For the employer | For your (the job seeker) |
Do you meet the requirements of the position in terms of skills, abilities and competencies? You find out more about the company. |
Will you fit in with the company's culture? |
What is the level of your interpersonal skills, and are you an all-rounded person? |
Can you picture yourself working at this company? |
Will you fit in with the company's culture? |
You get the opportunity to provide examples of the skills, abilities and competencies you claim to have on your CV |
Is there a match between your career development needs, and the demands and priorities of the company? |
Knowing more about the organisation will create a good impression because it shows that you are serious about this position and genuinely interested in this organisation. Find out more about the core business of the organisation, its mission and values statements, and different business areas and locations. This information can be found in the annual report, as well as sales and promotional literature. You can research this information on the Internet and in financial magazines and newspapers. You may also phone the company to ask for company literature available to the public.
Find out more about a particular kind of position by talking to individuals who work in similar positions (informational interviewing) or by researching the information on the Internet, or in magazines, newspapers or books.
Think about strategies to answer different kinds of questions. Practice answers to questions by looking in a mirror, or asking a friend, family member or mentor to "interview" you.
Prepare a list of questions you might want to ask if given the opportunity. Examples: What will this job entail? To whom would I have to report? Would I be working more in a team or more alone? What are the main challenges I will encounter in this job? Are there any mentoring programmes in place? When am I likely to hear whether my application has been successful? What kind of training and development programmes are available for entrants?
Get enough sleep the night before - look rested and not as if you were partying the night before. my employability skills Unisa Directorate for Counselling & Career Development my interview skills.
Dress appropriately (not under or overdressed). Avoid excessive perfume or aftershave and too much jewellery. Look well-groomed (clean shoes, clean fingernails and clean and neatly styled hair).
Take supporting documents with you. This could include a copy of your CV, certified copies of qualifications, testimonials and letters of reference. All of these documents can be included in your career portfolio which you can also take with you.
Do not be late - you should have confirmed the date, time and venue of the interview. Remember to consider possible delays (for example, public transport and traffic). Arrive about 5-10 minutes before the interview, take a deep breath and try to relax in the reception area. Remember that your interview starts as soon as you enter the premises of the organisation - greet the receptionist or secretary politely - they may be asked later to comment on your behaviour. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, smile and look them in the eye. Greet them by name and introduce yourself. For example, "Good morning Ms Makhanya. I am Peter Smith."
Greeting | Welcome and introductions. |
Getting comfortable | To ensure that you are relaxed. |
Icebreaker question | To get you to feel comfortable about the interview. |
Background of the company | Give you an idea of what the company does. |
An outline of the position |
So that you know something about the position. |
Probe your experience |
Establish if your experience matches what is required for the position. |
Probe you abilities |
Establish if you are capable of performing the duties required by the position. |
Probe your competencies |
How proficient are you and will you cope? |
Invite you to ask questions |
Have you prepared any questions? |
Wrap up the interview |
Do you need clarity on certain issues? Closing and informing you of the next steps |
DO | DON'T |
look enthusiastic and energetic | be too formal or informal when conversing with the interviewer answer yes/no to all questions - if you do not answer the questions, you cannot give a good impression mumble babble (provide only the necessary detail) |
apologise if you are late for the interview | get personal with the interviewer, bring up politics or religion ask about salary and benefits unless the interviewer mentions it |
wait for the recruiter to lead you where you need to be and wait to sit | argue or lose your temper |
follow the lead of the interviewer in terms of formal vs. informal | talk negatively about previous employers or supervisors |
get to the point and answer the questions directly | sit with your elbows on the table, rest your head on your hands |
maintain appropriate eye contact (don't stare or look away all the time) | slouch in your chair. Slouching could project laziness and this is not a quality you want to reflect in a job interview |
ask the interviewer to clarify/ rephrase a question if you did not understand the question | speak too softly or too loudly |
be factual and honest | |
sit still. If you struggle to sit still, cross your legs and rest your hands on your lap - a recruiter will get distracted if you are restless and concentrate on what you are doing, rather than on what you are saying | |
relax your shoulders (tense shoulders look uncomfortable) | |
speak with emotion. Avoid monotones and vary your speaking speed and tone |
For example, being asked why you did not complete grade 12. Give a short reason for leaving, and then add something positive. "I did not do well during my last of school and after consulting with my parents, I decided to find a job to gain some practical experience where I could serve customers. I enjoy dealing with customer complaints and learnt a lot about how to deal with upset customers during my first six months at XYZ Discount Store".
If you have a criminal record and are asked about it, you could focus on the positive. For example, "When I was young, I made some wrong choices and I have learnt from my mistakes and I want to be responsible. I want this job so that I can provide for my family because they are very important to me".
Employers use behavioural questions to evaluate your experiences and behaviours so they can determine your potential for success. Some of the characteristics which companies might find desirable are: analysis, assertiveness, communication (oral), communication (written), decision-making, independence, management, planning and organising, and teamwork.
Examples:
You can analyse each of the above questions according to the STAR principle:
Last modified: 2023/08/07