21 Jan 5 pieces of advice to keep in mind before a job interview
You have just got the confirmation of a job interview. Congrats!
You might be curious then about what to do or what not to do.
I created a list of things I consider important to keep in mind before and during the interview. The examples come from my personal experience as a recruiter.
Here is a list of what I think you should be careful about if you want your interview to have a positive outcome.
- Warn your interviewer if you are running late
It might seem obvious. Although it is not always the case. As an interviewer I have had candidates who were running late but did not call me to warn me first. After 5-10 minutes it was me who was calling them.
Although you should always do your best to be on time, life happens. You are stuck in a traffic? Your nanny came late to take care of your kid? Or maybe you turned right a bit too fast?
It can happen. Recruiters are also people, and they know (or at least should know) that life happens. However, the least you can do is pick up your phone and call the person to apologize and tell them how late you will be.
- Do your research about the company
So you are there, in front of the recruiter. You made it. And then you realize that you have not done your research about the company! A big mistake that at one moment or another will come out. Believe me. It can be because the recruiter will ask you themself if you have looked up the company. And even if the question doesn’t come up, the questions you will ask her/him will let them know that you have not done your homework. It doesn’t make a good impression as it shows lack of interest in the company and a lack of motivation as well. The meeting is all about presenting your skills and showing your interest and motivation.
Little advice: Go beyond the first page. Check the linkedin posts, the website etc.
- Not taking notes
At one moment or another the recruiter will start presenting you the company as well as giving you more information not only about the opportunity, but also about the company’s values, mindset etc. This is the moment when you should start taking notes. Why? First of all for yourself. When you are actively looking for new opportunities you will most likely have job interviews with multiple companies. You should be able to differentiate them, and to re-read facts about them. Especially if at one moment or another you will have to make a decision which company to pick.
The other reason for doing so is to, once again, show interest for the company
- Fix one interview after another
I think there is nothing more frustrating for the recruiter, and for the candidate as well!
Just imagine: here you are at the interview. It is going really well. You can see that they are interested in you and their offer seems made for you. Unfortunately you do not have too much time. Indeed, you have fixed two interviews, one after another. So you are obliged to tell them that you are in a hurry or… be late for the second interview. And this is how you compromise both interviews
It happened to me. Believe me it often leaves the recruiter with a bit of hunger.
- Not asking about next steps
This is something a lot of people forget about.
What are the next steps in the recruitment process?
When will I have feedback of this interview?
Will there be a second one?
Those are the questions you should think about at the end of the interview.
Having a good track of your recruitment processes will give you a clear idea of what to expect and of how far you are in your journey. You can always ask feedback of how you did during the interview. It can give you an idea of the possible outcome and help you better yourself for the future.
These are some tips for a good job interview, I will be happy to give you more during our interview together
However remember, if you made it this far it is because the recruiter is interested in you. So just relax and show them who you are.
Comments, remarks ? Don’t hesitate to engage in a constructive discussion
Written by:
Natalia Strozyk
Recruitment Officer
nstrozyk@isalys.be