Page 54 - You're Hired! Interview Answers

Arriving for the interview duRing the inteRview

We are going to assume that you have done your homework about the
organisation, the competencies and the specific role you have applied for,
and that you also know what the format of the interview will be. We are also
assuming that:

n you know where the interview is being held (do a dry run if you can so that
you are sure about travel time and location)

n you will arrive with time to spare (give yourself time to relax and catch your
breath)

n you are well turned out and set to impress!

All of the above will have an impact on how comfortable you feel, and therefore
on how you conduct yourself during the interview.

The interview situation

An interview can feel like a contest, a situation where you are in the dentist’s
chair and the interviewer is trying to extract information from you or catch you
out in some way. The best interviews should not be like this. A better way to
think about it is as a meeting where both sides are going to share information
and come to a mutual decision about suitability or ‘fit’ with a particular
organisation or role. The more you can think about the interview in these
terms, the better able you will be to ‘be yourself’ and benefit from the guidance
that follows in this chapter. Most of what you will read below is focused on
removing any barriers between you and the interviewer, thus letting them go
away with the feeling that they know the ‘real you’ – as well as having heard
about your many positive attributes!

Professional but ‘human’ is the ideal impact you should be seeking to achieve.

Building rapport

A well-trained interviewer will be working hard to establish rapport, setting
you at your ease so that you can perform at your best, but you too have some

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