Candidate Interview Guide

Pt 2 – The Interview

Do's & don'ts

Don’t be late
Create the right impression.
Dress appropriately for the interview
Remember it’s a two-way process
Always take a notepad with pre-prepared questions
Try to appear comfortable and relaxed
Body Language is key — listening by nodding, smiling and looking interested

Words account for 35% of the message, while tone of voice and body language a huge 65% of the message.

What will you get asked at interview?

Listed below are some questions that are frequently asked at interviews. Read through the comments and prepare your own responses to the questions and any others you anticipate may come up.

25 questions your interviewer might ask

The following list may give you some of the kind of questions you might be asked at interview to enable you to consider your likely response.

Tell me about yourself?
Will you please give me a summary of your work experience?
Why do you think you would like to work for our company?
What interests you most about our products or services?
What specifically do you have to offer us?
What were your duties and responsibilities on each job?
Why did you decide to leave that job? (state reasons)
What criticisms have you received in your job? How did you feel about that criticism?
Would you be willing to work on multiple tasks under one position?
Do you prefer to work under pressure or in a more relaxed environment?
What kind of pressure bothers you the most?
Describe what you feel to be the ideal job for you?
Are you willing to relocate? Would this cause you any undue difficulty?
Would you accept a job requiring travel?
How do you manage people? Describe your style, method and relationship.
What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
How do you handle direction? Do you like minimal direction, or do you feel secure with greater supervision?
How do you feel about persons with backgrounds and interests different from your own?
Were you ever in a position of appraising others? What type of criteria did you use?
Describe your working relationship with your previous employers.
Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?
Why are you leaving/did you leave your present position?
What makes you stand out? Why should we appoint you?

What to ask at interview?

An interview works both ways … so make sure you ask questions too.

By asking questions you are demonstrating to the interviewer that you are interested in the job and the company and that you want to know more.

20 questions to ask your interviewer

What would you expect of me in the first three months of the post?
What do you enjoy about working here?
Can you tell me a little more about the company culture?
What is the makeup of the team I’d be joining?
Can you tell me some challenges that your organisation is facing and how you’re facing them?
What does the onboarding and training look like in the role?
How would you measure success in this role?
Can you talk me through some of the organisation’s future goals and plans?
Is there anything I can clarify that’s on my CV?
Can you walk me through what a typical day in this role looks like?
How does the company prioritise and approach employee feedback?
What are the most important qualities to be a success in this role?
What progression opportunities are there in your organisation?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
How does your business approach collaboration and teamwork?
How does the company approach work-life balance and employee well-being?
How do you differentiate your company from its competitors?
Can you provide more detail about your services?
What is the company's approach to training and development?
Can you describe the team's communication style and how feedback is given and received?

18th Jul 2023