Interview Tips
The interview is the most crucial stage of the recruitment process and therefore it is important to get it right first time. This section will hopefully provide a few simple tips in order to help you be better prepared and therefore confident about any interview.
First impressions do count!!
You will find that many clients make a decision about a candidate within the first few minutes of meeting them, so it is so important to make your first impression count! There are many things you could do to help this but it is best to try to appear confident with a firm handshake and don’t forget to smile! You can ask questions or make small talk on your way to the interview area which should help to relax the situation and make you both feel at ease, as this can sometimes be a daunting process for the interviewer too.
Types of interview
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Face 2 Face
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Telephone
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Group Days
All companies have different interview processes. Some will make a decision on a candidate after 1 interview and some will call you back again and again. Generally the bigger the company the longer the interview process and you may find a different interviewer at each stage. But whether you have 1 or 5 interviews; face 2 face or on the telephone it is always important to remember your first impression counts and to be clear and concise with your answers. Although there is a difference in the styles of interview you may encounter you need to focus on what the interviewer is trying to achieve – they will want information from you and expect you to provide answers without over elaborating or going off at tangents. But you can prepare yourself by refreshing on technical skills, find out as much information about the role as possible and run through with yourself potential interview questions around your skills and past experience.
Interview format
There are normally 5 types of interview formats used by our clients and in some instances a combination of all 5. These are:
Competency
These are structured to reflect the competencies and qualities needed for the role and it is vital that you provide them with what they are looking for. They will be looking for answers backed up by examples to emphasise your skills and abilities from past work experience. This is something that we would be happy to help you prepare for.
Technical
The very nature of the IT industry means that most of our clients will introduce some sort of technical interview process, whether this is via a specific technical test or a simple question and answer interview process. Therefore it is really important to review your technical knowledge prior to interview to ensure you are ready for potential questions that might be asked. Often they will be looking at the thought process and logic rather than whether the answer is correct.
Bio-Graphical
Biographical Interviews are based on the individuals CV. The questions cover information contained within the CV and explore the documented experience, qualifications, and other information contained in your CV. Bio-graphical interviews can be very thorough especially if the client investigates the whole of your career to date. Ultimately they are still trying to qualify your suitability for the job role applied for.
Personal Profiling
Some clients use personality profiling or index style tests which ask the candidate a number of questions relating specifically to their personality! They focus on one word answers to describe individual traits or rating specific skills 1- 5 etc…
Psychometric Testing
Psychometric tests can sometimes be used during interviews but they are normally testing a candidate’s preferences, abilities and behaviors.
Just remember to stay positive and be professional as all times during the interview process. The employer will be looking for a candidate to fit into an existing team/structure, so be enthusiastic in your discussions and try to stray away from any negative views you may have about your previous roles or indeed the role you are being interviewed for.
It is important to clarify anything you are unsure of and don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask to revisit a particular point raised. Sit up straight; avoid crossing your arms and try to stay focused on the interviewer and the questions they are asking. Interviews can naturally be a nervous experience so all preparation made before the interview will help you to relax and enable you to give of your best.
