Prepare to Engage
How to prepare for an engaging interview
Far from seeing interviews as the chance for someone to rip apart
your career history you should think of them as an opportunity to
present yourself to a company, to find out more about the company
and the position and potentially to get a job!
It is as much a chance for you to assess the position as for the
interviewer to assess your suitability for it, so you should come
armed with questions you need answers to before you commit to
anything. Just as you wouldn’t be too impressed if the interviewer
forgot your name make sure you are beefed up on the company
beforehand. A good tip is to check their website which may have more
background information. Search the company profile, news and views
section for the latest information on that company, including
financial report etc.
It helps to know how a company is viewed by the general public
rather than just reading their sales blurb. Questions that remain
unanswered by your research can be asked in the interview, however
basic questions will reveal that you haven’t done any research —
make sure your questioning is intelligent.
Make sure you know what the position involves and what skills and
attributes are needed. Prior to the interview think of examples that
demonstrate you have these skills. The purpose of the interview is
to determine your suitability for the job so if you have thought
about it beforehand you are likely to avoid those spur of the moment
answers that go horribly, horribly wrong.
Questions You Can Ask
Always, always ask questions if you're given the opportunity. And
ask for the opportunity if it's not offered. It's a positive way in
which you can show you're thoughtful and inquisitive.
Some questions you might consider asking are:
- Why has this position become available? Where is the person
that previously held the position?
- What do you expect me to achieve in the first year?
- Technical or financial questions related to the position
and/or the company.
- Are there any industry specific issues related to the
position?
- Why did the interviewer join the company and what do they like
about the company?
|
