Need for speed put me off track
Q: I am a HR professional and in the interview, they asked me a health and safety scenario. “What would you do if the pressure was really on to get workers on site and you had a lot of inductions in a short space of time?” I started talking about speed but they wanted to […]
Putting yourself in the frame for future opportunities
Q: I went for a job in my own company recently and, to be honest, I didn’t really expect to get it. However, I got called to the second interview and got good feedback from my immediate manager. She said I had done well. The experience has made me itchy for a change as I […]
A time to say nothing
Q: I’m taking a lot of time off work lately to attend job interviews, and I fear my boss might figure out I’m thinking of moving on. I haven’t told any brazen lies – no phantom dead grandmother stories – but I have mentioned family occasions and hospital trips to justify the days off. Should […]
Preparation will ease worries
Q: I’m really worried about an upcoming interview. I’m afraid I will get all tongue-tied. I know my job inside out but others will sell themselves much better than me. Any tips? (ED, email). A: Get some notes down on paper, but don’t learn stuff off. Write down six stories that show you doing your […]
Looking to the future after recent setback
Q: I have recently had a bad experience with an employer and felt I had no option but to resign. I felt I would not progress so I made the decision to leave. How can I explain this in an interview without looking like a quitter? (BT, email). A: Almost everybody has career reverses or […]
Shaking off interview nerves
Q: I tend to twitch a lot with my hands in an interview. Any tips for preventing this from happening? (GF, email). A: It is inevitable that you will experience nerves before and during an interview. You are stepping outside your comfort zone. Even the most skilled communicators can experience nerves – in fact, many […]
Dress code has me flummoxed
Q: I have an interview for a well-known IT social media giant, but I’m not sure how to dress for the interview? I know the office environment is casual. What’s appropriate? (DR, email). A: This is a very interesting question. As we know, many people working in the IT/social media sectors don’t go with the […]
Bluffing is not the way to go
Q: If I get asked a difficult question, and I can’t think of the answer on the spot, or if I never knew it in the first place, how should I approach answering it? (DC, email). A: The initial temptation might be to bluff your answer. And many candidates have bravely gone down this route […]
Multiple interviewers – who do I address?
Q: I will be interviewed by multiple interviewers at once. Who should I look at when answering questions? (EC, email). A: A big interview panel throwing questions at you can feel like having four prosecutors on your case – no wonder people get nervous and uptight, writes Patricia Maloney, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers. Address […]
Newly qualified teachers, get that job – free interview training
Useful tips for job interviews in our FREE interview training webinar on Thursday, July 25, at 12noon (Irish time). 45 minutes duration. Join HERE