Interviews and Assessments

A great many employers carry out an invitation with just you and themselves, that said there is an increasing number of employer that are inviting candidates to an assessment session. An assessment session means that there are a number of candidates invited and seen at the same time, the likelihood is you will be given tasks to complete or asked to take part in group activities. They use these assessments to identify those that are the best for the job, and possibly who will be invited back to the interview stage (if not included on the day of the assessments).

To help with your confidence it is a good idea to plan for your interview or assessment before the day. As mentioned so many times before on our website first impressions count, and during an assessment you will have a number of people observing your interactions , recording how you respond to the tasks/activities. Anything you do could potentially make a difference to whether you are successful or not.

During and interview or an assessment you have the opportunity to get a feel for the employer too, it is not just about them working out if you are a good fit for their company. It is expected that you will be nervous, but it is good to remember that you got to this stage when there were a great many that had not done so well. This thought can help to give you some confidence.

Tips

When you receive your invitation to the interview/assessment you will normally be expected to confirm your attendance. It is important that you let them know, if you can’t make the date they have offered there may be a possibility it could be rearranged.
Decide what to wear, and make sure you set time aside to wash and iron these clothes. You don’t want to be panicking on the day about what to wear. Remember 30% of the employer decision is made by how you present yourself when you come through their door.
Make sure you know how to get there, do a practice run if possible before the day to help you.
If you have special needs that need to be catered for make sure the employer is informed.
The invitation letter, or during the telephone call where they invited you to the interview/assessment, may outline the need to bring items with you. If not it may be worth checking, they may want you to bring a copy of your qualifications, another copy of your application or CV etc.
If it wasn’t specified whether it was an assessment or interview you were being invited to, then do your best to find out. This will ensure you are not surprised on the day and feel more prepared and therefore confident.

Interview Pointers

Think about the questions you may be asked? How will you answer them?’ we have listed some common interview questions below, you can also research interview questions using google.
Make a list of what you can offer the employer, what skills, abilities, motivation or experience you have.
Think of examples where you have learned and achieved and try to work out how this can be used during the interview process.
Research the employer and their products and services, they will most likely have a website to check out.
Think of questions you want to ask the employer - this gives you the opportunity to find out more about the job. If you don’t ask any questions it could give the employer the impression that you aren’t interested in the job. Questions you could ask include:

What kind of training will I get?
Will I be able to gain any qualifications?
What is prospect of being promoted?
How many people will be on my team?
Are there any new developments planned for the company?

Find someone to help you practice your interview and give you the chance to try out your answers.

Assessment Pointers

An assessment is a little harder to prepare for as it is unlikely you will know what you are going to be asked to do, different employers will carry out assessment sessions in different ways. However we have listed a couple of helpful tips below:

If the employer has provided you with any information on what will happen during the assessment make sure you read through it carefully, is there anything you will need to bring with you.
Even if taken by surprise during the assessment, for example you are asked to do something that you have never done before, be prepared to do your best. You will not be the only person that this will be new to, so try to make sure you seem confident and capable as this will show that you are able to keep going when put under pressure, and that in turn helps make you look better to the employer.

The more prepared you are for the interview/assessment the more confident and less nervous you will feel on the day.

The Interview/Assessment Day

The minute you enter the premises or assessment centre where the employer is waiting you are being assessed. Below are some helpful reminders of how to make the most of your interview/assessment.

Do’s

Make sure you arrive on time, ideally you want to be there about 10-15 minutes early.
Make sure you look clean and smart.
Be friendly and smile.
Make sure you speak clearly.
Make sure you listen and answer questions as fully as you can.
Look at the person you are speaking to—if this is uncomfortable pick a spot in the middle of the forehead, the tip of the nose etc. to look at, this will give the impression of looking them in the eye.
Focus on the positive points and strong points about yourself.
Ask questions about the job or company to show interest in the job.
Demonstrate your willingness to learn.

Don’t

Smoke
Chew gum as this looks very unprofessional.
Wear too much deodorant/aftershave or perfume, as too much of these can be as bad as smelling bad.
Leave your phone on, or at least put on silent (not vibrate either).
Answer just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as this will not help the interviewer learn anything about you and what you can offer the company.
If you haven’t understood or don’t understand the question don’t worry, just ask the interviewer to politely explain further.

What to expect during the interview

Below is a list that outlines the general way that interviews are conducted. That said, all interviews are different so these are only a guideline. There is the chance you will be interviewed by either one person, or you could be interviewed by a panel, you may also be asked to do an assessment or take a test. All you can do is your best, they are not there to trick you, just to help them find the right person for the job so relax and keep calm.

Normally it will start with a welcome, introduction and handshakes—this is where you will make your first impression so remember to speak clearly, give eye contact and provide a firm handshake.
To get to know you the employers are likely to ask some basic facts about yourself, such as contact details, qualifications etc. They want to make sure they match up with the CV or application form.
They will then move onto questions about your relevant experience and ask why you are interested in the role—don’t say money or just need a job, employers know this is what you want but don’t want that to be the only reason you want to come and work for them.
You may be asked to give examples from your previous employment, education, work experience, voluntary work etc of how you have used skills and abilities needed for the job. An example would be “Have you ever provided good customer service?”
You will be asked near the end if you have any questions, try to have at least one to demonstrate your interest in the job.
At the end the interviewer will let you know when they are looking to get back to you and how, for example by phone, letter or email. If you are fortunate you may find out after the interview.

Interview Questions

Why do you want to work for this company/do this job? This is where you can let the employer know you have done your research, this will show the employer you are genuinely interested.
What can you bring to this job/company? This gives you the opportunity to talk about the skills and experience you have that matches the job. These need to be backed up with real examples that demonstrate these skills and abilities.
What are you strengths? This gives you the opportunity to talk about your personal qualities and how they have helped you do well either at work, within your studies etc. Again when you give these qualities you need to demonstrate them with real life examples.
What are your weaknesses? Don’t tell them about how you can’t wake up in the morning or find it hard to focus during the day, you need these to be something that can become positive. Think of a weakness you have overcome in the past, for example you may explain how you were shy and have learned to overcome this and become more outgoing and sociable.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? This gives the employer an idea of how ambitious you are, whether you are enthusiastic or just want a job to get by. To best answer this question you need to have done your research, you needed to have discovered what opportunities this company offers employers, and you can then talk about any of these routes that you may be interested in. For example if you are going for an administrative assistant you may want to be an office supervisor.

Assessments

There are lots of different types of assessment that can take place and so it is difficult to give advice on the general pattern that an assessment will follow. The preparation you do for an interview would however be equally good for preparing for an assessment.

Like an interview there will generally be a welcome, introductions and time to shake hands with the interviewers.
You will likely be involved in an icebreaker activity that will allow the interviewer to get an initial understanding of how you are with new people.
Be ready to participate in any activities or tasks and be ready to try something new.
Remember that everything you do and say is being assessed, and will contribute to how the employer will see you.
Don’t think as the others being assessed as the enemy, getting on with them and showing you can be part of a team is that the employer is looking for. Some of those being assessed with you may end up being your colleagues if you are successful.

What next?

You will normally be notified by telephone or letter whether you have been successful at this stage.
You may be called back for further assessment or interview.
If you are offered the job you need to ensure the employer knows your intention as soon as possible.
If you aren’t offered the job don’t worry about it too much, everyone will be turned down for a job at some point in their life (even the likes of Lord Allen Sugar) it just means it wasn’t the right job for you, but it was a great experience to help you towards the right job.
If you didn’t get the job don’t be scared to ask for feedback, this will help you identify areas within the assessment/interview that you could improve on I preparation for your next assessment or interview.