The Secret to Interview Success

Providing a Tax Specialist to Tax Specialist recruitment service since 1997

TAX RECRUITMENT

: Home : About Us : Vacancies : Employers : Commendations : Candidate Resources : FAQs : Contact Us : Links :

Assuming you’re qualified for the job, the outcome of your employment interview will be dependent on your ability to discover needs and empathise with the interviewer.

You can do this by asking questions that verify your understanding of what the interviewer has just said, without editorializing or expressing an opinion. By establishing empathy in this manner, you’ll be in a better position to freely exchange ideas, and demonstrate your suitability for the job.

In addition to empathy, the following skills are fundamental to a successful interview. These intangibles will influence the way your personality is perceived, and will affect the degree of rapport, or personal chemistry you’ll share with the employer. They are:

Listening. Listening is hard work. Listen to each question and then answer it directly.

Enthusiasm. Leave no doubt as to your level of interest in the job. You may think it’s unnecessary to do this, but employers often choose the more enthusiastic candidate in the case of a two-way tie. Be enthusiastic about your work (employers look for people who love what they do, and get excited by the prospect of tearing into the nitty-gritty of the job) and the firm you are being interviewed by. The last thing you want to do is come across as “flat” in your interview. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being a laid back person; but sleepwalkers rarely get hired.

Confidence. No one likes a braggart, but the candidate who’s sure of his or her abilities will almost certainly be more favourably received.

Research. How can you show genuine interest in a position, without having carried out research into the position, the firm, its goals, current events and history? Researching the firm’s website, its entry in trade journals (such as the Legal 500) is essential to having a great interview.

Other Important Factors

Rapport. A worthwhile interviewing goal is to link your abilities with the company needs in the mind of the employer. This will enable you to build a strong case for why the company should hire you. Remember, an interview is a two-way process - the more you know about each other, the more potential you’ll have for establishing rapport, and making an informed decision.

Objective. Your objective in attending an interview is to get to the next stage in the process, which eventually (hopefully) will result in getting an offer. So, if in the interview you have doubts if this really is the right firm for you, don’t let these doubts surface. You may be able to address these doubts by asking questions of your own, either in the interview or subsequently. Besides, it’s best to keep your options open. Wouldn’t you rather be in a position to turn down an offer, than have a prospective job evaporate from your grasp by giving a lethargic interview? Also, treat each interview as a first interview – I know of one candidate who didn’t get past the second interview because of lack of enthusiasm, whereas this had not been a problem in the first interview.

>> back to full list of Candidate Resources Articles

Commendation from a Candidate

‘‘Thank you so much for being such an enormous help to me in finding new employment within days of receiving my CV. That is what you call effectiveness. You were a great help !!! I will definitely refer you to people in the future.’’

>> read more

Partner Commendation

“An extremely professional and discreet service - not just reporting on opportunities but giving advice worth taking.”

>> read more

“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.”

W. Clement Stone

Guarantee to Candidates

We will only send your CV to a client if you have authorised us to do so.

The Secret to Interview Success