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Interview Advice
Preparing for an
interview
After following our CV advice and after
your consultation with a member of the
Funds Career team, you will be certain
to get a host of interviews. It is at
this stage that the process of finding
your new job gets serious and it is now
even more important that you prepare
fully.
You should research the
company, department and where possible,
any individuals that will be
interviewing you; this can be achieved
with the help of your consultant.
It is advisable to obtain
a copy of any company literature and to
look on the company website to see how
the company presents itself to the
outside world. Keep an eye out for
anything written about the company in
the press. If you have done the
necessary research, not only will you
appear more professional and
enthusiastic to a prospective employer
but you will also be in a better
position to ask questions and ascertain
whether the organisation is right for
you.
It is important to prepare questions as
they are often encouraged by the
interviewer and will demonstrate that
you are interested and keen to find out
more.
Some examples are:
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What training
programmes does the company
offer?
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What future plans
does the company/department
have? |
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How long has the
interviewer worked for the
organization and why does he/she
like working there? |
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What procedures
or systems does the company use?
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What career
prospects can the company offer? |
What the interviewer is looking for
Interviewers will ask you to talk
through your CV. The interviewer will no
doubt have this information in front of
them, but will be using this as an
opportunity to assess your communication
skills and your attitude to your work.
The interviewer will be looking to see
how you come across; are you confident,
enthusiastic and friendly; are your
answers clear and concise.
The interviewer will be making
judgements about your confidence and on
what it would be like doing business
with you, or on what it would be like
for their clients.
Here are some examples of questions you
may asked in a standard interview:
General Advice
Always wear a suit and ensure that you
arrive on time. First impressions count.
Remember that an interview is an
opportunity for you to learn about the
company as well as for the interviewer
to learn about you; you have to be happy
with the job, not just them with you.
Be yourself! There is no point
pretending to be someone you are not. An
interviewer will be assessing your
ability to do the job but will also be
making judgements about what it would be
like to work alongside you. As a
general guide, try to imagine what you
would look for in a candidate if you
were conducting the interview. What
would impress you?
It is important to look an interviewer
in the eye, avoid fidgeting: touching
your face or hair can be an indication
of nerves and should be avoided.
Be careful not to be negative. If you
have a criticism of a former employer,
it is best to phrase it in objective
terms, balancing the good with the bad; your consultant can talk you through the
best ways to approach these matters, so just ask.
After the interview
It is important that you contact your
consultant immediately after the
interview to convey your initial
feedback. This will enable the
consultant to contact the recruiter
promptly to reinforce the positive
impression you will have created during
the interview.
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