How to prepare for a formal interview
In today’s competitive marketplace, you must never be complacent when attending formal interview; follow these easy steps and you will significantly increase your chances of an invitation to the next stage of the process, or even a firm job offer:
Research
your prospective employer’s competition and the marketplace so that you can demonstrate an understanding of their market position and offer suggestions about how you feel you can add value to the business.
Request
a job and person specification and pick out key areas that the role demands, giving examples of how your experience suits the remit. Being asked about you leadership style is a great opportunity to show you are versatile and able to adapt to a new environment.
Prepare
in advance a list of your key career achievement and highlights and make sure that they are quantifiable; e.g. projects you have delivered on time and under budget, key accounts you have secured, cost savings you have initiated. Make sure that you have the monetary or percentage figures to hand and be ready to quote them.
Be honest
when asked about you ‘weaknesses’ or ‘learning curve’; but make sure that you counter the negative by giving examples of how easily you have adapted and overcome these in part roles.
Plan
in advance what you would do in the first 12 months if offered the post; be prepared to outline how you would build relationships inside and outside of the organisation, and begin to add value.
Read
the company’s annual reports, website, newsletters and press releases. If you prepare some topical questions to demonstrate that you have done your home work and have a genuine interest in the organisation, you are sure to leave a lasting and positive impression.
Be bold
at the conclusion of the interview, and don’t be afraid to ask if there are any areas you have not covered to their satisfaction and if you fulfil all the criteria. This is your golden opportunity to address and overcome objections.