Calgary Jobs West Works Inc - Employment and Recruiting Services

Do not underestimate the role of the recruitment consultant. Many job seekers make the mistake of thinking that meeting with a recruitment consultant is not a ‘real’ interview. Recruitment consultants assess job seekers to determine their suitability and work ethic. Only the shortlist is passed on to the employer or hiring manager. If you can’t impress the recruitment consultant, then you will not make the cut. Apply the same interview techniques for your interview with the recruitment consultant as you would for the hiring manager.

preparation

An interview is your opportunity to sell yourself, so you must do all you can to do yourself justice.

Please review the job description with your Consultant prior to going to the interview. Be sure that you fully understand the position for which you are interviewing. Visit the company website and research the company prior to your interview to assist in your preparation for the interview.

Always be punctual for an interview. It is advisable to arrive a few minutes prior to the interview to collect your thoughts and review your research, or do any last minute preparation. Know in advance, the exact location of the interview and at what time you are expected to be there. You will not impress a perspective employer by being late for an interview. Always be prepared for the interview by knowing the following information; the interviewer's name, their title, and as much information about the company that you are able to gather. A potential employer will be impressed with the fact that you are interested in knowing about the company prior to you working there. It shows a high degree of motivation and dedication. Dress conservatively and in business attire. Your appearance should be professional and you should always be well groomed. It is not acceptable to chew gum.

Be prepared to ask questions about the company that are relevant to the position. For example, you may ask about the training programs available, the reporting structure, the existing team, or the specific responsibilities of the position. Prepare a list of open questions to ask the interviewer. These questions should focus on the potential that the job and company have to offer. Don't focus on company benefits and vacation offered. You'll create the wrong impression.

creating a positive first impression

One cannot stress enough the importance of proper posture and body language at an interview. You can have all the appropriate answers, but if your body language is sending out negative messages, the interviewer will likely focus on your nonverbal communication.

Let your enthusiasm for the opportunity show through your firm handshake, positive tone of voice and smile. Warm up your hands slightly, just prior to the interview so that you do not extend a cold, or for that matter, a perspiring hand. Smile confidently and politely. Wait for the interviewer to offer you a place to sit, and if possible, take your seat after the interviewer is seated.

Maintain eye contact as much as possible throughout the whole interview, but try not to stare. Speak slowly and clearly. Use the interviewer's name in the meeting when appropriate. Do not cross your arms in front of you, as this generally means that you are hiding something or are in a defensive position. Sit upright with your back against the chair, or leaning slightly forward, showing interest. Do not cross your legs, but keep both feet planted on the ground. Remember to stay relaxed.

At the interview you should have:

A pen and writing pad
A short list of job-related questions
A copy of your resume ~ to refer to in order to verify previous employment information, when required.

All of this should be carried in a neat attaché.

during the interview

Listen completely to the questions being asked of you, so that you may respond appropriately. Employers are generally looking for employees that fall within a required skill set. This profile will include personal characteristics such as motivation, reliability, dedication, determination and more.

Communication skills, efficiency, and integrity can be included in this list. During the course of the interview, your objective is to try to demonstrate these specific skills or characteristics in relation to your previous experience. When possible, state examples of how you handled a situation by briefly stating the situation, then giving examples of what tasks and actions you did to accomplish your goal. This should be detailed and thorough. Then to summarize, explain the outcome of your work. Include benefits to your employer, including time, money and resources saved, and reduction of waste.

If you are unsure of a question being asked of you, ask to have it repeated, and if you are unsure as to whether you have answered the interviewer's question, ask, "Have I answered your question?"

frequently asked questions at a human resources style interview

Tell me a little about yourself.
Why are you interested in an opportunity with our company?
What do you know about our company?
What is your motivation to make a change?
What are the greatest skills that can you bring to our company? (Strengths)
What areas do you believe require further development? (Weaknesses) Be careful how you address these. Prepare in advance on how you will express these so that they do not cost you the job. Everyone has weaknesses; don’t draw a blank when this question is posed.
Please describe your most recent project, i.e. budget, timelines, team size, technologies and scope?
Can you describe a problem situation that you have had, and how you dealt with it? Might you have handled it differently in hindsight? What did you learn from the experience?
Describe a situation where you conflicted with a manager, colleague or subordinate/s? How did you resolve the conflict? Again, be careful how you address this question.
Can you describe a situation where you excelled in your performance?
Do you have a preference to work in a team, or individually?
Describe your people skills.
Have you been in a situation where you have had to take the initiative in order to accomplish a goal? Please explain.
Please provide me with an example of your organizational abilities.
How do you work under pressure? Can you give me a specific example of a particularly stressful situation and how you responded?
Explain how your past experience relates to the requirements of this position.
What are your career goals? Short-term and long-term goals? Five-year goals?
How will you achieve them?
Why are you the best person for this position?
What motivates you?

Keep in mind that all the questions are geared to revealing something about you that is not so obvious. For example, "what are you strengths" may be asked to find out about your ability to manage projects, or your ability to meet deadlines, not your programming skills, which are listed on your resume.

Knowing what the interviewer is really looking for is essential when answering the question. An appropriate answer could be "I am very good at prioritizing. In my previous employment, I would often have 4 or 5 projects on the go, with many different deadlines. By planning ahead and being able to prioritize the different stages of the assignments, I was able to complete the projects on schedule." End the answer on a positive note. You could add, "This is a skill that I can apply to any situation", referring to the job for which you are presently applying.

at the end of the interview

Interviewers are often not able to gauge your levels of interest properly, particularly if you are nervous. If the position appeals to you and you are interested, then mention that you would be interested in taking the process further.

Always shake the interviewer's hand firmly and thank him or her for taking time to interview you. If more than one person interviewed you, shake hands with each panel member.

The interview is not over until you have left the premises, so be polite to the receptionist and other people that you pass on your way out. They will mention rude behaviour to the decision maker.

follow-up after the interview

After your interview, please follow up with your recruitment consultant with your feedback as to how you felt about the meeting. Please call as soon as possible after you have left the interview. This information is beneficial for the consultant in his/her follow up with the client. Include any areas you felt you might have fallen down on. Perhaps you have a nagging doubt about a specific answer you gave, or forgot to press home a certain point about a special skill or experience you have. Your consultant can cover this for you in their follow-up call to the employer. The recruitment consultant will also follow up with you regarding the outcome and next steps as soon as possible.