Interview Tips

Most people let the fear of interviews stand in their way and block them from progressing in their career and getting the job that they want. However, instead of looking at interviews as being massive hurdles, instead, take it as a fantastic opportunity to meet new people in your industry, to demonstrate all of your knowledge, skills and experience and to show why you are the best person for the role. Someone has to get the job – why shouldn’t it be you?

At Euro Executive, we work closely with all of our candidates to review their CV first and when our candidates get called for interview, we go through comprehensive interview preparation and ensure that everyone is prepared and confident. As a result, many of our candidates have successfully navigated their way from application to interview to offer to acceptance and started a new role.

1. Know your CV
   The majority of the questions asked will come from what you wrote on your CV. And while you can’t predict all questions, you can prepare solid answers for everything on your CV.The best way to do this is to practice talking about various roles out loud a few days before the interview. While it might feel strange at first, the more you practice saying your answers out loud in advance, the more naturally it will come to you in the interview.
2. Know the job description inside-out
   People tend to forget just how much the job description can tell them about what might be asked in the interview. If there are certain key requirements listed in the job description, it’s well worth having a few examples prepared in advance so that you can easily demonstrate your skills in these areas.Our advice is to go through the job description line by line and to have an example prepared for each responsibility listed.
3. Research
   A little bit of research about the company can go a long way in an interview. It shows that you have taken the time to find out some more about the company and that in itself can make a great impression.Have a look around their website, read their ‘About Us’ page and get to know their story. If there’s a News & Events section on their website have a look at that too. Do a quick Google Search and see what comes back. Check out their LinkedIn company page, Facebook page and other social media accounts. Lastly, if they have a Glassdoor company page, you will be able to get more information here.
4. Know why you want the job
   One of the most surprising things about preparing candidates for interviews is when we ask them “why do you want this job?”. Sometimes we are met with silence while they think of what to say. This is such a common question, but a lot of people fail to convince the interviewer of why they really want this job because they don’t really know why they want the job.Consider the reputation of the company – is it a place known for development, training and career progression? Do they work on impressive projects? Are they innovative and this appeals to you?

When meeting interviewers face to face, there are a number of things that you can do before you even set foot in the door of the interview room, to increase your chances of getting that job.

1. Location, location, location
   There is nothing worse than looking at the clock ticking down, being lost and being under pressure. If you are unfamiliar with the location of the interview, try and do the route a few days beforehand, especially if you are using new public transport routes and don’t know where you are going. If you are driving, your recruiter will tell you if there is parking available on site and any other details.
2. Who will be interviewing you?
   Your recruiter will tell you in advance the names of the people who will be interviewing you. If you can, review their profile on LinkedIn in advance. Look at their career progression and their background. Are there any areas in your CV that will really appeal to them? Also, the level of responsibility of the interviewers will determine the types of questions asked. For example, if there is a direct line manager is on the interviewer panel, this signals more in-depth questions on skills and practicalities. They will be looking to evaluate your knowledge, experience and your skill level in particular.

Further rounds

If you are invited back for a second round interview – well done! You are progressing through the stages, have made an impression and your skills and experience match the role.

In these types of interviews, questions become more competency based as the company now want to determine if you will fit well into the team and the culture of the organisation. Common questions are around working in a team, how you handle conflict, how you deal with pressure and examples of taking an idea through from initial concept to execution and completion to name but a few common competency questions.