Although there is an array of assessment techniques available, such as psychometric testing, handwriting analysis and so on, the personal interview remains the most important method employers use to recruit, yet many interviews are unstructured and haphazard, with both parties unclear about how to get the best out of these meetings. Good interviewing is an art for both the interviewer and interviewee. Some people find this comes naturally, but the rest of us can benefit from some prior preparation and planning.
 

The Interview Itself

Before
It is essential that you start to prepare for an interview at the earliest opportunity. Take a critical look at yourself and ask yourself the following questions: What does your career imply about the type of person you are? Can you provide an interesting and incisive fifteen-minute talk on yourself, your career and your achievements? What in tangible terms are the abilities you have to offer a potential employer? Can you illustrate these assertions with specific examples?

In short, match your past with their future by talking less about ‘me’ and more about what you can do for them.

Research
Find out as much as you can about the prospective employer. Obtain their annual report, or brochures, telephone if you have to. An interview is a fact-gathering exercise for both sides. In advance of the interview, and immediately before, think about the likely questions you will be asked and how you will answer those questions, as well as questions you may have.

Check that you know exactly where the firm/company is based and the exact location of where the interview will take place, the best way of reaching that location and the estimated travel time, allowing for any hiccups. Make sure, if possible, that you know who you will be seeing for the interview, what position they hold within the organisation and any special or likely form that the interview may take.

Re-read a copy of your CV and letter of application as they will, in all probability, form the basis for discussion. Any inaccuracies in the CV should be addressed immediately, either before or at interview, to avoid any possible embarrassment.

Dress
Many employers are still conservative by nature. Resist the temptation to dress flamboyantly or in a manner that draws attention to yourself. For men, that means dressing in a smart dark suit and for women, a suit, skirt and jacket, or dress. By dressing conservatively and smartly you are sending a signal that you are taking yourself, the interview, the interviewer and your career seriously.

Time-Keeping
Arrive in good time although not too early. Nothing creates a worse impression than an interviewee who is late. If, for some reason you are going to be delayed, call the firm in question, and tell them when you are likely to arrive. If you arrive with, say, ten minutes to spare, you can spend the time in reception collecting your thoughts, reading any brochures, and gleaning information as to the firm itself. Receptionists’ telephone conversation, the passage of people into/out of the office, may provide valuable insight into the type of organisation you are applying to join. Make sure that you have a rough idea of how long the interview will last so that you are not twitching in your seat after two hours or concerned about another meeting which you have to attend.

During the Interview
First impressions are important. Research has consistently shown that impressions of people are formed within the first few minutes of the initial introduction and that those first impressions rarely change either for the better or worse. Indeed, the interview may well be used by the interviewer merely to confirm those first impressions. It is important to be on your mettle from the moment you arrive. Start with a firm, but not bone-crushing handshake, good eye contact and a smile.
 

What to Expect

Given the rather haphazard nature of interviewing, it is unwise to go to an interview with any preconceptions of what is likely to happen. Interviews vary in form and content from company to company. If the employer intends to use some form of psychological testing in addition to a formal interview, then you will probably know in advance, not least because of the length of time that has been set aside for the interviewing process. Typically though, the structure of the interview will conform fairly closely to the following: -

1. Introduction
   The interviewer will greet you and then introduce you to any other members of the interviewing panel. They will explain the nature of the interview; provide some detail about the company and how the interview is to be structured. The good interviewer will, at this stage, hope to put you at ease by doing most of the initial talking.
    
2. Information gathering
   The interviewer will probably ask questions, usually using the CV as the basis, to build up a profile of the individual, asking questions about his career to date, career aspirations, personality and interests. Good interviewers will use open questions such as ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’, which elicit more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. What evidence are you providing that will indicate your future success in this new job? This evidence may focus on specific tasks you have done in order to assess the depth of your experience and identify your individual style in tackling a task.
    
3. Information exchange
   The interviewer will provide details of the vacancy, the structure of the department, reporting lines etc. At this stage, you will often be asked if you have any questions.
    
4. Conclusion
   You may be asked to stay for lunch, or alternatively, to meet one of the junior members of the department, for a more informal exchange. Although, very often, these exchanges play no formal role in the selection process, sometimes they do, if only to confirm the view already gained.
    

How to Conduct Yourself During the Interview

Like many social situations an interview involves role-playing and broad adherence to an unwritten set of rules. You will be expected to be trying to create a positive impression and sell yourself. If you do not, you will be disadvantaged compared to the other candidates who will. The art is in doing this whilst remaining true to yourself. In the extreme example where a firm wants a dynamic, go-getting client grabber, and you are best suited to a support role, then even in the event that you could pass yourself off as the type of person sought, the consequences for both parties are likely to be disastrous.

More emphasis is placed on visual clues than on verbal ones. Avoid clasping your hands whilst waiting for the interview to begin as it may lead to a clammy, sweaty, handshake when you introduce yourself. Look the interviewer in the eye. If you find this difficult, appear to do so by focusing on the top of the bridge of their nose! Steadfastly avoiding eye contact will make you seem at best, nervous and fidgety and, at worst, shifty and sinister. Smile at the right time and appear warm and sympathetic. Do not slump in your chair or lean on the desk.

