The Elements of Interview Success – Tip 2: Effective Interview

Presentation

Your hard work has finally paid off and you’ve landed an interview for a great role. You already know

how to dress for success (link to part 1 in series), but what can you expect at interview? In part 2 of

this series, we’ll brief you on three interview types and offer our top tips to help you prepare.

Type #1: Tackling telephone interviews

When you meet someone in person, you’re relying on personality, body language, and conversation

to make a good impression. In a telephone interview, the only thing your interviewer has to assess

you on is what you say. A lot can be lost in translation when you’re speaking over the phone; in our

survey of 800 recruitment and HR professionals 95% of respondents said that candidates come

across differently over the phone compared to in-person meetings.

A telephone conversation is often a way for recruiters or employers to pre-screen a group of

candidates with similar qualifications before bringing them in for a face-to-face meeting. By not

taking the interview seriously, you could cut yourself out of the running before you hang up the

phone.

Tips for success:

Prep with the same rigor as you would an in-person meeting

Make sure your environment is free of noise so you sound professional and calm

Use a landline instead of a cell phone if possible, to avoid reception problems

Give the potential employer your undivided attention

Make sure you’re listening just as much as you’re talking

Be as polite and professional as you would be in real life; don’t use any slang, and avoid

using over-familiar terms such as ‘mate’ or ‘love’.

Type #2: Competency-based interviews

If you’ve ever been asked a question that started with: “Tell me about a time when you…”, then

chances are you’ve already experience this type.

Competency-based questions are asked on the premise that your performance in the job you’re

going for can be predicted by your behaviour in past roles. It’s one of the most popular interview

types, and requires significant preparation. Research the company and analyse the employer’s needs

when formulating your best possible answers.

Tips for success:

Re-read the job description – can you prove your experience with each responsibility and

task listed?

Go over your CV once more, and make sure you can recall real-life examples that will

support the skills required for the role

With each response, explain: the details of the situation, the actions you took, and the

impact you made on the business

Avoid using theoretical scenarios or using ‘we’, as this potential employer is interested in

you, not your former team

If you find a question difficult, allow yourself the time to think about it before you respond

Have a list of things to ask prepared for the end; this will show your passion and excitement

for the position.

Type #3: Preparing for panel interviews

Above any other type, the key to a successful panel interview is preparation. There can be several

people on the panel; either led by a chair who might ask all the questions, or multiple people asking

questions around different subjects.

Tips for success:

Research your interviewers to learn more about their background. Do you have any common

connections on Linkedin? What’s their work history like? Do you have any commonalities?

This will help you develop a relationship with them and allow you to tailor your answers to

them

Engage the entire panel. Make eye contact with the questioner, and then move across the

panel

Don’t waffle; make sure you get to the point.

Remember that the point of an interview is to sell yourself, so keep this in mind when responding to

any questions that they might throw at you.

Dreading those tough interview questions? In part 3 of this series, we’ll identify the trickiest ones to

answer and guide you through what you need to say so you can land your dream job.

Learn more interview secrets and how to ace your next HR Jobs with Changeboard.com