How to give an Effective Interview

Preparation and confidence

These two essential ingredients are interlinked. Good preparation instills confidence.

The basic approach to an interview is to be well prepared. Be sure you know the time, date and location of the interview and name of interviewee where appropriate.

Check out how you will get to the location, and when you need to set off to be there in good time. Plan to get there no earlier than half an hour before the interview time, anticipate delays.

If you are asked to bring certificates, references etc, get them ready before the day. Take your interview letter.

Preparing to meet the employer

The interview is a chance for you and the employer to get to know one another.

Do gather information about your employer before you are interviewed - what do they do, what are their current projects, what other interests do they have

Make sure you know what the job entails - get a job description, ask someone in a similar post; ring the company to clarify if unsure.

Sit down with your CV and make notes about your work record, what you've achieved. Look at yourself as a person in employment - how do you see your self, what have you done, what ambitions do you have.

Answering interview questions

Interviews vary tremendously, from very informal to formal. However, some questions can be anticipated, as can the subject matter. If you are well-prepared, then the majority of problem questions should not arise. A few general rules:

• Speak up when answering questions.
• Answer briefly, but try to avoid yes or no answers.
• Don't worry about pausing before you answer, it shows you can think and are not spitting out the sound bites you learned!
• Don't worry about admitting you don't know - but keep this to a bare minimum.
• Don't embellish answers or lie! Be as honest as possible.
• Be prepared for hypothetical situation questions, take your time on these.
• Be prepared for the unexpected question, that's designed to see how you cope with the unexpected.

Questions for the interviewer

Try to concentrate on issues, which are important to you and combine as an apparent interest in the company. Good topics to touch on include:

• the competitive environment in which the organisation operates
• executive management styles
• what obstacles the organisation anticipates in meeting its goals
• how the organisation's goals have changed over the past three to five years.
• Suggested questions:
  What are the main objectives and responsibilities of the position?
  How does the company expect these objectives to be met?
  What obstacles are commonly encountered in reaching these objectives?
  What is the desired time frame for reaching the objectives?

Presentation and body language

Wear what is appropriate for the post and the company. It may vary from smart, formal wear in some instances to very formal dress in others. Try and get an insight into what the company would expect from employees or gauge this through observation.

Once you are ushered into the interview room there will usually be a short exchange of pleasantries and ice breaking. A pleasant natural smile, a firm handshake and a brief exchange of words in a natural manner are sufficient. If there's more than one interviewer, look at who's talking. When you're talking, shift your glance from one to the other.

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kaam@kaamdhaam.com