Tips and Techniques for Successful Interviewing

Interview Advice

Step 1 – Do Your Research

Researching the company and the industry in which they operate shows initiative,
enthusiasm and a keen interest in the role.

The fastest way to conduct research on a company is online. Start off with the
company’s website and then try expanding your search using a search engine. Try to
answer the following questions:

 What are the company’s core products and services

 How is the company perceived in the market place?
 Find out what you can about the company’s financial situation
 Try to think like a client of the company and identify potential improvements
 Research the company’s competitors and the industry as a whole

Step 2 – Preparation

You should ensure you prepare thoroughly so that you are able to talk comfortably
about yourself, your experience and how it relates to the role.
Be familiar with your CV and prepared to answer questions from it. Similarly, ensure
you have read any job description thoroughly and think of ways in which your
experience will benefit your potential employer.

 Prepare yourself in advance for common interview questions. Refer to our

interview questions section for some practical examples
 Conduct practice interviews with friends and family until you can comfortably
answer each question without hesitation
 Prepare questions to ask the employer. Refer to our Interview Questions
section for some practical examples
 Find out where the interview will be, obtain clear directions, and confirm the
time
 www.whereis.com.au and www.131500.com.au are useful websites for
directions

Step 3 – The Interview

 Make sure your mobile phone is switched off

 Relax and have confidence in your research and preparation
 Greet your interviewer standing with a firm handshake and a smile!
 Good body language is vital
 Wait to sit until the interviewer does or until they offer you to your chair
 Sit up straight with both feet on the floor
  Speak clearly and confidently
 Try to maintain a comfortable level of eye contact throughout
 Don’t rush to fill in silence, think before you speak
 Use practical examples to illustrate your skills and show how they suit the role
and the company
 Avoid one word answers
 Show enthusiasm for the role
 Speak with clarity and confidence and articulate your answers in a clear and
concise manner. Close the interview with a handshake making eye contact and
a genuine thank you; make a positive last impression

Step 4 – After the Interview

Write down a short summary of the interview while it is still fresh in your mind. Note
the areas in which you feel you went well, as well as any questions you found difficult
to answer.

This will help you to prepare for a possible second interview. Call your Consultant
and provide feedback – your Consultant needs to know your views on the interview
and the role before contacting the employer.

Types of Interview

You will encounter a number of interview techniques during your job search.
Approaches vary according to the nature of the role and the industry.

Behavioural Interviews:

The interviewer will ask you to describe how you handled various situations in your
previous role. The emphasis is on your experience and its relevance to the position for
which you are being considered. Prepare by identifying four or five examples that
show how you faced challenges and achieved positive outcomes in your previous role.
In each case describe a specific task or situation that is relevant to the role in question.

Situational Interviews:

These are very similar to behavioural interviews. The difference is that situational
interviews pose hypothetical questions, rather than asking for specific examples of
past performance.

Questions are based on the skills and personality traits that are required for the role.
Use the job description to identify key responsibilities because the questions are likely
to focus on these areas.

Unstructured Interviews:
This style is conversational and information is gained through a free-flowing
discussion. The interviewer does not ask a set of questions in a predetermined order.
You are required to carry the conversation and the topics you discuss generally lead to
subsequent questions. Rehearsal is important because the interviewer, although
apparently casual, will be looking for details that reveal your skill, personality and
cultural fit for the role.

Panel Interviews:

These consist of multiple interviewers who are usually sourced from different parts of
the business. Objectives are likely to vary between members of the panel and this will
affect the flow of questioning.

Establish eye contact with the member of the panel asking the question and scan the
other panel members during your response. Take particular care when answering
technical or strategic questions as panel members may have specialist knowledge in
these areas.

Q: Tell me about yourself.

(The interviewer is really saying “I want to hear you talk”)

A: This is a commonly asked question designed to break the ice. Spend a maximum
of five minutes to describe your qualifications, career history and your range of skills.
Emphasise those skills that are relevant to the job on offer.

Q: What have been your achievements to date?

(The interviewer is saying “Are you an achiever?”)

A: Again, this is a common question so be prepared. Select an achievement that is

recent. Identify skills you used in the achievement and quantify the benefit.

