Interview advice needed!

Rachineire

Hello,

I am currently finishing up a contract and I have been job seeking in the past few weeks. I was contacted today about a permanent position in a good company as a Recruitment Consultant.
I feel like I haven't had the best luck with interviews in the recent past and my confidence is definitely knocked a bit.
I'm just wondering if anyone would have any good tips for me going into this interview?
I am researching the company and know to try and be friendly and assertive in the interview...I just feel like I'm missing something important that prevents me from "wowing" in the interview.

seamus

Being nervous in an interview definitely shows, but interviewers tend not to mark you down on it unless it affects your ability to actually answer questions. It's normal and expected to be nervous. Even people whose role will involve talking to people.

So don't sweat the small stuff. Stumbling over your words, being unable to clearly answer a question or two, these aren't big deals.

The bad news is that there is no "magic formula" for landing a job. I've given jobs to people whose hands were shaking in an interview and weren't the best at interviews, and straight out rejected people who came in full of swagger and confidence and happily talked on for hours when asked a question.

Experience is really the key with interviews. The more you do, the easier you will find them. After interviewing 40+ candidates in the course of 3 months at one point, I've now found it much easier to go into interviews as a "chat". Still formal, but very much a two-way conversation where it's me and the interviewer discussing the job, rather than an adversarial position where the interviewer is firing questions and you're doing your best to bat them away.

I find preparation helps - research the company, come up with a list of questions you may have about the role and the job. Don't be afraid to turn up with a little notebook with your questions in it. So your mindset going into the interview is more focussed on what you're going to ask them rather than what they're going to ask you.

And for Jaysus' sake don't bluff. If you don't know how to answer a question or if your mind has gone blank, be honest about that. Trying to bluff through a question is worse than just putting your hands in the air and saying "I don't know".
For example, I always used to try and come up with some nonsense for the, "Where do you see yourself in five years' time?" question. Now I just answer it honestly - I tell them I don't plan five years ahead, I work with what's presented to me, adapt to change and I grab opportunities when I see them. No-one has negatively responded yet and if they did, I probably wouldn't want to work for them.

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Be aware that its effectively a sales job with targets to be met.
Do you know the sector you'll be recruiting for?

Rachineire

Seamus thanks so much for your advice I am going to take a few notes tonight and jot down some questions for the interview!

tatranska- thanks for that, yeah i figured as much as the hr person was talking about targets needing to be met. I have done sales in the past and do it partially in the job i am in now so its nothing totally out of the ordinary for me.
I think its mostly general. I think it may be geared towards pharmaceuticals and manufacturing industries but probably hires for any company seeking recruits.

I suggest you do 5 or 6 practice interviews.

Having coached a few of my friends down through the years who were lacking in confidence and very nervous - after about 3 hours of practice, fixing things like body language, eye contact, smiling and running through your answers a good few times, adjusting them and improving them, the difference was night and day.

If you've practiced what your going to do with someone sharp who can point out your mistakes, it builds your confidence a lot more. Just like training for anything else really.

Rachineire

Thanks for that- I was going over my CV last night with my neighbour who is awesome at all the buzzwords and interview tips as she does a lot of recruitment for her company. I feel more confident after that last night and I am going to do some research and practice tonight with my husband.
I keep on thinking of the law of attraction...think positive and get positive results. but then I think god if I get my hopes up and don't go anywhere with it I will be gutted.

stupid job hunting!

Stingerbar

Go online and look up the most commonly asked interview questions and best way to answer them, very simple task and helps a lot

Write down your key strengths and back up each with an example from a previous job or your life experience in general. Likewise weaknesses, be honest, and an example of how you might be trying to fix it

good luck

Rachineire

Thanks everyone for all of the great advice. My interview went well on friday and I felt pretty good leaving. I was told I would hear back on monday but friday afternoon she emailed me asking me back for a second interview on wednesday!
I was told there would be a much heaver focus on sales experience and strategies so I am going to think of some experience I have had and write some examples down using the "star" method.
I will definitely be googling interview tactics as well.

thanks again everyone and if anyone else has some more wisdom to throw in I will be happy to hear about it!

Rachineire

Just had my third interview with the company today. all seems positive. I met with the head of operations today and had a phone interview with the managing director based in the uk. they had already contacted two of my references before I left the office! :eek:

I should know something later today or tomorrow. It seems positive but i am determined not to count my chickens before they hatch there could be someone who absolutely wowed them.

Thanks again for everyone's advice its been very helpful!