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Interview technique





mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,481
England
If you're in trouble, just break out the Ricky Gervais Office dance.

Start just clapping and they will join in.....once you feel the rhythm just GO FOR IT.

Hope this helps.
 




Bigtomfu

New member
Jul 25, 2003
4,416
Harrow
I wanted to highlight this one. Find out if they've won any industry awards - look into what they have to do to win them. Look at the company data at Companies House ( it's free ). You can often work out some structure from the data. See what else the registered directors have done ( LinkedIn is a good start ). Look for stories in the press and ask about them - good or bad.

To give you an example of the last point I've made - the company I previously worked for had a director awaiting trial for Bribery and Corruption while I was interviewing for a new role. I interviewed about six candidates and only one mentioned this. She found it in the news and asked sensible questions about how it was affecting the company, what plans were in place if he was convicted ( he was ! ) etc. She got the job because she not only had the skills needed but had shown some in depth research and thinking into the company.

Finally, remember an interview is a two way thing - they are interviewing you BUT you are also interviewing them. Ask questions - make it two way.

ADDITION - a good last question from you when asked is "Is there anything that gives reservations that I'm suitable for the role" - it gives you a chance to put to bed any of their concerns.

That thankfully is not relevant here as nothing untoward was revealed when I did the above but the last point definitely resonates because my interview technique has always been to make it two way, ask plenty of questions, and then when the interviewer closes with do you have any questions i've usually exhausted all the good ones and then get stumped or ask something lame ass.
 


pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,180
West, West, West Sussex
Thought I'd review this thread and bounce it for any more tips - got my first interview in about 10 years on Tuesday

How did it go [MENTION=638]Bigtomfu[/MENTION] ?
 




PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Sep 15, 2004
18,608
Hurst Green


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Sep 15, 2004
18,608
Hurst Green


NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,584
I occasionally work with groups who prepare school leavers for interviews and do mock interviews with them

There are loads of good books and they all cover the same things so it's worthwhile reading one of them. These books work very well when you are dealing with companies who have HR Departments because HR Departments look for certain things and can be quite blinkered if you don't meet their criteria.

There is no set correct way to do an interview because what might please one interviewer might not please another. Do your homework on the company you are interviewing for and go in there and make sure you get across your knowledge of the company and show how much research you have done.

One thing you mustn't do - If you get thrown by a question and think you haven't got across correctly what you wanted to say. Don't dwell on it. Move on to the next question otherwise you find yourself playing ''catch up'' in your mind with the questions being asked and you will get confused.

The best advice of all is to try and make yourself ''likeable as a person'' and if asked for you negative points. Don't throw a list of them at the interviewer - When I interview people I like it when I ask for negative points if they say they have none. HR Departments hate that response, so that's where you do your research as to who is going to be interviewing you.
 






pasty

A different kind of pasty
Jul 5, 2003
30,180
West, West, West Sussex
Do people still get suited and booted nowadays for interviews? I've seen people turn up for interviews where I work now in smart casual dress. The company I am interviewing for have a casual dress code and I don't want to look a pillock turning up in a suit and tie.
 


BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,221
Do people still get suited and booted nowadays for interviews? I've seen people turn up for interviews where I work now in smart casual dress. The company I am interviewing for have a casual dress code and I don't want to look a pillock turning up in a suit and tie.

Our place is very casual dress code but people still turn up in a suit and tie. Think it's just the done thing.
 




WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 10, 2003
25,678
Do people still get suited and booted nowadays for interviews? I've seen people turn up for interviews where I work now in smart casual dress. The company I am interviewing for have a casual dress code and I don't want to look a pillock turning up in a suit and tie.

Always thought it better to overdress than under
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patreon
Oct 27, 2003
20,938
The arse end of Hangleton
Do people still get suited and booted nowadays for interviews? I've seen people turn up for interviews where I work now in smart casual dress. The company I am interviewing for have a casual dress code and I don't want to look a pillock turning up in a suit and tie.

