Getting the tone right in a job interview
Q: How do I make myself stand out in a job interview without going over the top? (FD, email). A: Forgive me for being glib, but I think you have little to worry about. People who are likely to go over the top don’t even stop to ask that question. The fact that you are […]
How to prove you’re not over the hill
Q: I recently retired after working in the same company for 34 years. During that time, I built up good experience in office management was highly regarded by my employers. I am 61 years of age. I feel I have made a mistake by retiring early as I am already bored. What are my chances […]
How to avoid complacency in a job interview
Q: I’m going for a job in-house and all the indications are that I am the hot favourite. I have been number two to the current incumbent for the last four years. However, there are talented people elsewhere in the company who want to climb the ladder and they will make a huge effort to […]
How a candidate put me on the spot
Q: I’m not the usual potential employee type who sends a question in to you – in fact, I am an employer. Last week when interviewing candidates for a new graduate role, three of the six we interviewed asked us about what we were doing in terms of our corporate and social responsibility, particularly in […]
Go strong on what matters to them at interview
Q: How do I identify my strengths? I’ve an interview coming up and I don’t know where to start. (SD, email). A: There is a hole in your question. You need to identify the strengths that are relevant to the position you are chasing. Your strength of doing 100 press ups without taking a breath […]
Why rushing into the money question could knock you off course
Q: Can I ask about money in the first phone call/interview? (DR, email). A: Yes, you can, but I would generally advise against it. The early stages of the interviewing/application process should be about persuading the recruiter that you have what they’re looking for, and the money talk can come later. There’ll be time enough […]
Choose your referee carefully to maximise job chances
Q: I am down to the final three for a job and I think I might be about to get it because they have asked me to supply them with a reference from my recent employer apart from my current. However, I had an uneasy relationship with the managing director (MD) there and I’m afraid […]
Five common errors to avoid in a job interview
Q: I am working with a group in their 30’s and 40’s who have been out of the workplace for some time, and now want to get back to work. I’m trying to prepare them for upcoming interviews, and I would appreciate a quick summary of the most common mistakes people make in a job […]
Thinking on your feet can be crucial in a job interview
Q: In a recent job interview the panel asked a scenario question: “what would you do if somebody turned up for work with a smell of drink?” I was going for a job as manager of a retail store and despite working in the sector for almost ten years, I have never encountered this type […]
What to do when you hit ‘the black ice’ in a job interview
Q: I froze in the job interview. There is no other word for it. I was going great guns until they threw a question at me that caught me off guard. I stumbled through that and knew from their reaction that it hadn’t gone well. For the rest of the interview, I was a mess. […]