Booklet
HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR ANSWERS
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
From the moment you walk into the building your interview has started. Everybody from the doorman to the receptionist is watching you and they will all have an opinion so the following chapter on first impressions applies from the moment you walk in the door until your safely out of the building.
Within seconds of meeting someone a first impression is made and that impression is virtually irreversible. That vital first few minutes of meeting the interviewers, your greeting, handshake, smile and body language will determine how your interviewers will perceive you and the tone of the next forty five minutes will be set. If their opinion of you is positive then throughout the interview they will be looking within your answers to confirm it, if it is negative they will be looking for negatives within your answers to confirm their opinion.
Much of what is required to make a good impression is common sense. But with a little extra thought and preparation, you can hone your intuitive style and make that first impression not just good but great. Just remember you want to be the standout candidate, but for the right reasons!
Key points on making a good first impression are;
¨ Dress should be neat, tidy and appropriate. There is no such thing as over dressing in a job interview.
¨ A confident handshake, but not too firm, making eye contact with your opposite.
¨ Have a pleasant and warm smile.
¨ Make positive small talk (even if your morning was awful)
¨ Be courteous and attentive.
¨ Have a positive, confident outlook on the day.
¨ You have worked hard for this day, don’t blow it by making a joke that’s taken the wrong way. I have seen so many jokes back fire on the candidate, it’s not professional and has no place in today’s professional job interview.
SEATING POSITION
When you are nervous you tend to forget the most natural of things. Sitting properly so as not to offend your audience is one of them. One of the most comfortable and easy ways to sit during an interview that enables you to be engaging is best described below.
¨ Sit with one leg in front of the other as if you are about to stand up.
Place your hands either on your legs or in your lap.
¨ For women crossing your legs is also acceptable.
WHAT MUST BE COVERED IN AN INTERVIEW
The natural flow of an interview
About yourself and your career i.e. “Tell us about yourself?”
About your personality i.e. “In 5 words describe yourself?”
About the company i.e. “Why do you want to work for us?”
About your ability i.e. “Why should we hire you?”
A negative about you i.e. “Name one weakness?”
A feature of the modern job interview is a style of question known as a “behavioural question”. The theory of this style of question is twofold.
1. That how you have behaved, reacted, managed, conducted yourself ect in the past is an indication of how you will behave in the future.
2. To confirm information in your CV and previous answers.
And finally, any questions you might have for the interview panel.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
This question is normally the opening question of the interview. Some may call it an “ice breaker” but in reality it sets the tone for the rest of the interview. It will also most likely be the only time where you have complete freedom to fully sell yourself.
Your answer must be well thought out and delivered in a clear, concise and positive manner.
The structure of your answer should include;
- Your name, age, marital status, children ect.
- Your education.
- Your career.
- Your Interests.
- Your delivery should be between 3 and 5 minutes duration.
Below is an example.
My name is John Smith and I am a 38-year-old father of two.
I am a keen golfer and enjoy surfing and tennis in my spare time.
I am currently a senior programmer at Virtual Corporation.
In 1998 I completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Victoria, majoring in computer sciences.
Whilst studying for my degree I supported myself by working as an assistant to the team leader in charge of programming at Mini Corp, my duties included everything from running errands to basic programming. It was whilst working under the tutorage of John Citizen that I developed a passion for web design and programming.
Upon graduating I was offered a full time position as a junior web designer.
During my employment at Mini Corp I was involved in many large projects, namely the construction and maintenance of Volvo’s website of which I was the project leader.
After the buyout of Mini Corp I felt that I had achieved all that I could within the company. It was then that I was offered a senior position with Virtual Corporation, which with the blessing of my manager I accepted.
I have been employed in my current position for five years with a short sabbatical in 2007 to complete my MBA.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Virtual but with the wrap-up of our last campaign I am now at the stage in my career where I need a new challenge.
Your company has a reputation for being vibrant and innovative and with my experience running large campaigns I feel we are the perfect fit for each other moving forward with your Coca-Cola campaign.
In the above example you will see it is divided into three unique sections.
- Who I am.
- What I have achieved.
- Why I am here.
Below are some tips on structuring your answer.
¨ Be positive and enthusiastic of both yourself and what you have achieved.
¨ When reviewing your work history start at a point in your career that you feel is appropriate to the position being sort.
¨ Your answer should be interesting and personal, mention some of the challenges you were faced with during your time with certain companies.
