Interview Preparation

    The interview is the single most important factor in determining your career prospects and ultimate suitability for a position. In a highly competitive industry, you could be up against a number of other candidates and you are given one opportunity to make an impact. Therefore it is imperative that you are well prepared.

    These hints combined with guidance from our Consultants will equip you with valuable information on how to conduct yourself during and after meeting with prospective employers

    Preparing for an Interview

    Preparation is pivotal in and will arm you with more confidence

    • Research the prospective employer. Know the basics about their company and its services. Useful sources are the company’s website as well as www.google.com.au and / or www.yahoo.com.au for articles
    • Your Consultant should also be able to provide you with a significant amount of information prior to your search
    • Once you know more about the company, and obviously the position, prepare questions to ask during the interview. A great question to include is “What are the qualities / attributes that you are most hoping to find in the person that you will hire?” The sooner that you can ask this question the better you are able to mould your answers accordingly
    • Prepare reasons why you want the position
    • Know the exact location of the interview and map out your course in advance. If in doubt check on line at www.whereis.com.au or google maps
    • Ensure that you have the details of the interviewer and how to correctly pronounce their name

    Arriving at an Interview

    • Arrive early. Allow 15 minutes or so in the vicinity. You can use this time to review information for the interview or observe the competition.
    • Always try and enter the premises of an interview 5 minutes early – never earlier and never later. Late arrival for an interview is never excusable.
    • Dress appropriately and if in doubt always err on the side of conservative. A dark suit is always best and pay particular attention to grooming. We also suggest minimal or light corporate make-up and removing excess jewellery
    • Gentlemen, we always suggest a suit jacket and tie
    • Act professionally with everyone you meet, and smile
    • Greet the interviewer by their name, with a firm handshake and a smile
    • Be courteous and either wait to be seated or sit simultaneously to your interviewer

    The Interview

    • Sit upright in your chair and look alert / interested at all times
    • Look the interviewer in the eye when speaking
    • Be clear and grammatically correct in your address. That is, avoid words like “yep”, “nah”, “kinda” and other slang terminologies
    • When answering questions, avoid simple ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers. Wherever possible try to explain past experiences that will ‘add value’ to your case for employment
    • The above being said, never over answer a question by drifting from the point. Be informative yet concise
    • Always seek clarification on questions that you don’t understand
    • Remember that the tone in your voice can carry just as much if not more influence than the words themselves
    • Never interrupt the interviewer. Always wait until they have finished their sentence
    • Answer questions truthfully
    • Avoid being evasive or making excuses
    • Always feel free to take a moment to formulate your response. An interviewer never minds a pause
    • Feel comfortable taking pen and paper with you if you like to
    • Be confident in your ability, don’t fidget
    • Never make derogatory comments about past or present colleagues or employers. If you are stuck on reasons for departing a role, ask your Recruitment Consultant from sharonbennie how to handle these prior to interview
    • Be prepared to answer the standard questions
    • Remember that an interview is a two way street. As the interview starts to wind up, if the interviewer does not prompt you to ask questions, feel free to ask politely if you direct a few questions to them
    • Don’t enquire about salary, bonuses, holidays at the initial interview
    • Don’t get discouraged if the interview doesn’t seem to be going well. This can sometimes be a tactic of the interviewer to gauge your reaction. Remain positive and professional

    Closing the Interview

    • State your interest in the position and ask what the next steps will be
    • Ask if there is anything else that you can provide to your Recruitment Consultant to pass on to them such as additional references, work samples etc
    • If you are offered the role and it is one that you are interested in, keep the enthusiasm and accept it on the spot, stating that you will leave the finer details to the interviewer and your Recruitment Consultant to discuss
    • Thank the interviewer for their time, tell them that you are excited to hear back (if no indication has been given in the wrap up) and shake their hand on exiting