Top 5 Interview Tips

• Punctuality – never be late! Ensure you have the exact time and date of the interview and give yourself plenty of time to get there with the goal of being around 10 minutes early. Research the best route and public transport arrangements. Ensure you have your FuturePeople Recruitment Consultant’s contact details handy in the event that you require assistance.
• Preparation – prepare for interview by ensuring you have researched the company you are visiting by viewing their website and have a clear picture of their size, industry, achievements. Be prepared to answer the common interview question “What do you know about our company and why do you want to work here?”. Ensure you have the correct name and title of the company representative you are meeting with and are able to greet them by name upon arrival. Be prepared with questions you may have in relation to the company, job role, recruitment process or team.
• Presentation – irrespective of the culture of the company you are interviewing with corporate presentation is a must for all job interviews. Remember - first impressions are everything! Dress conservatively and ensure your overall presentation is neat and professional. A business suit is highly recommended or a collared shirt and tie with dress pants and closed in shoes is recommended for males. An appropriate length skirt with pantyhose or dress pants, collared shirt and closed in shoes is recommended for females. Always greet your interviewer by name, with a smile and by shaking hands. Avoid using colloquial language and ensure your body language sends the right message. Sit up straight with your hands clasped in your lap and maintain eye contact with your Interviewer/s throughout the interview. Remember to smile.
• Examples – attending an interview without having relevant work examples of your skills and strengths is like going to court without evidence! Ensure you have reviewed the selection criteria for the job role carefully and have a ready example of your experience in each of the key areas. When providing examples, keep them succinct and ensure they are specific. You will need to describe the situation you were in, what you did and what the outcome of your action was. Always ensure your examples are positive and clearly demonstrate your strength in relation to the role applied for.
• Closing – if you are interested in the position ask for it! Enthusiasm is highly regarded and often the difference between you and a similarly-qualified candidate may be the fact that you thanked the interviewer for the opportunity to meet with them and clearly indicated your interest for the role. This also provides you with the opportunity to reiterate why you feel you are the ideal candidate for the position and ask what the next step in the recruitment process will be.

Common Interview Downfalls

• Lack of interest and enthusiasm for the role
• Inability to provide specific examples of your experience and skills
• Over emphasis on what the company can do for you rather than what you can add to the company (e.g. focusing on money and immediate progression opportunities)
• Lack of eye contact and closed, disinterested or casual body language
• Overbearing, arrogant, conceited or superior attitude
• Condemnation of past employers or colleagues
• Lack of preparation for interview in relation to the company profile and details of the job role
• Not listening to questions and providing evasive responses or over-answering questions
• Poor personal grooming and lateness