44 Recruitment
HOW TO DO A KILLER INTERVIEW PART ONE : THE JOB SEEKER
Robert Kenward provides the inside track on how to nail a job interview as an interviewee
ob seekers tend to assume that the interview starts and ends with the face-to-face meeting , but there ’ s lots you can do before and after to make sure you stand out .
It ’ s worth pointing out that I believe interviews should be conducted in real life . Please don ’ t insist on a Zoom meeting unless you have a very real and practical reason for asking . We are a live industry , so the least you should do is to meet your potential employer in real life .
So , you ’ ve been told that a company would like to formally interview you for that amazing role that you applied for . What should you do next ?
Step one : pre-interview
The first thing is to find out why you have been put forward . What was it about you that excites and interests them ? It ’ s also important to find out what gaps in your experience they are concerned about . The second question takes a lot more courage to ask , but you need to find the confidence to ask it in advance because it will give you time to prepare your answers .
Most people only have a two-page CV , so this is also the time to offer the interviewer more
“ Never be afraid to ask an interviewer to reframe a question . They may ask you what one plus one is , and your answer could either be two , or 11 .”
Robert Kenward information about yourself . It ’ s very simple to say : “ Hi Bob , I ’ m really looking forward to being interviewed by you on Friday – I thought you might be interested in a link to my profile , a CV with a bit more information or some testimonials from clients I have worked with .”
Step two : the interview
The interview starts from the moment you press the buzzer and walk in . Remember to be courteous to everyone you meet – from the receptionist and the person who offers you coffee , to anyone who walks past you in reception .
Once you are in the interview , it ’ s an unfortunate fact that the interviewer is not really listening to your answers . They are listening out for the answer they want to hear to something specific , so you need to find out exactly what that is . Their questions will be vague , so you need to drill down . Answer their questions with a question , asking them to be more specific .
For example , if you are asked : “ Tell me about your leadership experience ?,” you should ask them to clarify the question by saying : “ I have a lot of leadership experience – from small teams to large . Which areas of my leadership experience are important to you ?”
Once they have answered your question , drill down again for a second time if the question is still too ambiguous . Their answer may www . conference-news . co . uk