You should research a
company thoroughly before going for an interview. And if the company is
a private firm, that's not an excuse to skip doing your homework.
Where there's a will,
there's a way, and finding a way to gather information on a company
“distinguishes the great candidates from the good candidates,” says
an interview expert.
The candidate can take a
number of steps to learn about his/her prospective employer. In addition
to simply visiting the company's Web site, joining a trade organization
like the Marketing Association of Pakistan, or Pakistan Engineering
Council would almost certainly give someone interested in the company
exposure to people who work there.
What else can you do to
improve your chances at the interview? Try these tips:
Be Concise
Interviewees rambling on
is one of the most common blunders. You really have to listen to the
question, and answer the question, and answer it concisely. Many
candidates work on the tangent rather answering the question. You might
think they want to hear what you are saying, but you have to
answer the question instead of moving around it.
Provide Examples
It's one thing to say
you can do something; it's another to give examples of things you have
done. “Come with a toolbox of examples of the work you've done,”
advises an expert. “You should come and anticipate the questions a
recruiter's going to ask based on the requirement of the role. Think of
recent strong strategic examples of work you've done, then when the
question is asked, answer with specifics, not in generalities. You
should say, ‘Yes, I've done that before. Here's an example of a time I
did that…,' and then come back and ask the recruiter, ‘Did that
answer your question?'”
Be Honest
Somehow, candidates get
the impression that it's best to try to dance around difficult
questions. “If you don't have a skill, just state it. Don't try to
cover it up by talking and giving examples that aren't relevant. You're
much better off saying you don't have that skill but perhaps you do have
some related skills, and you're happy to tell them about that if they
like.”
Keep Your Guard
Up
You can split recruiters
into two schools. There are those who are very straight-laced and
serious, and candidates better take the process seriously as well when
dealing with them.
“Then you have
recruiters like me,” he says, chuckling. “I'm going to be that
candidate's best friend when they call me. My technique is to put them
at ease, because I want them to tell me everything, and a lot of
candidates mess up in this area. They start to think, ‘Oh, this guy is
cool. I can tell him anything.' And then they cross the line.” And
that can take a candidate out of contention. Remember: Always maintain
your professionalism.
Ask Great
Questions
Fogarty, a recruitment
expert, says nothing impresses him more than a really good question that
not only shows you've researched the company in general, but the
specific job you're hoping to land as well. “That makes me go, ‘Wow,
this person has really done their homework. They not only know the
company, but they know the role.'”
