Top 7 Interview TipsInterview for success

Interviewing for a job can at times be a nerve-racking experience, especially if it’s been a while since the last one.

I have compiled my top 7 tips to help you prepare and give you the best chance of success at your next interview

Interview for Success

I can not stress enough how important it is before you sit down in front of your potential new employer to spend some time doing some research about;

1. The Company• What do they do?• What is their History?• What new products, developments or news can you find?• Do you know anybody who has worked there before? If so speak with them prior to your interview

to gain as much information as possible.

2. The Person who is interviewing you• Have you Googled their name?• Check out there LinkedIn profile• Where have they worked previously?• Do you know anyone in common?• Ask your recruiter about the person.

Be prepared to answer the question – “So tell me why you are interested in working for our Company”.

Tip 1 - Research

There is no greater way to create a bad first impression than to turn up late for your interview. Regardless of circumstances, it can easily be perceived that you are not serious about the opportunity.

– Plan your trip the day before. • If you are driving is there parking on site or near by?• If you are catching public transport make sure you allow time to walk to the office. If it is a long

walk make sure you allow time to walk slowly so you are not rushed or even worse sweaty when you arrive. Check relevant Public Transport websites to ensure there are no planned or unplanned service disruptions

– It is just as important not to arrive too early. This can also be perceived as not respecting your interviewers time. They may have a meeting prior to yours.

• If you do arrive early wait downstairs in the foyer or go and grab a quick coffee.• The ideal time to arrive at reception is 5 – 10 minutes prior to your scheduled interview. N.B you

should arrive in the general vicinity of the interview at least 15 – 30 mins prior to compose yourself and ensure you are not late

Tip 2 – Be On Time

As basic as dressing correctly for an interview is, I am constantly amazed at the amount of people who fail to make a good first impression by not dressing appropriately.

So what is appropriate?

– Appropriate attire is clothing that is in keeping with the role AND the company you are interviewing for.

• Is it a professional role or company? If so then dress professionally! This includes clean polished shoes and well ironed clothing. For Men an appropriate tie is essential.

• Is it more of a creative role or company? If so then you might dress more casually or in a way that showcases your style or flair.

– Occasionally you may be attending an interview during work hours and wearing different attire than normal can arouse suspicions in your work place. In this case you should try to arrange an interview outside of work hours, however if this is not possible you should pre-warn the interviewer or your Recruitment Consultant that you will not be dressed appropriately. This will alleviate any bad first impressions as they are expecting you to come dressed as you are.

If in doubt the rule of thumb is it is always better to overdress than underdress

Tip 3 – Dress The Part

If you have not interviewed for a while answering questions naturally and informatively can be quite difficult. It doesn’t mean you are not the right person for the role it just means you’re out of practice.

So how do you prepare?– Get someone (your consultant can assist) to help you out by asking you some questions.

• Practice standard ones like, “what interests you in this position?”, “why are you looking to leave?” and “tell me about yourself?”

• When giving your response always keep it succinct and relevant– Don’t waffle!!!

– Review the Position Description and take note of the core competencies/traits as you can be sure they will ask questions around these

• Review your Resume and the Position Description and think about examples you can give that best represent your ability to fulfil all aspects of the role

Some interviewers will ask behavioural based questions (I will be uploading another presentation on this shortly) which require you to give an example from your past.

– For example, “can you tell me about a time you have managed a poor performer in your team, what did you do and what happened?”

• When responding to these types of questions the interviewer is looking for 3 things, what was the situation, what did you do and what was the result.

Tip 4 – Be Prepared

What you say, how you say it and how it is received are very important. Once in the interview you should

– Project a friendly and personable attitude towards the interviewer• Remember to be polite, smile and thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you• Be confident but don’t be arrogant – it’s a fine line sometimes

– Keep your responses succinct and relevant to the questions asked• Do not waffle!! Answers should be around 2 mins or as short or long as appropriate

– Listen!! • Actively listen to what is being asked and if you are unsure of what they want seek clarification. • Be careful not to talk over the top of the interviewer and wait till they have finished before responding

– Be Honest• Always give honest answers to the questions asked. Don’t trip yourself up by trying to give the answers you

think they want to hear. A good interviewer will always be able to pick up when you are being ‘creative’ and will push harder and you will come unstuck

– Don’t Panic• If the interviewer asks you a question that throws you take your time and think about your response. The

worst thing you can do is stress that you are taking too long to answer as you will give a rushed or poor response

– Stay Positive• Avoid at all cost speaking negatively about your current or previous employer and or manager. This is rarely

well received and you should always give diplomatic responses

Tip 5 – Communication

Whilst it is correct that you are being interviewed for the role it is also important to remember that you are also in a way interviewing the company.

If you are successful in the interview you need to be sure that the company is the right place for you otherwise the move may not be a successful one.

By asking questions about the company, the role and your manager will not only help you ascertain that this is the right role for you but will also demonstrate your interest in the role.

– By being too willing or subservient in an interview you can in fact be devaluing yourself. Remember the previous slide however about being confident but not arrogant

– Make them want you as much as you want them!!

Tip 6 – Two way Interview

The end of the interview is your last chance to leave a lasting impression and is often what is remembered most.

– Ask any questions you have that have not been covered during the interview

– Ask the interviewer if there is anything you have not covered or clarified about your ability to perform the role.

• Ask for feedback to gain their thoughts around your suitability

– If you are convinced this is a role you are keen on - let them know• For example, “after learning more about the role and having spoken with you at some length I just

wanted to say I am even more excited about the opportunity to join the organisation”

– Ask what the next steps are• This can often be a good indicator of how you have gone.

– Finally thank the interviewer for their time, look them in the eyes, shake their hand and tell them you look forward to speaking with them soon

Tip 7 – Close the Deal

The most important thing you need to remember is to be yourself. Trying to be someone else or the person you think they want you to be often ends badly as you will not come across as honest and sincere.

Hopefully these slides have assisted you in some small way and will help you in feeling confident going into your interview. Should you wish to discuss any of the material or have any questions or feedback please feel free to email me at garethhooper@brooklyngroup.com.au Please also feel free to pass on or share this information with your friends and colleagues and I would love to hear form you if these slides help you in getting your next job!!

I will be uploading more slides over the coming weeks and if there is any subject you would like me to cover please do not hesitate to contact me

Good Luck!!!!

Last thought

The Brooklyn Group is Australia’s leading relationship driven recruitment provider and we pride ourselves on bringing the right people together to foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.

We are a medium sized, niche recruitment consultancy. We have the resources and Intellectual Property to match any of the large multi-national companies with who we may compete. On the other hand, we remain small enough that we deeply value each of our clients; and nimble enough that we can customise our services to meet the specific requirement of our clients.

Several prominent business leaders, including Brian Russell, formerly of Dunhill Management Services, established the Brooklyn Group in 2003 in recognition of the critical impact of people talent on corporate performance and the lack of commitment to this focus by other recruitment firms in corporate Australia.

They had a vision to create a specialist recruitment company more focused on a sustainable relationship based recruitment model than merely a transactional driven environment, and have built a team of experts committed to this vision. A unique culture has developed, where passion and commitment for delivering customer service to the highest standard is embraced and people enjoy a great team environment in which to work.

For more information about the Brooklyn Group please visit our website www.brooklyngroup.com.au

Gareth Hooper is the Business Manager – Commercial at the Brooklyn Group and is in his 10th year of Recruitment. For more information please visit his profile http://au.linkedin.com/in/mrgarethhooper or email him at garethhooper@brooklyngroup.com.au

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