Q: Are you happy with your career to date?

(The interviewer is really asking about your self-confidence, your career aspirations
and whether you are an optimistic person)

A: The answer must be ‘yes’ but if you have hit a career plateau or you feel you are
moving too slowly, then you must qualify the answer.

Q: Tell me the most difficult situation you have had to face and how you tackled it?
(The interviewer is really trying to find out your definition of “difficult” and whether
you can show a logical approach to problem solving)

A: Select a difficult work situation that was not caused by you. Explain how you
defined the problem and what solution you applied to overcome the problem.

Q: What do you dislike about your current role?

(The interviewer is trying to find our whether the job on offer has responsibilities you
will dislike)
A: Be careful with this one. Don’t be too specific as you may draw attention to
weaknesses. One approach is to choose a characteristic of your present company such
as its size, its slow decision making process etc. Give your answer with the air of
someone who takes problems and frustrations in your side, as part of the job.

Q: What are your strengths?

(The interviewer wants a straightforward answer as to what you are good at and how
it is going to add value)

A: This is one question you will certainly be asked, so there’s no excuse for being
unprepared. Concentrate on discussing your main strengths. List three or four
explanations of how they could benefit the employer. Strengths to consider include
technical proficiency, ability to learn quickly, determination to succeed, positive
attitude, team focus and your ability to work autonomously.

Q: What are your greatest weaknesses/areas of improvement?

(The interviewer is asking about your self perception and self-awareness)

A: This is another standard question for which you can be well prepared. Don’t say
you don’t have any. We all have weaknesses. Either use a professional weakness such
as a lack of experience (not ability) on your part of one area that is not vital for the
job, or use a personal weakness and show the steps that you have taken to combat it.

Q: What kind of decision do you find most difficult?

(The interviewer is really saying, “I need someone who is strong and decisive but who
has a human side”)

A: Try to focus on decisions you have made without sufficient information. This will
show your positive side. For example, “I like to make decisions based on sufficient
information and having alternatives.” When you have to make quick decisions you
have to rely on “gut feeling” and experience.

Q: Why do you want to leave your current employer?

(The interviewer is trying to understand and evaluate your motives for moving)

A: This should be straightforward. State how you are looking for more challenge,
responsibility, experience and a change of environment and explain why you feel you
are no longer receiving these things from your current role. For example, “I have been
with my company for four years and feel I have learnt as much about their ‘X’
functions as possible and there is no opportunity for a more senior role at present”.

Other questions to consider:

 How does your last/current job fit into your department and company? (Gives
an idea of level of responsibility)
 How do you respond to working under pressure? (Meaning – can you?). Give
examples
 How have you coped when your work has been criticized? (Give an example
including the outcome.)
  How have you coped when you have had to face a conflict of interest at work?
(Testing interpersonal skills, team and leadership opportunities).
 What are your preferred working conditions, working alone or in a group and
why?
 How do you think you are going to fit in here especially as this organization is
very different to your current employer? (You may not be able to answer until
you have established what your interviewer perceives as the differences).
 What are you looking for in a company?
 How do you measure your own performance?
 Which part of this role is least attractive to you?
 Why should I give this position to you instead of other people on the shortlist?
(Go back to your strengths)
 What would your previous employers say about you and what would they
consider your weaknesses?

Interview questions that YOU can use:

Before your interview, prepare questions you will want to ask the interviewer. ‘Open’
questions that begin with ‘What?’, ‘How?’, ‘Will?’ or ‘Who?’ should encourage your
interviewer to talk and provide you with additional information.

We recommend that your consider some of the following questions:

 What will my responsibilities be?

 How has the position become vacant?
 How will you assess my performance?
 How does the role fit into the structure of the department?
 How does the department fit into the organization as a whole?
 Who will I report to and are there staff reporting into me?
 Where does my line manager fit into the organizational structure?
 What encouragement/support is given to undertake further training?
 Who are your main clients? Industries, size, etc.
 Where is the company going/growing? Expansion plans?
 Where is the specific location of the position?
 Will the position entail travelling?
 How soon will you decide on the appointment?
 What is the next step?