Seven Critical Awareness Points to Succeed in an Interview

Few individuals have any concept of how to actually prepare thoroughly for an interview.

Googling typical questions is not going to help, nor is looking at the company website or

thinking about yourself.

It takes a specialist understanding of how interviews and recruitment work. Herewith critical

tips I am sharing with you from my intensive training in and exposure to best practice

interviewing methodology and my work as a consultant in this field.

1. Know the interview format:

Thorough interviews will consist of three sections covering general, technical, and behavioural questions. At the end, you should be asked if you have any questions.

2. Understand what documents to work from:

The advert and job specification will contain the competencies required. Make a list and

start working through these.

3. Prepare typical general questions:

Most interviewers require you to introduce yourself and give some detail, articulate

your strengths and value add, and explain your two- or five-year career objective or your

reason for applying. You might also be asked to sum up how your technical skills and

experience align with the role requirements.

4. Work through Technical Knowledge Requirements:

Compile a checklist, where there are gaps read up on the technical area so that you have

theoretical knowledge of it. (eg. specific legislation mentioned)

5. Compile and prepare Behavioural Questions:

Double-check the skills they seek. If they ask for leadership, consider your leadership

style and work on an example of how you effectively led a team. If customer

service is a criterion, have an example ready relating to when you rendered excellent

service. Furthermore, do you know the essential elements of service excellence?

6. Learn the basics of questioning methodology:

Competency-based questioning techniques require examples of the competency from

your recent experience. Furthermore, the scoring requires a situation, an action taken and

a result. You need to prepare accordingly.

7. General Tips

• Listen. Focus on the essence of the question (even write key points if need be)

• Be relevant.

• Be concise. Answer the question then stop decisively and confidently.

• Be comfortable with silence.

• Watch your body language and focus

Enjoy the opportunity to be interviewed and work on a positive mindset. If you qualified for

an interview, you met the paper-based requirements. Now make the most of it and prove

you are worth it.

An hour-long interview skills practice is the best investment you can make. Contact me for

more detail.

- Jennifer Ritchie