Recommend
Print
RSS-Feed
Help
It all seemed to be going well. The candidate arrived on time, the introductions went smoothly, and no one noticed his hand shaking as he held the coffee cup. He recounted his career history and described his interest in the company with confidence. The head of HR nodded encouragingly, then asked: ‘So who is your role model?’
The candidate was lost for an answer and began nervously um-ing and er-ing. One thing he hadn’t prepared for was to react calmly, even when he couldn’t think of a response.
Prepare well and stay calm in the face of unexpected questions
Who are you? Where do you see yourself in the future? What are your plus and minus points? Think carefully about how you want to present yourself and what you want to say about yourself, particularly regarding personal matters. Remember you’re in a job interview, not in the confessional!
You can prepare in advance for the standard questions such as ‘Why do you want to work for us?’ You can also prepare for the typical questions that an interviewer will ask based on your CV. Try not to bore people with standard answers – and never complain about previous employers. Give yourself plenty of time to understand a question and what may lie behind it before answering. If you’re not sure, ask. And don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you have to have an answer for every question. Be honest and admit, for instance, that you’ve never really considered the intriguing question of who your role model might be.
Turning an interview into a dream job – stay calm, be personable
Keep calm even when faced with the unexpected, such as provocative questions like ‘Aren’t you biting off more than you can chew with this job?’ The interviewer is just trying to prompt you into saying a bit more. Stay objective, talk about your strengths, and don’t forget that they wouldn’t have called you for an interview if they’d thought you were completely unsuitable for the job.
Towards the end of the interview, your interviewer will tell you something about the company and ask you what you already know about it, so you should have researched the basics of both the company and the sector beforehand. You can find out more at this stage in the interview, but avoid annoying the interviewer by asking questions that have already been answered or which are easy to research, such as ‘How many people does the company employ?’ Recruitment experts recommend asking questions about what you will actually be doing, such as ‘Which other employees or departments will I be working with?’
It’s important that the interviewer gets a clear idea of you as a person, so you should be business-like and well informed but also pleasant, smartly dressed and punctual! There’s no single dress code for interviews, but simple elegance will always stand you in good stead. Pay attention to minor details that you think will be hidden, like down-at-heel shoes or coloured socks, and try on your interview outfit at least once in advance. During the interview, pay attention to your body language: don’t be too tense, but don’t be offhand either.
Job interviews around the world
A look at job interview practices around the world reveals there are certainly differences from country to country. Interviewers in the USA value a relaxed, self-confident performance, while those in China and Japan are more likely to react well to modesty.
Interviewers in Asian countries are quite happy to ask personal questions about such issues as marital status, children, health or age. In the USA and Britain, however, such private matters are usually not addressed.
In many countries it’s bad manners to ask too early in the interview about the salary. In the USA, China and Brazil, for example, money is not mentioned until it looks likely that a contract is in the offing. In Germany, by contrast, salary negotiations are an integral part of any job interview (see ‘Checklist: the perfect job interview’).
And whether the interview is in Berlin, Boston or Beijing, immediately after it’s over, it’s important to ask the head of HR who will make the next contact, and when.
Maren Bekker
Community links
Group "Spotlight on Jobs & Careers"
tie
15/03/2012 09:28 AM
i was an ex lecturer and ex sains singapore teacher and waiting to go for work in brounswick since 2004, 2005 and of course i am not in charge to angry with the director of GBF if they postphone my visa 8 years ago, but pls dont make me to wait until old, to stand on my feet in germany soon..danke schoon..:))
Diana from Alumniportal Deutschland
06/03/2012 12:29 PM
@Turian: Maybe you find interesting offers in our job database (just select \"Find job\" in the left hand navigation); also make sure to register and fill in your professional profile (also in the right hand navigation) - employers love browsing professional profiles to find the right candidates and will contact you if they think you might be a good fit.\r\n@Okello: Have a look at the article \"Your CV\" that you will find on the Jobs & Career entry page - surely you will find helpful hints. Stay tuned for further resources that we will share over the next few weeks. In the meantime feel free to join the \"Spotloght on Jobs & Careers\" group in the Community and pose your questions to other members who might be able to help with their experiences.
Okello
03/03/2012 07:13 AM
I have done serious of interviews and now have realized why it was not me selected. Could you be having some clue on how to write cover letter, Resume and CV