Career Marketing

Intervieweeship

An interview is a structured conversation with a purpose. This article concentrates on promotional interviews. You will need common sense, many of the skills described in previous career marketing articles, and a knowledge of the 'rules' (which are not necessarily fair) of interviews. Bear all the following points and 'rules' in mind:

First impressions are crucial. Dress for the part.
Your suitability for the job is based on how well you can talk at the interview.
Interviewers keep power and control but you can, at times, take the initiative and talk freely
The interview is an opportunity for you to 'sell', but not oversell yourself. Answer modestly and back up with examples. Recognise open questions as an opportunity to put yourself across as you want to.
Interviewers often do not give any genuine feedback. It is an interview, not a conversation.
You are expected to be honest about facts, but may tailor the truth to avoid giving a bad impression.
The interviewer may have a checklist, e.g. personality, reliability, attitude to authority, judgement, ability to work independently, sense of responsibility, ability to work with or manage others, ability to communicate. This may be obscured by hidden questions. e.g. 'Why do you want this job?' may mean 'What skills and experiences do you bring to this job?'; 'What does your job involve' may be an invitation to show reliability and enthusiasm. When asked to talk about your experience, relate it to the job on offer. Your attitudes and opinions are wanted as well as facts, or you will be seen as lacking enthusiasm. Answers should be a blend of facts and feelings. You should have enjoyed your previous and current work. Relate your answers to the job on offer, although you will rarely be explicitly invited to do so.
Relax the interviewer (who may also be nervous!); find something which interests him/her, or that you have in common. Help him/her by relating answers directly to questions. 'Yes' or 'no' answers seldom suffice, leading to longer, more detailed questions; but don't just talk a lot for its own sake.
Qualifications are less important then experience, and may asked about to relax you or to find out about your attitude or motivation. Talk about them positively and show how they are relevant to the job.
New jobs are supposed to be a challenge and harder than the current job. Don't rely on general statements about why you should be offered the job. Be specific about what you, personally, can offer.
Questions are often abstract or indirect. The real purpose of the question is hidden. Make sure (ask if necessary) what a question is trying to find out. Try to answer hypothetical questions with quotes from previous experience. The purpose of many questions is to assess your ability to give analytical and balanced answers. Give reasons, define terms, compare different experiences in a way that shows you have thought about them. When asked about your previous job, say what you personally did rather than give a general description of the department.
Watch out for the hidden purpose behind a series of questions and clarify their purpose. For example, an innocuous question about family may lead up to one about family commitments interfering with work (this sort of question is itself often posed indirectly, as well as being led up to in a roundabout way).
Put, or answer, questions about personal circumstances only if they are necessary and are fair to all candidates.
A statement (e.g. 'I see that you...') may imply a question. Listen to whether the interviewers voice rises or falls at the end of a sentence to tell if you've said enough.
Turn negative questions around so you can talk about what you offer that is positive. Interviewers may take the smallest negative piece of information from you and use it to create a negative impression of you. If interviewers stop questioning and start warning, show them from your past experience that you can cope with difficulties. Try to account for job changes or promotion-free years in a positive manner.
Read relevant books from the previous bibliography plus 'The Interview Game and how it's played' by Celia Roberts (BBC, 1985), and other books on the subject.