INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES Getting the interview
You can be smart, charming, articulate and persuasive, but it’s not going to be of any use if you can’t get an interview in the first place. The key to that is your resumé. If it’s badly spelled, or contains lots of irrelevant information, or doesn’t have your contact details on it, then you’re not going to get an interview. Ideally, resumés will be relatively short—one page if possible, two if essential—and should contain details of your academic and professional history to date. They should also make it clear how your experience relates to the job that you’re applying for, and show evidence of the steps you’ve taken (volunteering, internships, foreign languages, etc.) to make yourself more employable.
You’re very welcome to include information about your sporting prowess or your interest in the films of Alfred Hitchcock, but don’t imagine these will get you the job. You should also make sure to attach a short covering letter with your application, saying why you want the job and what skills you can offer the company.
Ultimately, with resumés, it’s about your competence, not your personality. That’s best saved for the interview.
Judgement day
So you’ve sent the application off, twiddled your thumbs for a while and forgotten all about it, when you get a phone call asking if you can do an interview at 2 pm on Friday. What do you do? Well, firstly, you agree to attend, noting the time, place and who specifically you’ll be meeting. An interview with an HR director might be different from one with a CEO.
Next, it’s time to do some research. Read up on the company in the media, take a look at its website and try to find out what the key issues in the relevant industry are. If you know a bit about the company, you’ll find it easier to hold your own in the interview.
Look again at the role you’ve applied for. What will you have to do? What special skills are required for the role? How can you demonstrate that you have them?
Then it’s time to get ready. Dress smartly—suits for men, smart skirts and blouses or suits for women. Make sure you’ve shaved, washed, cleaned your teeth and made yourself smell nice. Brush your hair. A recent survey found that poor personal hygiene is the number one turn-off for employers faced with a new candidate. Scruffiness is another no-no.
Arrive at the interview venue about 10 minutes early, and bring copies of your resumé with you, in case spares are needed. Keep calm and take some deep breaths. Nerves are healthy, but it’s important not to let them become overwhelming.
In the interview
Go into the room, look whoever’s interviewing you in the eye and shake hands firmly. Introduce yourself. Try to smile.
Body language is absolutely key to interview success. Don’t fidget, don’t play with your hair and don’t scratch your chin. They all make you look nervous. The best thing to do is rest your hands loosely in your lap. Never fold your arms. It looks defensive. When answering
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