Each of us had to pass an interview. Someone perceived it as a test, a chance or entertainment, but the main task that should be solved after the meeting is job placement.
We offer you a list of the main stages of the interview, valuable advice from psychologists and popular answers to the most tricky questions of employers.
What are the interviews
First, let's go through the theory. An interview is a process of acquaintance of the employer and the job seeker, as a result both parties receive the necessary information about each other.
There are the following types of interviews:
- Individual interview - only the employer or his representative and the applicant participate.
- Group interview - conducted by a professional recruiter who, on the basis of a questionnaire or an oral survey, can identify the most suitable candidates and, at the first stage, eliminate those applicants who are clearly not suitable for the position.
Also, interviews can be divided into:
- one-level - the result of such a conversation will be clear by the end of the interview
- multi-level - held in highly paid and in-demand positions, where it is important to identify the personal qualities of the applicant.
The complexity and timing of the interview depends on the position for which you are applying. If we are talking about the vacancy of a sales assistant in a store, then the employment process will take a minimum of time. The applicant will have to talk with the director of the store. This is a one-level interview.
Multi-level interviews are held in senior or high-paying positions. The applicant must talk with the regional representative of the company and other heads of departments, if necessary, the CEO.
Job interview: preparing for the main stages
The interview process can be divided into 4 stages:
- telephone conversation, Skype, viber or other means of communication, if we are talking about remote work
- interview preparation
- interview
- summarizing
Stage 1. Telephone conversation
Telephone dialogue between the employer and the applicant is the result of sending the latest resume to the company. Often the applicant himself calls the personnel department, interested in the vacancy he found on the ad sites.
In large companies, the recruitment of personnel is carried out by a special employee who responds to a high-quality selection of personnel. The job of the applicant to be ready to call, the conversation with the manager should not take him by surprise.
During communication, be polite, speak slower. Have on hand a pen and a notebook, in which it is necessary to enter the name and surname of the employee and his position. Specify all the details - where you need to come, address, time. Write down the phone for feedback.
Find out what documents you need to have with you at the interview - passport, education certificate, portfolio. Such clarifications will allow the recruiter at the first stage to identify serious minded applicants, which at the next stages can be emphasized.
Stage 2. Preparing for the interview
At this stage, it is necessary not only to prepare all the necessary documents, but also to visually “live” the interview. This method is especially relevant for those who are afraid to go for an interview and because of nerves can fail to meet with a recruiter.
Preparation for the interview consists of 3 important points:
1. Self-presentation and its rehearsal.
2. Portfolio preparation - awards, articles about you, examples of works confirming your competence
3. Concentration on the result. By this is meant the working state in which you are most productive and collected.
Stage 3. Interview
At the interview you need to be ready for any questions, so it is important at the preparation stage to find out all the nuances about the company and position. Often, HR managers offer job seekers to perform small tasks - cases.
A case is a simulation of a problem situation and ways to solve it by a candidate. The more original and non-standard the solutions are, the better.
Cases are developed by psychologists and have the main task to identify your stress resistance, erudition, creative thinking and professional skills.
Stage 4. Summing up
At this stage, the HR specialist usually does not give a definite answer whether you are hired or not. Results are usually summarized after the interview based on the documents provided and case analysis.
Professional recruiters adhere to the following wording: “If we don’t call you back before such a date, it means that we have decided in favor of another candidate.”
How to behave at the interview
The result of the interview consists of many components. The first is the competence of the employee and his professional experience. Next, the applicant is evaluated on secondary qualities, such as a neat appearance, manner of communication, accuracy.
There are 4 main points that it is important for all candidates to know:
one.Neatness and accuracy - first of all, attention is paid to appearance. Do not recover for an interview after a sleepless night or intoxicated.
2. Friendliness and courtesy. For whatever position you do not pretend to be friendly, it will only assign a personnel officer to you. Find out the name and patronymic of the interlocutor, mentally speak him several times and during the conversation, contact him by name.
3. Professional experience - during the interview 3-4 times use professional terms.
4. The general level of erudition - in a casual form, quote phrases of famous writers or give a link to the seminars for the specialty that you attended. So the recruiter will form an impression of you as a person who constantly strives to improve and develop his intellectual qualities.
Questions at the job interview
Quite simple questions of the personnel manager may surprise the applicant, so you need to carefully work out the answers to them and are not afraid of them.
Many after this question do not know what to say. They begin to stupor and the expression "well", "how to say." Present yourself from the best side, indicate your advantages, do not forget about the qualities that you would like to correct. Briefly tell about education, work experience, achievements, plans for the future. Speak briefly and without unnecessary philosophy.
Why did you leave your previous job?
Talk about what you want to achieve in your new job. Use the “k” principle to say that you are striving for development and new opportunities. Remember the principle of "from", without using the expression "gone from a bad boss", "from poor working conditions".
Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses?
Know that the person who says that he has no flaws only loses points during the interview. Even negative qualities can be exposed in such a light that they will turn into your virtues.
“Sell yourself” at the interview - it is this principle that you must follow when going to a meeting. Be confident, speak clearly, talk about plans for the future. These are the employees that most large companies in their state want to see.
