The interview process, while daunting, is your best opportunity to learn more about an organisation.
Interview processes are like snowflakes, no two are the same. Some are structured and formulaic while others are casual and laid-back. In advance of the interview, it is your responsibility to ensure you are equipped with the necessary information such as time, date and location of the interview, the format the interview, who you will meet and so on. A good recruiter or hiring manager will provide you with sufficient information but if it isn’t forthcoming, request it as failure to adequately prepare for an interview could lead to a confidence-shattering experience.
Candidates should reserve a block of time to prepare for an interview, and approach it as a form of research project. In understanding the organisation’s activities, competitors and drivers, and the landscape in which it sits, you will be able to respond confidently to the regular question, “Tell us what you know about our company?”
A good tip, particularly for accounting graduates, is to review the most recent annual report. If it’s a small or medium-sized business, research the company on www.solocheck.ie or an equivalent website. Both approaches will help you identify the direction of the business and the associated challenges, and whether you want to work with them through that process.
What to expect
While an alternative interview process is always a possibility, you should expect an overly-formal, difficult interview with structured questions. Be able to answer searching questions about your strengths and weaknesses, or a time when you failed or let your team down. STAR stories are useful in this regard, as they help demonstrate your strengths rather than merely citing them.
Candidates should also avoid referring to ‘we’ when talking through their STAR stories. There is an innate tendency to refer to the success of the team rather than the individual, but prospective employers want to hear about your personal contribution to that success. Discussing your own strong performance might feel awkward, but understating your personal achievements could well cost you the job.
Body language
There’s a lot to remember in an interview, and sometimes it can be a daunting task. Given that the majority of communication is nonverbal, however, it would be advantageous to pay close attention to your body language. This begins before you enter the interview room.
Enter the building armed with as little as possible. This will leave you devoid of distraction as you seek to make a strong first impression with a confident smile and firm handshake. Your smile is your best asset, so use it to your advantage.
During the interview process, avoid crossing your arms as this could be perceived as a defensive pose. Also, avoid sitting with your body facing the main interviewer as face-to-face positioning can create a sense of confrontation. Instead, sit with your body angled slightly past the interviewer if possible and nod as the interviewer is talking to demonstrate engagement and understanding.
If you are offered water, accept it. This routine offering forms part of the reciprocation process, and can help ease everyone into the interview. If you are offered tea, coffee or water, on the other hand, choose the simplest option.
Your opportunity
The routine invitation to ask questions at the end of the interview is a prime opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the organisation’s drivers and challenges. The annual report will provide a wealth of discussion points, but don’t be afraid to ask about the organisation’s culture as this will help you better understand the organisation and how you might fit in – if at all.
Where possible, spend the last seven or eight minutes encouraging the interviewers to do the talking. People enjoy talking about themselves and their views, and doing so enhances their degree of engagement. Ask questions about their teams or enquire into their views about the future of the organisation.
And remember…
Accepting an invitation to interview does not necessarily mean that you will accept the position should it be offered to you. An interview is a two-way process that offers the candidate an opportunity to find out more about the role and organisation. If you find that the position isn’t for you following the interview process, that’s a valuable learning and you should communicate that sentiment clearly to the recruiter or hiring manager.
For more career advice and information, download your copy of Career Guide 2016 today.