Congratulations! You’ve been called for an interview.  If you haven’t already prepared thoroughly there’s no time to lose. 

First a question!  On a scale of 1-10 with ten high, how passionate are you about getting this job? Are you just a five, a six, or a seven? If so, your ambivalence will come across at the interview – remember, it’s not too late to withdraw your application!  Eights, nines and tens – if you’re still enthusiastic then roll up your sleeves, you’ve got work to do. 

In the past, interviews followed a predictable plan and you could expect to be asked general questions related to your education, work experience, achievements, interests, personal circumstances and your motivation for the position.  In some cases, you might have found that the inexperienced interviewer lightened the load by doing most of the talking, leaving you with little to prove other than that you were an upstanding employee who performed well in previous positions.  

Today’s professional interviewers are more focussed.  They are detectives searching for evidence that you have the competencies (knowledge, skills and behaviours) to meet all of the demands of the position.  Your challenge is to demonstrate your enthusiasm and to present hard and fast evidence of your capability and suitability.  You will only have a short time to get your message across – that’s why your preparation is critical.         

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Start by researching the job thoroughly.  Check the company website and those of competitor organisations.  If possible talk to someone who holds a similar position.  Study the Job Description carefully. Go through it line by line, highlighting the key competencies and responsibilities and noting the results that you are expected to deliver.   

Now take a sheet of paper and make three columns headed Past, Present and Future.  Lets’s say that the first responsibility listed is “winning new business” – put this heading on your sheet.  Using the past, present and future framework, draft your answers.  Past: How did you win new business in previous jobs?  Can you think of examples of selling successes that you have had?  Present: What are you doing to win new business right now? What results are you achieving? Fill these two columns with as much evidence as you can muster.  Now to the Future column…to complete this you literally have to project yourself beyond the interview and right into your new job. It’s an average day, what’s happening?  What are you doing to win new business?  What are your competitors doing?  What challenges are you facing? How are you making a real impact?  Repeat this exercise for every item in the Job Description. When you have drafted your answers ‘dry clean’ them.  Delete all unnecessary waffle and padding.  Rehearse your answers and have a practice run with a friend or family member. The more you practice the more proficient and fluent you will become. Be ready to deliver pure, distilled evidence in a confident and friendly way. 

Think like a winner

In the days running up to the interview picture yourself answering with ease, sharing your ideas and convincing the interviewers of your suitability. Mentally project yourself forward three months into the job and get excited about what you are achieving.  Imagine that you are making enormous progress. So much so, that team members, managers and customers are really noticing the difference. As your vision of your future in the job expands you will think of further ideas and possibilities and you will develop a greater confidence in your ability to succeed in the role.   

Manage your time

The average first interview lasts for 40 minutes. When you deduct time for introductions and closing comments and questions that leaves 30 minutes for the interviewers’ questions and your answers.  There are many areas to cover and you must use your time wisely.  If you don’t pace your answering there’s a danger that 15 minutes into your interview you will still be babbling nostalgically about how you landed your first job – and in the process you’ll be cheating yourself out of this one. Managing your time at interview is just like managing your time in an exam.  Listen carefully to the question.  If asked for a brief overview, then give just that.  If asked to explain, then explain.  If asked to expand don’t flood your answer with detail. You can be informative without being longwinded.  Be honest about what you can do and don’t bluff.  

On the day, arrive ahead of time, breathe deeply and wait confidently to be called. Effective interviewers have been known to ask the porter or the receptionist for their impression of a candidate.  Even if they don’t, it pays to be courteous and professional with everyone you meet. 

You’ve done your homework and now it’s time to be positive and calm. You may not have 100% of what is being looked for but if you really want the job and can clearly demonstrate that you are almost a perfect match, then you’re in with an excellent chance.   

Jean Cullinane leads the Interview Coaching Programme at High Performance where she also delivers Training in Competence Based Interviewing for Senior Managers.  Jean is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

For further information on this programme please contact:

Loretto Mara

01 853 2215 / 01 833 9388 or loretto@highperformance.ie

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