It is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of being enthusiastic and interested in the company, the opening, and your own career. This will come across more in your body language and your tone of voice than in the content of what you are saying. We communicate in more ways than just words.

How you, as an individual, appear to the interviewer is crucial. Appearing over-confident, arrogant, and that you are doing the firm a favour in turning up, is not going to impress anyone. Conversely demonstrating a lack of confidence, false modesty and underselling yourself is equally off-putting. Part of the essential make-up of any professional is to communicate competence and confidence in one’s ability. Ensure that you are positive about your own attributes and skills.
 

Don'ts

Do not be negative about a present or past employer. Nothing is more off-putting than someone who rubbishes their past or present employer. You may have had a bad experience with an employer, but appearing bitter about this will convey that you may be awkward and that there is probably another side to this story.

Avoid the temptation to go into an interview if you are unwell. If you feel below par, then the chances are that you will perform below par. Any reasonable employer will be prepared to wait two or three days to allow your recovery.
 

Interview Questions

Keep a good balance between talking and active listening. Avoid too many 'yes/no' answers to questions even if the question forces that response, but avoid spending longer than two minutes answering a question or even worse going off at tangents.

Do not rush into answering questions quickly without giving them due thought. If you are asked a complicated question, do not worry about asking for a few seconds to think about your answer, or if you do not understand the question, ask for further clarification. It is much better to think an answer through rather than launching into a long, and convoluted answer which may or may not get you there in the end.

Prepare yourself for the sort of questions you are likely to be asked. It is impossible to guess all questions but many will be along old and familiar lines and specific aspects of your CV will prompt others.

Typical questions may include the following: –

• Why did you chose the career path/specialisation that you have to date?
• What do you regard as your strengths and weaknesses?
• How would your colleagues/boss describe you?
• Where do you hope to be in one year, five years, ten years?
• The reasoning behind all/any moves you have made?
• Any particular reasons for studying for your qualifications?
• Key achievements/accomplishments in your professional or non-professional life to date?
• Why you particularly want to work for this employer and what you know about them?
• If you have been made redundant, the circumstances behind your redundancy?
• How would you describe your personality?
• How do you motivate/manage other people?
• What motivates you?
• Give an example of how you solved an issue at work.
• What has been your biggest mistake?
• How would you deal with someone who disagrees with you?

Although you should try and anticipate the types of questions to be asked, do not over rehearse answers otherwise they will sound glib.

Remember the interviewer is also likely to be impressed by you asking hard hitting intelligent questions as well as it being essential in your fact-finding.

Questions to Ask

An interview is a two way process, allowing an exchange of information between both parties. You will be expected to ask questions and this allows you to gain the information you will need to know about any employer before committing yourself. The intelligence of the questions you ask will be one of the factors the employer takes into account when assessing your performance at interview.

Some of the questions that you will wish to ask will be based on your research of the organisation, and some on the exact role that needs filling and its position within the organisation. It is important then not to go on with an inflexible list of questions that, come what may, you feel obliged to ask. Some of the questions may have already been addressed during the course of the interview itself. Indeed, it is often the case that questions will flow naturally from what has been said before.

Ask about the size and nature of the organisation and how they perceive your role within the organisation. Ask about the structure of the department, how it fits into the firm and the prospects for career progression. Ask where they perceive the appointee will be in say two, five and ten year’s time or perhaps how other individuals have progressed during their time with the organisation. Your best vehicle for progression may hinge on the growth of the company, so find out what the plans for expansion are.
 

Money

One of the trickiest aspects is talking money. Whilst it is a major consideration, it is not usually discussed until a very late stage in the recruitment process. Indeed, would-be employees asking about salary at too early a stage put off many employers. Our advice is to try and avoid any reference to money until drawn on the subject.

Employers far prefer to hear from would-be employees that they are more interested in career progression and what the organisation has to offer by way of quality of work and prospects than pounds, shillings and pence. However, you may be asked how much you are earning (or were earning). In many peoples’ minds, salary and ability are inextricably linked. If this salary does not reflect your ability and contribution to that employer explain the background. Similarly if you get other financial benefits it is worth listing these and their annualised worth to you. You may also be asked how much you want to be paid. How you broach this subject will clearly depend on your circumstances but it is important to differentiate between what you personally believe you are worth and what the market rate for your contribution is and of course the employer’s position and ability to pay. Sometimes joining a company on a high salary will put you under a more immediate pressure to perform rather than gaining healthy increments in return for good performance. Be realistic and don't play hard to get.

Expenses

Whilst reimbursing travelling expenses is the norm for graduate recruitment it is unlikely that a client will be expecting a claim for expenses from an executive who is keen to progress their career unless the interview required international travel.
 

Conclusion

The best preparation for an interview is to try and see things from the interviewer’s point of view. They will seek evidence to predict how you will perform in the job. Therefore their real underlying questions relate to how you interact with others, the level of your technical competence, your intelligence and personal motivations. If the interviewer has clear positive answers to these questions they will be able to make a fair judgement of how you will react once in the role, and you can judge it to be a good interview.