Interview this Friday, general questions.

[ralv585]

Hey guys, I've got an interview this Friday, and having not had an interview for around 7 years (walked into my last job), i'm trying to cover the basics.

How long does a typical interview last?

How early is too early to get there?

How many questions should i have prepared to ask them?

Should i bring a copy of my CV? (They've already seen it, so i shouldn't need to bring one right?)

What's the worse thing i could say to potential employers?

Do i need to act a little more lively?

The all important strength//weakness question.

If i think of any more, i'll post them.

Cheers

 

[Mulder]

Be articulate, calm, confident but not cocky, build a rapport. Turn your biggest weakness into a strength. They'll have probably decided within the first few minutes so make sure you nail the beginning.

 

[buckeejit]

How long does a typical interview last?
Varies

How early is too early to get there?
say 15mins prior

How many questions should i have prepared to ask them?
no more than a few

Should i bring a copy of my CV? (They've already seen it, so i shouldn't need to bring one right?)
I would bring one just in case. It shows you are prepared

What's the worse thing i could say to potential employers?
How much will I get paid?

Do i need to act a little more lively?
be yourself


Cheers

 

[RobH]

How long does a typical interview last?

30-60 minutes

How early is too early to get there?

Aim to get to the place of the interview 15-30 minutes before. If it's a place you are unfamiliar with then it makes sense to get there earlier and find out where you need to go. You just don't want to be rushing at the last minute.

How many questions should I have prepared to ask them?

None, they don't expect you to prepare questions. They expect you to have some questions by the end of the interview as the interviewer is very unlikely to tell you everything you could want to know about the job. Just read the job description and you'll probably think of several questions, some of which they'll probably answer during the interview anyway.

Should i bring a copy of my CV? (They've already seen it, so i shouldn't need to bring one right?)

Bring one anyway, absolutely no reason not to.

What's the worse thing i could say to potential employers?

There is no one who can answer that question, but swearing doesn't usually go down well.

Do i need to act a little more lively?

No, act yourself

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Hey guys, I've got an interview this Friday, and having not had an interview for around 7 years (walked into my last job), i'm trying to cover the basics.

How long does a typical interview last?

Depends on the level of the position and the number of interview stages they're doing. I'd consider an hour to be likely.

How early is too early to get there?

Arrive 10-15 minutes early if they have a reception area. This shows good appointment skills without being desperate. Arrive 5 minutes early if you are meeting the interviewer directly.

How many questions should i have prepared to ask them?

3 solid questions is reasonable. Don't be afraid to ask questions during the interview. This is as much about you getting information and a feeling for the company as it is about them getting that from you.

Should i bring a copy of my CV? (They've already seen it, so i shouldn't need to bring one right?)

There is no harm in taking your CV with you. I've previously added notes to mine as we've discussed various things with the interviewer. This really only works if the interview can be treated almost as a meeting. SHort answer - I don't think it matters whether you take it or not.

What's the worse thing i could say to potential employers?

Don't talk about salary, holiday entitlement or sickness policy.

Do i need to act a little more lively?

More lively than what? An actively engaged interviewee is far more pleasant to deal with than one who acts like a sack of spuds, yes.

The all important strength//weakness question.

You'll almost certainly be asked this. The answer to avoid is when you're clearly trying to pass off a positive as a negative. This just annoys interviewers. Be honest with your strengths and limit the negativity of your weaknesses.

 

[Dmack]

Applauding the help by you guys, i have an assesment day tomorrow, currently preparing my 3 minute presentation which will be fine. Any tips for the group assignments though ? there will be 2 of them during the day. ty ty.

 

[ralv585]

Thanks guys.

30mins to an hour?
I was thinking more 15-30 mins

That's a lot of talking and bigging up yourself.

I won't forget the nice firm handshake.


If i'm asked a question, am i expected to answer it immediately?
Would they frown if i took say, 5-10 secs to say something, if i wasn't sure and the question took me off guard.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Thanks guys.

30mins to an hour?
I was thinking more 15-30 mins

What's the position for? A 30 minute interview is more of a chat than an interview.

That's a lot of talking and bigging up yourself.

I don't think you're understanding the point of an interview. They intend to give you a salary in return for you performing a job role. They kind of want to get the right guy first time around. This requires time to understand what they can and cannot do.

I won't forget the nice firm handshake.

Eye contact whilst doing this = a good thing.

If i'm asked a question, am i expected to answer it immediately?
Would they frown if i took say, 5-10 secs to say something, if i wasn't sure and the question took me off guard.

A brief pause while you compose your thoughts is completely acceptable. Staring vacantly into the middle distance for a minute? Yeah, not so much. As a last recourse, ask if you can come back to a question later on in the interview. Do not do this more than once.

 

[PapaLazaru]

A can of Red Bull never fails.

 

[FabienO]

How long does a typical interview last?

Last one took an hour with a surprise literacy test at the end.

How early is too early to get there?

Be 15 minutes early.

How many questions should i have prepared to ask them?

The questions you ask them won't matter so much, it's more about the ones they ask.

Should i bring a copy of my CV? (They've already seen it, so i shouldn't need to bring one right?)

Bring one just in case, but you shouldn't need it.

What's the worse thing i could say to potential employers?

Depends on the job applied for. Just think before you speak. Don't be over-confident, but show confidence. Ultimately it's about being flawless, and if there's a flaw, resolutions.

Do i need to act a little more lively?

Show some personality in a friendly way, don't stare but eye contact. Shake hands firmly on entry. Smile a lot.

The all important strength//weakness question.

