Job advice

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

As soon as you discover you’ve got a job interview - which can be from a couple of days to a couple of weeks beforehand, depending on the nature of the job - your first reaction will probably be one of elation, but this will soon be replaced be nerves. And as the date of the interview itself approaches, you’ll find yourself becoming more and more nervous. But this can actually be an advantage on the day, sharpening your mind and keeping you attuned and focused in a high-pressure situation.

BE PREPARED

One of the most important things to be aware of when attending an interview is what the company you’re hoping to work for actually does. This might sound obvious, but if you turn up at an interview without knowing something about the company - its history, market position, direction, etc - it demonstrates a rather blasé approach to your career and a lack of interest, and few personnel or human-resources officers will want to hire you. So do some basic research - visit the company’s website, and find out about the products and services they offer, location of offices and how many employees. Anything you say during the interview that will demonstrate an interest in the company is sure to stand in your favour.

TRAVEL AND TIMING

On the day of the interview itself, be sure to plan ahead and allow yourself plenty of time. It’s all too easy to get so absorbed with the interview itself - trying to guess which questions you’re likely to be asked and formulating responses - that everything else is forgotten, but you’ve still got to get there, and you’ve still got to look good when you do. So always research your travel arrangements - find out where the interview is taking place (don’t assume it’s at the company’s main site; interviews are often held offsite) and plan how you’re going to get there. And be warned - it’s no use turning up in plenty of time only to discover that the nearest parking space is half an hour’s walk away. Just in case of major hold up, make sure you have a contact’s telephone number so you can call if you suspect you will be late.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Interviews come in many forms, panel interviews, one to one interviews, group interviews etc. Ask us here at Prime Appointments what form of interview it will be before hand.

While there’s no way you can anticipate the exact questions that you’ll be asked - or at least their exact phrasing - during your interview; you can at least ask us at Prime Appointments, about the direction they’re likely to take. Some, of course, will be obvious: Why did you apply for this position? Why do you want to work for this company specifically? What can you bring to the post that no one else can? If you can give clear, concise answers to these basic questions without stumbling or glibness, the interviewers’ impression of you will be much strengthened.

Towards the end of the interview, there’s a high chance you will be asked whether or not you have any questions concerning the post and/or the company. It’s always a good idea to have something up your sleeve for this eventuality in order to demonstrate that you’ve thought hard about the position and are deciding whether or not it’s right for you. While eagerness and application are laudable traits in an interviewee, don’t make yourself look too hungry; playing a little hard to get can make you look all the more desirable as an applicant.

COMMUNICATION

Although more an art more than a science, posture and physical interaction carry a lot of weight in an interview situation. It’s important to keep and maintain eye contact, for example, and not to slouch or appear too comfortable in your surroundings. Shake hands firmly, smile and try to effect a ‘relaxed yet focused’ demeanour.

When asked a question, try to avoid monosyllabic ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers; take a few seconds to formulate a response and demonstrate there’s more to you than a bunch of knee-jerk, inarticulate responses!

Make sure your answers are honest. If you lie or exaggerate during the interview and are consequently hired for the position, this can be grounds for disciplinary proceedings and even dismissal.

Don’t give negative information or bad news if you are not asked for it and don’t criticise previous employers of jobs. The key is to turn negative information into positive information.

At the end of the interview, if there’s anything you’d like to say about yourself that hasn’t been brought up or you feel hasn’t been covered adequately, don’t be afraid to mention it to your interviewers. The interview procedure isn’t designed to be an information dragnet, and demonstrating a readiness to volunteer information can mark you out as a valuable, employable asset.

HOW TO FIND US

Directions

The Witham office situated in the main high street, opposite Lloyds TSB Bank, and above the Nationwide Building Society and directly next door to the Wetherspoons Pub. You can usually park in the high street at no cost, for up to one hour, alternatively there is a small pay and display car park at the foot of the high street, which will cost around 40 pence per hour to park.

The Sudbury office is located on Market Hill in the centre of Sudbury. The office is on the first floor, above Johnsons Dry Cleaners and next to Lloyds Bank. There is 1 hours free parking outside the office.