Background research

You need to have a thorough understanding of the company that has invited you to a job interview. Your initial interview may be with a recruitment agency or the company itself.  Either way, you need to do your research on the company and the job and bring this knowledge to the meeting. It shows your willingness to learn and eagerness for the job.

Gather information about the company. Use the job advertisement and selection criteria, company website, the contact person listed on the job advert, previous or even existing staff that you have access to, annual reports, newsletters, press releases and newspaper articles.

Understand what the company is about using the materials you have gathered.  Know the products and services the company offers, reputation, organisational structure, CEO, company size in terms of the scale of operation (local, national and international offices) and staff, year of establishment, competition, the industry, if it is a pubic or private company, financial statistics, latest developments and future outlook.

Review your submitted CV. Your cover letter was your marketing tool, as was the listing of your education and work history. Know your credentials well because your skills attained from your studies and previous jobs will be where you will draw relevant examples that best display what the company is looking for in the interview. Remember, you are competing against other candidates!

Interview questions

You will be asked questions about the position available, the company, your experiences and even hypothetical’s. The best way to prepare yourself for these types of questions, which can probably be answered the same way in other interviews, is to come up with a list of possible questions and your answers to them. Group them under categories as Pogojo has shown below.

Questions about the job:

Q: This job requires a person who can prioritise various tasks.  How do you manage multiple tasks?

A: I think prioritising is an extremely important skill needed in any role. In my previous job, I handled all customer complaints. I would list the complaints in order of urgency and importance, and action a response to each customer in that order. To ensure I did not neglect customers who did not need immediate feedback, I had the team assistants follow them up. This allowed me to focus on rectifying the major customer complaints, while taking on new complaints and other daily responsibilities.

Do the same for questions about the company, your challenges you have faced in past roles, your strong points, your weak points and so on. Use Internet sources for inspiration as the worldwide web is full of endless amounts of interview type questions. Just make sure you nail your answers with examples from your work and study history!

Your questions

You are applying for a job and just as the interviewer is scoping you out, it’s your opportunity to find out information as well.
 
Base your questions about the company’s current performance, future direction, the development potential in the role you are applying for or anything else that you really want to know about. It shows your interest and it is your only chance to find out information that may increase your interest in the position or even make you think that it’s not the ideal role. Use the opportunity to ask a couple of questions.

Interview etiquette

 
These pointers must be adhered to strictly, in order to round off your interview presence and make a good impression!

• Be on time: Running late is a bad sign of punctuality. Avoid being late by researching the address and travel time to reach it.
• Dress well: Wear your most professional outfit, keep your hair tidy, clean appearance but do not go overboard with fragrances, no traces of smoking and definitely no chewing of gum.
• Be natural: Speak clearly and positively when delivering your responses especially about your experiences and your skills set. You do not want to sound exaggerating or monotonous.
• Listen: You need to listen to what the interviewer says, in case you can utilise that information in your responses, and you do not want to ask for information later on that has already been shared with you. Listen carefully to the questions so that you respond to each part of the question. It helps you structure your response and makes sure you haven’t left anything out.
• Refer to the job requirements: Avoid appearing unprepared. Use the information you have gathered from the job advert and the company background research to show you are prepared. Weave the information in to your responses.
• Remain calm: Be cautious with your body language which can be louder than words, especially if you’re nervous or unsure of yourself. Keep your feet on the ground, posture upright and just focus on the conversation. Do not think of it as a cross-examination.
• Remain positive: Even when discussing negative or challenging experiences, be sure to finish it off with a positive conclusion that you got from that experience.
• Be succinct: Do not waffle. Answer only what you are asked. Get straight to the point by mentioning your experience, skills attained and how you can bring such qualities to the vacant position. For hypothetical questions, repeat the scenario in brief to show you were being attentive, outline how you would tackle the situation and what skills you would use to achieve the desired outcome.
• Practice: Practice the types of questions you might get with a family member or friend. Just be sure not to appear like you are reciting your responses when you attend the interview
• Remain hopeful: If you are not offered the job or a second interview, stay positive. If possible, call the recruitment agency or interviewer from the company for some feedback.  Most interviewers are happy to do so. Do not be offended. Instead, take it on board and use the feedback to perfect your next job interview.