"state a true weakness, but then emphasize what you've done to overcome it. For example: "I've had trouble delegating duties to others because I felt I could do things better myself. This has sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I've taken courses in time management and learned effective delegation techniques, and I feel I've overcome this weakness." "

Cheers

np


http://www.jobinterviewquestions.org/questions/general-questions.asp

http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/questions.html

 

[Mulder]

A brief pause while you compose your thoughts is completely acceptable. Staring vacantly into the middle distance for a minute? Yeah, not so much. As a last recourse, ask if you can come back to a question later on in the interview. Do not do this more than once.

Just on this; it's totally acceptable to say "can i have a moment to think about this" then come back with an answer in, say, 5 seconds. Nothing worse than a prompt, badly worded answer.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Applauding the help by you guys, i have an assesment day tomorrow, currently preparing my 3 minute presentation which will be fine. Any tips for the group assignments though ? there will be 2 of them during the day. ty ty.

Ok, the main tip is to not be 'that guy'. That guy is the, uh, guy who domineers a group instead of driving it. He's the guy that thinks that pushing his idea relentlessly but not getting group support for it shows determination and purpose; what it shows is inability to compromise and inflated ego. That guy is the guy who talks loudest but communicates nothing. He's the guy that doesn't listen and thinks that you're the weak link because you're not talking all the time.

Assessors will be looking at the group dynamics and your ability to work with other people in a positive, strong and progressive way. The guy who can facilitate the group into producing a great assignment will catch the eye far more than the guy I mentioned above.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

The questions you ask them won't matter so much, it's more about the ones they ask.

Disagree. This is the last dealings you'll have with the interviewer so asking weak questions leaves the whole interview in a negative light. If you can't be bothered to ask me strong questions then I can't be bothered to ask you back for the second interview stage. I'm not kidding, either.

 

[ralv585]

What would you consider a strong question?

I'm thinking about along the lines of what is expected of me in the first three months, how do you see my role developing in the company etc.

I understand the point of the interview, what i was getting at is that when they ask a question, i would have thought that you would try to make yourself look as good as possible when answering that question.
Thus the bigging up yourself.

 

[Dmack]

Ok, the main tip is to not be 'that guy'. That guy is the, uh, guy who domineers a group instead of driving it. He's the guy that thinks that pushing his idea relentlessly but not getting group support for it shows determination and purpose; what it shows is inability to compromise and inflated ego. That guy is the guy who talks loudest but communicates nothing. He's the guy that doesn't listen and thinks that you're the weak link because you're not talking all the time.

Assessors will be looking at the group dynamics and your ability to work with other people in a positive, strong and progressive way. The guy who can facilitate the group into producing a great assignment will catch the eye far more than the guy I mentioned above.

Yeh nice one thanks, is it a good thing or bad thing to make sure everyone is involved, for example if someone is being quiet, maybe asking them 'what do you think about the situation'

 

[FabienO]

Disagree. This is the last dealings you'll have with the interviewer so asking weak questions leaves the whole interview in a negative light. If you can't be bothered to ask me strong questions then I can't be bothered to ask you back for the second interview stage. I'm not kidding, either.

I asked when the start date was on my last interview, and that was it. Got the job still. I agree, it's better to ask some, I was unprepared to ask them questions. I am just saying it's better to get their questions right, then asking them.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

You have two choices : you can ask the nitty gritty questions (how is the company performing to internal goals and measures, have there been any changes to the organisation of the company, are they on a large recruitment drive or just filling in small 'gaps' etc) or you can ask the more strategic questions (what are the long term goals of the company and how is it going to achieve them, who do they see as their competitors in future and how will they combat this, what are the biggest internal challenges to the company over the next 5 years).

There are loads of others you can ask and a 'strong' question to me is one that I either ask of the guys who work for me or am asked by my boss. It's a real question that effects the people who already work for the company. The reason it's 'strong' is because it should resonate with the interviewer and give them the impression that you're already part of the team as you're talking about the same stuff they do day to day.

What's the job for anyway? Almost all of this is redundant if it's for a shelf stacking job or similar.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Yeh nice one thanks, is it a good thing or bad thing to make sure everyone is involved, for example if someone is being quiet, maybe asking them 'what do you think about the situation'

It depends but generally I'd say it's a good thing. Leadership qualities are very good to have and by involving the quieter ones you're showing facilitative skills as well as demonstrating that you've (1) noticed they're being quiet and (2) done something about it. Keep it upbeat and positive ("hey guys what do you think about the situation? Thoughts?")is really good as an icebreaker.

The hardest thing is managing the balance of the group. Try and get any overly-aggressive types on board quickly and, as you've said above, get the quieter ones involved as well.

What's the day about?

 

[ralv585]

It's for an asset management consultancy.
Dealing in international funds and marketing.

 

[Dmack]

It depends but generally I'd say it's a good thing. Leadership qualities are very good to have and by involving the quieter ones you're showing facilitative skills as well as demonstrating that you've (1) noticed they're being quiet and (2) done something about it. Keep it upbeat and positive ("hey guys what do you think about the situation? Thoughts?")is really good as an icebreaker.

The hardest thing is managing the balance of the group. Try and get any overly-aggressive types on board quickly and, as you've said above, get the quieter ones involved as well.

What's the day about?

There's actually no information on the group tasks, it's for Virgin Media Business and it being ran by the it recruitment company i am with. All they have said it that you will give a 3 minute presentation on why you would be ideal for the job and 2 group tasks... should be fun, did a few group tasks at university and found it quite entertaining