Are you looking for a job? With the right interview preparation, you can increase your chances of being hired. One of the key aspects of any job search is creating a top quality CV, while another is excelling in the job interview. Both your CV and the interview are an opportunity to make a good first impression on prospective employers.
Read our blog to discover different types of interview techniques so that you can properly prepare for your first meeting with your prospective employers.
Telephone interview/Skype interview
It’s a common practice for companies to schedule a telephone interview before they invite you for an in-depth interview at their premises. This offers them an overview of your personality as well as your skills before they take the time to meet you in person.Great interview tips for a telephonic interview include speaking clearly and confidently as well as preparing adequately. This initial interview is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Employers use telephonic interviews as an affordable way to screen job applicants. You can expect this type of interview to last between 10 and 30 minutes. Keep your CV, the description of the position that you applied for as well as a list of references in front of you for the duration of the call.
One-to-one
A face-to-face job interview takes place when you meet with one or two staff members in person. With adequate interview preparation, you can get your relationship with your prospective employer off to a good start. You can expect this meeting to have a duration of between 30 and 90 minutes. If you are invited for a 30-minute interview, you’ll need to keep your responses short and to the point. This is good advice for interviews of any length, but in 90-minute interviews you will have more time to elaborate on your answers. Longer interviews are a chance to go into depth with your responses and it is advisable to give specific examples where appropriate.
Here are a few sample questions that you can expect to be asked at this type of interview:
• Why did you apply for this position?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses in relation to this job?
• What value can you add to our company?
• Why do you want to be employed by our company?
• What are your salary expectations?
Panel interview
When you’re looking for a job, you may be asked to attend a panel interview. Panel interview techniques are more complicated than one-on-one interviews as they involve answering questions from numerous people. Staff members sit together as a panel, led by a chairperson, and ask you questions about your work experience, capabilities and references.
Informal interview
An informal interview gives your prospective employer an opportunity to evaluate your interpersonal capabilities over lunch or dinner. In this scenario, the interviewer can get a better understanding of your personality and whether you are the right fit for the position or not. Interview tips for this type of meeting include limiting alcohol consumption, preparing a few interesting topics of conversation, and avoiding messy food.
Second interview
If your initial interview goes well, you may be called back for a second meeting. To prepare for the meeting, you can revise by going over the interview techniques that you used in the first session as well as any information that you can find about the company. A great place to start is to look at the latest news on the company website.
Second interviews may involve meeting with numerous staff members at the company. You can expect to meet with Human Resource staff members, team members, and managers. This type of meeting could last half a day or even a full day. Ask for the schedule before the date of your interview so that you know what to expect.
Now that you understand more about interview techniques, you can start your job search online. With the right preparation, you are more likely to be hired.
