?
A: Don’t be negative about the company and please don’t bluntly say that you just want more money! Go down the ‘new challenge’, or ‘more responsibility’ route instead. This demonstrates enthusiasm for work and shows your ambition. Sell! Sell! Sell! You want to show that you want to progress.
Q9: Why have you applied for this particular job?
A: They want to get the right candidate, so show them it’s you. You can’t answer this question if you don’t understand the role or the company. Tell them what you like about the company and which elements of the job interest you the most and why. Be enthusiastic and match up your skills to their requirements. Show your interest for the industry. You could also mention the company’s reputation.
Q10: What do you know about our organisation?
Demonstrate that you have an understanding of the company structure, the customers and competitors, key staff, products and services, potential challenges and market trends. They will be looking to employ someone who is interested in their business, not just someone who wants a job.
Just a note: Try not to deal with salary negotiations until job offer stage. It’s not really a topic for interview if you can help it. If you are forced to reveal your salary expectations, then give a realistic and wide range, stating that salary isn’t an issue if you decide to work together.
Good luck!
The Office for National Statistics has reported this month that unemployment figures have risen again. The job market is a tough one for job seekers and it looks set to get tougher and with 
Human nature when we meet someone new is to automatically try to stereotype someone so we can start getting blocks in place so we can get to know them. We’re all guilty of it. Perception in life is everything and we all make snap judgements about people. For instance, if you saw someone with a ‘hoodie’, would that shape your perception of what they were like…?
You only get one chance to make a first impression so, to start with, walk confidently into the interview room and avoid ‘dressing’ as you go in. By that, we mean don’t play with your tights, pull your trousers around or adjust your tie en route. You’ll have a bit of time before you go in, so do any last minute adjustments beforehand! Fiddling and faffing aren’t the right ingredients for a good impression.