¨ Don’t hold back! Be passionate about your achievements.
¨ This is the one answer in your interview that should be scripted.
OVER COMING NEGATIVES
Most of us at some point in our careers have been let go of, had extended periods of unemployment or left a job on bad terms, everyone has that skeleton in their closet, including those who are conducting the interview!
The important thing is how you deal with it in under the pressure of an interview. If you go into the interview carrying baggage from a previous situation the interviewers will most certainly pick up on it and probe deeper until your true feelings are exposed for the world to see.
Don’t offer up any negative information but at the same time don’t avoid or lie about it.
As a general rule if it’s not a problem for you it wont be a problem for them.
Below are some guidelines to follow:
- If you have had extended periods of unemployment highlight positively how you filled your time.
Example:
“During the downturn of 2008 I found myself un-employed for a period of six months. Whilst still actively job hunting I filled in my extra time by starting a fitness regime of cycling, swimming and yoga. For mental stimulation every Friday I worked as a volunteer at the local school library.”
- If you were let go by your last employer state what you learnt from the experience.
Example:
“Following a disagreement with my manager over the direction of a project we were working on I was let go from my position as a graphic designer. It was a good learning experience for me. After much self-analysis of the situation I came to the realisation that listening more carefully to my manager would have avoided the conflict.”
In the above example we have not avoided fault, haven’t made excuses and have turned the situation into a learning experience.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Why do you want to work for our company?
The answer should be all about the company with a little bit related to how you would like to be a part of it. One way of helping you answer this is by looking at the company’s website, if available, and read the section “about us”. This is a handy insight into how a company views themselves and where they see their future.
“Virtual Corporation is a small innovative company, relatively new in the field of public relations with a vibrant, modern approach to business, with my past experience in the field of law I believe I have a lot to offer Virtual and can see myself fitting in well with the culture of your company”.
An answer such as this shows;
· You have done your research.
· You respect their company.
· You are enthusiastic about working for the company.
· You believe you have something to offer the company.
ABOUT YOURSELF
The type of questions to expect;
How would your boss describe you?
Why should we hire you over the other candidates?
What do you have to offer our company?
This is another opportunity to sell yourself.
The best way to be prepared so you can comfortably talk about yourself is to write down 5 descriptive words that you feel best describes you.
Use three words that are related to your work i.e. how your manager or work colleague would describe you and two that are related to your family ie. How your mother/ wife/ brother etc would describe you.
Now, here’s the catch to this question. Say you give the following answer:
“My manager would describe me as someone who is goal orientated, reliable and works well in a team.”
Almost certainly the next question asked of you will be along the lines of:
“OK, you have described yourself as a team player, give us a specific example of a time when you led a team.”
Always be able to back-up the information you offer.
Some descriptive words to get you on your way;
Motivated Passionate Career Orientated
Driven Hard working Positive
Team Player Leadership Skills Good Communicator
Focused Goal Orientated Responsible
Energetic Enthusiastic Calm Relaxed
Unfazed Composed Gentle
Active Honest Reliable
TELL US ABOUT A TIME
These type of questions are known as behavioural questions and the theory, rightly or wrongly is that how you have behaved, reacted, managed, conducted yourself in the past is an indication of how you will behave in the future. They are a feature of the modern job interview and can be quite daunting to the unprepared.
We recommend you use the acronym “SAO” to structure your answer.
S = Situation
A = Action
O = Outcome
EXAMPLE:
Q. “Describe a time that your manager felt you were under performing on a specific task.”
A. “ I was assigned the complex task of allocating funding for the 2007/08 financial year. I undertook the task knowing that during the time frame allocated my family and I were moving house, requiring a lot of time pressure. It was brought to my attention that I was falling behind on the deadline. I then re-prioritised my time ensuring sufficient attention was allocated to the task at hand.”
“I completed my assignment on time and within budget and at the same time learnt a valuable lesson, that being the importance of separating work and family commitments”
SITUATION: I was assigned the complex task of allocating funding for the 2007/08 financial years.
ACTION: I then re-prioritised my time ensuring sufficient attention was allocated to the task at hand.
OUTCOME: I completed my assignment on time and within budget and at the same time learnt a valuable lesson, that being the importance of separating work and family commitments.
HELPDESK
If at anytime you have a question or query relating to your interview please don't hesitate to email our Interview Consultant Sasha at sasha@flightdeckconsulting.com
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