Interview Advice

To many interviewing is a frightening thought. However that need not be the case. It can be an enjoyable experience leading to securing the position that you have been searching for.  To help you through a successful interview process we have put together the following tips:

Preparation: You must do your homework. The more research you do on the company and (if possible) on the people you are going to meet, the more likely you are to succeed. This research will also help you decide if this is a company you want to work for. We would advise you start the research process with your Venor consultant. Additionally use the internet to review the company website, search for news stories and be aware of any recent successes the company is promoting. The more background knowledge you have, the better the interview will go. 

Presentation: Before you say a word the interviewer will have formed an impression of you by how you look. You don’t get a second chance at this! You need to treat every interview as it is the most important meeting you will ever have and dress accordingly. Gentlemen, suits are the order of the day with a shirt and tie (around your neck not hanging half way down your shirt!) shave to demonstrate you are a professional. Ladies, a suit and shirt are ideal but if not part of your wardrobe then look smart!

Greeting: The first handshake, is simple but has the capacity to go horribly wrong and leave all parties feeling rather uncomfortable with each other for a few minutes! The key to this is to look someone in the eyes put out your hand and take a firm grip, of all their hand not just the end of their fingers, short and sharp and one shake and then let go (please remember to let go!).

Notes: Have a pen that works and a pad to write on. You should have a number of key questions to ask already written on your pad. Try to make these questions link together so you don’t sound like a machine firing out random statements. Make notes throughout the interview, this will help you when asking additional questions at the end and will also assist you when reviewing how the meeting went.

Show Interest: Maintain eye contact throughout the interview. If there are a number of people in the meeting, engage all of them in turn, don’t focus on the person you get on best with. Sit up in your chair and if possible try to mirror your interviewer's posture; when they lean forward do the same, when they lean back do likewise. This is simply a sales technique which, when done properly, can have a positive effect but be careful not to be too obvious. Try not to show your nerves! The obvious signs are playing with your pen, tapping your feet or fidgeting in your seat.

Be YOU: This is probably the most important tip of all. The interviewer wants to know what you are really like. By all means be on your best behavior and keep any embarrassing stories for another day. However relax and be yourself. It is important that the interviewer gets to make a decision on who you really are. By being natural you will probably put the interviewer at ease and the interview will fly past and be an enjoyable experience for everyone. 

Close: When asked the inevitable final question “Do you have any more questions” the answer should always be a positive one and as a minimum, you should enquire what happens next. There are many ways to finish the interview, and depending on your experience and confidence you will know how to do this. Make sure you ask what the next stage is and express your interest in advancing to that stage. If you would like some advice then ask your Venor Consultant.

We hope that you find this advice useful, and happy interviewing!