Business and Woman

Ska du på anställningsintervju snart? Orolig över intrycket du kommer att göra på din potentiella arbetsgivare?

Då har jag svar på de vanligaste frågorna som brukar dyka upp kring intervju situationen. Tipsen kommer från Coursera kursen: Enhance Your Career and Employability Skills. Se mer info i tidigare inlägg Ta effektiva beslut om din karriär samt ta kontroll över din professionella utveckling

How can I handle interview nerves?

First of all, it’s important to remember that nerves are a healthy sign that the interview really matters to you and ultimately that you really want the job. Many recruiters would prefer to see some evidence of nerves, as an indicator of motivation for the role, rather than an incredibly relaxed candidate who looks like they don’t really care whether or not they get the job! So try to view your nerves as a positive, if frustrating, indication that you are serious about the process and committed to the job.

How can I work out what the employer is looking for in a candidate?

There are many ‘clues’ about what an employer is looking for which you can find out before the day of the interview. The person specification and job description are often useful ‘road maps’ indicating what the selectors are going to be ‘measuring you against’ during the interview itself. Ask yourself what ‘evidence’ you have that you can use to ‘match’ those expectations, and maybe even exceed them.
Finally, if the employer offers an opportunity to telephone for more information before you apply, or before the interview, take it. It may even be appropriate to pay a visit if the work place is open to the public eg: a café, a gallery or a council office. You can gain valuable hints about the culture of the organisation and the type of person they are likely to employ.

How do I know what questions I’ll be asked in an interview?

Interviewers are usually trying to find out the answer to three main questions: Can you do the job?; Do you want to do the job?; and Will you fit in?. Think about how you would answer these questions and back up your ideas with examples (e.g. of your skills and motivation). The job description and person specification will tell you the specifics of what the recruiter is looking for.

I have had lots of interviews but I never get the job?

The first thing to say is that its great you are getting interviews, this shows you are a strong candidate with experience and skills that are attractive to employers. Good interview technique is something which is relatively easy to learn and this course is full of advice about how to perform more effectively as well as recommending that you try a the mock interview. In terms of preparing for interviews nothing compares to actually practicing answering questions out loud!

Why do employers sometimes ask strange, irrelevant interview questions?

Questions which seem strange, such as how many pizzas are delivered each day in New York, or which celebrity would you like to have dinner with, are usually there to see how you react in unfamiliar situations. Do you have a logical approach to lay out how you would estimate the number of pizzas delivered, or do you have a rational reason about which celebrity would you choose.

Often the actual answer to these types of questions is less important than your reaction and demonstration of your thought process. There’s no way you can predict or prepare for these questions, so the answer you give will show you in an authentic sense and how you deal with the unexpected.

Och kom ihåg det viktigaste – att du bjuden på intervju betyder att arbetsgivaren är redan intresserad, nu gäller det bara att använda sig av möjligheten att visa vilken underbar person du är!;)

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