Job interview

This is your next step in getting ready to meet your prospective employer. Make sure you are prepared.

Before the interview

Go back and look at your CV, personal letter and any job ad by the company. Bring yourself up to date and ask the same questions as when you wrote your personal letter:

• Why do I want to have this job?
• Why should they hire me?

Spend time reading about the company before the interview. Showing your interest and familiarity with the company will help you out in any interview. Another good idea is to prepare for any questions that the interviewer might ask. To the right you find some examples.

When attending business days and similar events, you generally have the opportunity to register for practice interviews. This is an excellent way to get a sense of how you tend to feel and react in an interview situation. Don’t pass up the opportunity if it comes your way.

When you receive a phone call to schedule an interview, make sure to find out the name of the person or persons you will be meeting with. Extra preparation to help you imagine what the interview is going to be like will put you more at ease. Ask if you should bring anything with you, such as grades or letters of recommendation. Don’t forget to phone your references and prepare them to be contacted by your prospective employer. This gives them the opportunity to think ahead of time about what they are going to say.

Ask questions

The interviewer isn’t the only one who is allowed to ask questions. Being proactive and asking questions of your own shows that you are really interested in the company and the position. The answers can also provide you with information that will make it easier to decide whether the company and job are right for you.

Below are examples of the kinds of questions you can ask the company:

• What kind of orientation programme do you have for new employees?
• What career development opportunities do you offer?
• How large is your staff turnover?
• What would a typical week be like if I were to get this job?
• What does the company think about its future prospects?
• Will I be working in teams or independently?
• When do you plan to make a decision about the person you want to hire?
• What was it in my application that convinced you to schedule an interview?

Write your questions down and take them with you to the interview so that you don’t forget them.

During the interview

Now comes the most important part – communicating in person the knowledge and experience that you have described in writing. First impressions are lasting, so take a minute to think about the impression you want to make and how you can affect it.

A few tips

Think positively and give yourself a pep talk before you leave for the interview. Find out how to get there and when you should leave so that you arrive in plenty of time. If you are delayed, phone the employer immediately. Their impression of you will start as soon as you walk in the door. Be pleasant and cooperative with everyone you meet.

Don’t bring a lot of unnecessary items - a calendar, notepad and pen should take care of it. Make sure your right hand is free so that you can shake hands without fumbling. Don’t underestimate the signals you send when you shake hands – maintain eye contact and hold the other person’s hand firmly. Wear comfortable clothing and check whether the company has a special dress code.

If they ask you whether you would like something to drink, say yes. It’s a casual way to start off a meeting, and it might come in handy to take a sip of water or coffee if you need to think before answering a question during the interview.

Try to be yourself during the interview. It is normal to be nervous. A job interview is a special situation, and the employer is fully aware of it. One suggestion is to be sensitive to the interviewer’s manner and adopt a similar attitude yourself.

Remember that eye contact is important and try to establish a relationship with all the interviewers if there is more than one. Don’t be afraid of silence – take as much time as you need to reflect before answering a question.

Sometimes an employer wants to know what kind of salary you are expecting. Avoid mentioning an exact figure; indicate a range instead. Don’t bring the issue up unless you are asked. The longer you wait, the stronger your negotiating position.

Last but not least, be factual and focused during the interview. Don’t forget that the interview is in the interest of both parties; after all, the company made the decision to talk with you.

After the interview

Take a while to think about how the interview appeared to go. What went well and what can you improve on next time around? Did you forget to say or ask anything? What was your impression of the position and the workplace? Do you want to have the job if they offer it to you?

If you don’t hear from the employer within the time they have promised, get in touch with them yourself. It’s a good way to demonstrate your interest and find out how the recruitment process is going.

Tips

Go ahead and e-mail a thank you note for the interview and emphasise that you are still interested in the company and the job. If you realised after the interview that you forgot to mention or ask something, the e-mail is a good time to do it.

If you don’t get the job

Having gone through an interview is a good experience that will make you feel more comfortable the next time around. Try to get some feedback about why you weren’t offered the job. Maybe it was something that you can include in your future preparations. Use the answers properly and you will be even more attractive the next time you apply for a job.

Congratulations, the job is yours

A good suggestion when you are offered a job is to say that you will call back and let them know. It’s always a good idea to think through your decision and focus a little before taking the next step, which is to negotiate your salary and other terms of employment.