Turn up smart - no jeans - but no need for a tie. If it's a customer facing role you want to make sure you're very presentable. When I interview I don't tend to worry about WHAT the applicant is wearing more that they look clean, groomed and not scruffy.
 


cheshunt seagull

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
2,486
In my organisation we have moved to a competency-based approach which means that we ask for examples of things people have done as evidence that they have the skills and experience needed; we never ask hypothetical questions, so it may be useful to have examples of achievements and what you have learned from them. The only exception to this for us might be a question about the major challenges facing the organisation in the next few years which may lead to questions about how to address these; so it might be worth thinking about these.

Other tips would be; focus on what you can do for the organisation and not vice versa and don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you don't understand the question. It's OK to ask questions at the end but try and avoid asking ones that could have easily been researched via website/intranet etc.
 




NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,584
Turn up smart - no jeans - but no need for a tie. If it's a customer facing role you want to make sure you're very presentable. When I interview I don't tend to worry about WHAT the applicant is wearing more that they look clean, groomed and not scruffy.

I'm the opposite. I want to see the candidate at their best when I interview and would never even consider anyone who didn't come to an interview with shirt and tie.

I interview Lawyers and Accountants but even if I was interviewing non professionals I would expect a suit and tie.
 


Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patreon
Oct 27, 2003
20,938
The arse end of Hangleton
I'm the opposite. I want to see the candidate at their best when I interview and would never even consider anyone who didn't come to an interview with shirt and tie.

I interview Lawyers and Accountants but even if I was interviewing non professionals I would expect a suit and tie.

I guess it might depend on the industry. I interview for IT roles and IT dumped ties a decade ago. I haven't worn a tie to an interview for even longer. In fact I hate ties - useless bits of material originally designed for men that couldn't eat properly. I don't feel comfortable or confident wearing a tie.
 


NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,584
i guess it might depend on the industry. I interview for it roles and it dumped ties a decade ago. I haven't worn a tie to an interview for even longer. In fact i hate ties - useless bits of material originally designed for men that couldn't eat properly. I don't feel comfortable or confident wearing a tie.

lol lol lol
 


WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 10, 2003
25,678
I ran software houses until I retired a few years ago. We wouldn't necessarily expect techies to wear suits, but all senior and customer facing staff were expected to wear suit and tie at Inteview. (On the very rare occasions we put proper techies on client sites, they were expected to be suited and booted too - Made for some interesting fashion statements :D )
 




Doonhamer7

Well-known member
Jun 17, 2016
1,277
I have interviewed on numerous locations at various levels. If you turn up without suit and tie - then don't bother (I hate ties and only wear them fur funerals et al), and polish your shoes (sounds basic but you'd be surprised). If they aren't wearing ties this still doesn't give you a reason to take yours off. The person interviewing knows you will be nervous, they should try to put you at ease, if offered a drink then ask for water - you will need it. When communicating only 40% of your response is in the words the other 60% is in the tone and most importantly body language - so keep smiling and don't slouch. There is nothing wrong with saying I don't know the answer to a question - but only once or twice. If you have looked the person up on facebook- never ever mention this - online stalking is an interview killer (LinkedIn is just about ok). Don't ask about benefits - they will always tell you. Have questions of your own ( ask about strategic direction, future growth, market trends, impact of brexit - doesn't matter if you don't care just shows your a thinker), always ask about development, training, future opportunities - we all want developers. The best question I ever got back and you should use it is - "is there anything in any of my responses that has given you any concern that I couldn't undertake the role" - gives you a chance to have another go at an area they weren't sure on. Anyway best of luck
 


Billy Seagull

Bookie Basher
Jul 5, 2003
1,431
I interview a fair number of people for stats / analyst / data scientist roles and I'm not that fussed about what they wear as long as it's not jeans. We always ask the candidates to bring ID and that they have the right to work in the UK and it is amazing the amount that don't bring it. The job involves attention to detail so not bringing that hardly shows you in the greatest light. Do plenty of research about the company too as I always ask what do they know about us. It's not hard to find plenty out through interweb these days.

Good luck.
 



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