A quick guide to improving your approach to interviews

To maximise your chances of success at interview stage, you must be fully prepared...
A good interview brief should cover 4 main areas:

Directions and contact names for the interview
Full job description and candidate specification
Relevant company information
Interview question preparation

Let's look at these areas in more detail:

1. Directions And Contact Names:
You will need to know the full company address and directions, whichever form of transport you will use. Ask your consultant, as they will have visited the client themselves and will therefore have first hand knowledge.
Alternatively, visit www.streetmap.com to print off a map and take this with you, as it is less bulky than an A-Z.

Ensure you have the correct contact name for the client and that you know the interviewer's full title. Make sure that you have the right date and time for the interview.

2. Full Job Description And Candidate Specification:
Please make sure your consultant has given you a job description, as this is vitally important. Do not accept agencies claiming not to have a job description, as every job will have one.
Please read through the job description prior to the interview so that it is fresh in your mind.

Your consultant will also be qualified to give you a full person specification, so be sure they tell you what type of personality the client is looking for and what background the client's ideal applicant will have come from. Ask your consultant what the personality of the interviewer is, so that you can tailor your behaviour accordingly. If the consultant has visited the client, ask them for a description of the current team.
To get a suitable job offer you will need to show that you have the correct skill set in addition to demonstrating the right personality to 'fit', so ensure you have adequate information on both aspects.

3. Relevant Company Information:
Get a copy of the clients up to date brochure from your consultant. Make sure you have read it prior to the interview.
Ask for the company's website address and visit their site.
Make sure your consultant tells you what the company do and how the job you are interviewing for fits in with this. Ask them to define the company client base and what products or services the company provides. Find out who the company's main competitors are.
Again, your consultant will have visited the client and probably will have recruited for them before, so benefit from their expertise. Do not be afraid to ask them questions, it is better to ask your consultant than the client.

4. Interview Question Preparation:
Revise any basic interview questions; there are some questions that are asked very frequently, so prepare answers for these.

Here are some basic interview questions for you to consider:

1. Tell me about yourself?
First prepare in advance, using this formula: 1. 'My name is…..'; 2. 'I've worked for x years as a (job title)'; 3. 'Currently, I'm a (job title) at (company); 4. 'Before that, I was a (job title) at (company); 5. 'I love the challenge of my work, especially the major strengths it allows me to offer, including, (A, B and C)'. Second, help the interviewer by focusing the question with a question of your own: 'What would be most relevant to you and what this company needs?' Then answer this more specific question.

2. Why did you leave (do you want to leave) your most recent (current) job?
Never answer with negative reasons, even if they are true! Frame your answer positively by answering why you want to move to the target company instead of why you left or want to leave your most recent (current) job. For example, instead of answering, 'I don't get enough challenges at Acme Industries', respond, 'I am eager to take on more challenges and I believe I can find them at XYZ Company'.

3. Tell me what you know about us?
Use the information you have gained from step 3 above. Basic research is the only way to prepare for this question, so do your homework!

4. What experience do you have?
Pre interview research will help here too. Try to cite experience relevant to the company's job description and candidate specification. Also, try answering with questions such as, 'Are you looking for an overall understanding or experience in some specific areas?' Then let the interviewers answers guide your answer.

5. What don't you like about your current job?
Again refuse to answer negatively. Respond that you, 'like everything about my current position and have acquired and developed a great many skills, but I'm now ready for a new set of challenges and greater responsibility.

6. What are you looking for in this job?
Flip this one over. Despite the question, the employer isn't really interested in what you are looking for. Address his interests, rather than yours. Use words like 'contribute', 'enhance', and 'improve' in your response: 'In my current position, I've discovered just how much one person could contribute to a company. As product supervisor, I increased efficiency an average 10 percent, which meant a quarterly bottom line increase in £10,000 in net revenue for our department. I'm looking to do even more for XYZ Industries. That's what will give me satisfaction in this job'.

7. Why should I hire you?
This may sound suspicious, negative, or just plain harsh. Actually, it's a call for help! The employer wants you to help him or her hire you. Keep your response brief. Recap any job requirements the interviewer may have mentioned earlier in the interview, then, point by point, match your skills, attributes and qualifications to those items. See, as easy as that!

...so follow this guide and with careful preparation and just a little bit of good luck, that job should soon be yours!!