If you are applying for a computer operator’s job in order to pay the rent and secretly want to be a police officer or a ballet dancer, keep that to yourself. Again, think – why is the employer interested in this question? He or she will be most impressed by… Continue reading
The employer does not want a candidate whom every other company has rejected. They feel their organisation is special and offering you the job represents a big investment. You want to convey the impression that you feel this particular vacancy is exactly the right one for you, and you have… Continue reading
This is the most difficult question to answer and one people worry about. But, fortunately, most interviewers themselves are not too sure what the correct answer is. Think this through. Why would the employer be asking this question? The employer must be concerned with offering services or goods to the… Continue reading
The trick here is to think about the best answer in the light of the organisation applied to. Why has the employer decided to ask you this? It is likely that the current vacancy is with a large organisation, not-for-profit organisation or local authority which is looking for staff who… Continue reading
A question asking for unusual examples of behaviour can take us by surprise, so it is good to plan for a curve-ball question like this that can come out of the blue. The interviewer will be interested to see what kind of answer you come up with and will be… Continue reading
Confidence has been mentioned before as though it should be easy to acquire. Everybody is confident about their abilities in some activity or other. If I asked you to tell me something that you felt confident about, it could be cookery, playing sport or a hobby. If you analyse why… Continue reading
Interview nerves affect people in different ways. Some people speak very softly, some talk too fast and start gabbling, others become hesitant and leave long gaps between words. Some people stammer under pressure and some just answer briefly, replying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ whenever possible, rather than speaking up about themselves…. Continue reading
Everybody suffers from nervous feelings in high anxiety situations. This nervous energy provides us with the extra impulse we need in order to put ourselves forward, speak up and perform impressively at an interview. Some of our greatest actors are actually sick before every appearance on the stage, showing that… Continue reading
Posture Other important aspects of body language for an interview are those relating to posture. You want to attract attention and be remembered. You must walk tall with your shoulders back, pulling yourself up by the head to increase your height and make your spine straight. You will look around… Continue reading
Looking straight into somebody’s eyes when we are talking tells the person that we are interested, attending to what is being said and have nothing to hide. When we feel shy, it is sometimes awkward to keep this direct gaze on the interviewer. If you find this difficult, at least… Continue reading