These also can vary from client to client and will depend on whether or not the interview is based on specific skills / abilities, competency focused, requirement based or personality profiling. Your recruitment consultant can advise as to what to prepare for, they can provide typical example questions, and they can help to coach you through your interview preparations. Some typical interview questions are as follows:
- What do you know about our business?
- Why would you want to work for our business?
- Where and what research have you done to find out about our company / current projects?
- What do you think our company / job can offer you differently to your current one?
- Why are you looking to leave your current / previous roles?
- What would you say to your current company if they were to counter offer you upon resignation from the business?
- What 3 words would your friends and ex work colleagues use to describe you?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 1, 3 and 5 years time?
- What are you main achievements to date? How do these relate to your our expectations in the job description and therefore how can you add value to the role?
- What are our companies’ key values?
- Provide us with specific examples of where you have previously demonstrated our core company values?
When it comes to questions which ask for ‘specific examples’ (similar to the last question mentioned above) this is where your preparation will really show. These types of questions are commonly known as Competency Questions or Behavioural Questions. Both of which are looking for you to demonstrate where you have done certain things in the past, and therefore relate it to the new position. These are a very powerful way for an interviewer to get a better insight in to your true ability in the work place, and being prepared for these types of questions can really maximise your chances of getting a new role.
When preparing for Competency based questioning it is important you have practised prior to the interview. This will ensure that you are armed with key specific examples of what you have done and you can then adapt these to the questions you are being asked.
It is important you do not use the same example for every question asked. Although certain things you have done will cover a broad range of skills by showing multiple examples to the same question, or different examples to each question asked, you will show the interviewer that you know your own CV and you can relate this to the job in question. This will show true interest from your side and provide the interviewer with all of the facts to make an informed decision on your chances of success in their role.
