Interview advice required

Been turned down for two jobs recently, not for the lack of skills or experience but for not being “lively” enough in the interview. It appears that employers no longer want someone that likes to concentrate on getting the job done, they want someone who will spend the day chatting and generally titting about. Change of tactic required I think…

 

Line of Charlie...

 

Not a case of chatting but showing enthusiasm - they may have been more positive about the position they were applying for. May have felt they would have fitted in with the current team more. You need to put on a show - you can be who you want to be when in the role

 

Yeah, think you're right on the enthusiasm bit, just a bit of a kick in the teeth when it come down to saying you've got the skills but we don't like you.

 

Honey JD will do, love the stuff in this festive period!

 

One tip is to look at things from the employers view point. Firstly they use CV's i.e. Skills, History, Experience to short list. Chances are there will be others with similar. The CV gets you an interview not a job. So the interview is to see who stands out above those alongside. Most impressions are made in first few seconds let alone minutes. So body language and style at the introduction is important. Handshake, look in the eyes, assertiveness etc. No matter how many HR people would say there should be fair and comparable interview techniques, its inevitable that gut feeling and the simple 'do they like you' softer elements can be powerful. Make an impression early, even in the small talk before the interview starts. Show off why you want the job. The good high level interviewers are also looking to see two key things a) do you fit their organisation / does it fit you and b) evidence that you can do the job well. You are in competition at this stage. Ask interesting questions, show them you have done your homework on what they do and how, do something that fits your personality and style that will stand out. Also talk about what you have done (real life) and not how you will do (hypothetical) talk in the first person (i did) and not we, they. Finally pick 3 messages you want to get over. Work these into the interview. Show dynamics that match the role, style and enthusiasm. If this isn't your or your personality doesn't fit then bluntly put you won't get the job. Hope this helps.

 

I'm glad I'm not just starting looking for work now, the first proper interview I ever went to I was absolutely bricking it and was somewhat shy back then as well, luckily they saw enough in me to give me a go in a company where I did a number of different jobs and gained some great experience.

Some of the stuff people have to do in interviews these days is ridiculous, what happened to just having a chat and getting a feel for what the person can offer? People are always going to be more reserved in an interview scenario, if I was myself they'd think I was a bit of a nutter!

 

That's definitely the case in private firms, I've had a few interviews at BMBC and there it's all about scoring based on your answers to their questions. I suppose it can depend on how subjective the people interviewing you are but it's about as transparent as you can get in an interview scenario rather than just based on something which is nothing to do with the job that you might not feel very comfortable with.

I once had an interview at a design agency in Leeds, it was the stereotypical converted warehouse type place with basketball hoops on the wall full of people who seemed quite annoying - decided it wasn't the type of place I wanted to work (and it seemed a pain to get to from Barnsley) so just sort of went through the motions in the interview. Didn't get the job, looked the firm up a year or so later and they seemed to have disappeared, can't actually remember what they were called now but their business model of charging a minimum of ten grand for a small company rebrand and website died out when the recession hit.

 

That's made me depressed. So glad I'm weird.

 

You are already aware of the type of questioning, so practice making appropriate answers in a very positive fashion in front of the mirror. Then ask yourself if what you see fits with their model employee. Think of the interviewer, he/she as to get it right. Boring, monotone answers pisses em right off and its hard for them to be enthusiastic if you act like that.

 

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