The job market has become so tense in today's economically-challenged markets, that it's more crucial than ever to have every advantage to succeed in a job interview.
First of all, if you've been contacted by a recruitment agency, or if your application (whether unsolicited or not) has attracted the attention of a company, it's because your profile has aroused real interest. Your successful first telephone interview has led the recruiter to arrange a face-to-face meeting. It's important to know that in a recruitment process, everything really begins with the interview. In fact, the first two phases - the selection of your CV and a quick telephone discussion - are designed to check that your skills are appropriate, that your experience justifies going further, and that your application is realistic (salary expectations, personal motivation, suitability of your place of residence and place of work).
You'll need to confirm the test at an interview, and you're obviously not the only one.You might as well give yourself every chance.
You're not all bad!
Most of the advice given on the web or in books on this vast subject will lead you to question yourself, correct yourself and improve. All this advice is good to take, but remember one thing: you have qualities, experience and real skills. For your interview, base yourself on your own experience. If you've already had a successful interview, try to incorporate everything that worked for you, and use it to build up your confidence. Always start by reassuring yourself about what makes you competent, reliable and trustworthy to an employer.
For example, if you have a perfect command of Java JEE coding and have already been recruited for a similar position, capitalize on your strengths.
Most recruiters use a questioning method designed to verify your skills by asking you to describe a professional situation in which you shone, and why and how you carried it out. We advise you to use the word "I" to prove that a professional achievement was accomplished by you, not by a group.
Understand your interviewer
It's perfectly normal to know your qualities: they're the foundation of your application, and the recruiter has already identified them. But during an interview, the skills that interest the recruiter have already been identified during the initial stages of recruitment. The interview is intended in part to verify them, but for this we're counting on you (see the first point). Your interviewer is just as concerned as you are to reassure himself as to the relevance of your profile. They're not trying to trick you, but to make sure you're the right person for the job. The recruiter may ask you some surprising questions, as a way of finding out who you are, how you react and how you behave in less conventional situations. Above all, he wants you to tell the truth. For example, you're applying for a sales or business development position. You're asked, "Are you more of a hunter or a breeder?" Obviously, you're there to go out and find new customers, but the breeder salesman has probably never existed! But, without giving it much thought, you could respond by explaining that you have all the qualities in the world to maintain a customer file and follow up on them, and that you're more at ease as a breeder. This simple, slightly roundabout question will let the recruiter know that you're not right for the role. And vice versa !
Find out more about your future employer
Take the time to "google" the company you're applying to. If you don't know the company, try to find it to show your interest and knowledge of the market. The most important thing at an interview is to know exactly what the employer does, so try to identify, even superficially, the main types of services they offer. Take an interest in the geography of its subsidiaries and one or two of its competitors. You'll also be able to get a better grasp of the recruitment process by exploring the company's web pages. You won't hear the same pitch if you're applying for an SME as if you were applying for a multinational. In the former case, your cross-disciplinary skills and autonomy will be major assets to highlight, whereas in the case of a large company, it's your specialist skills that will interest the recruiter. For example, if you're an accountant, an SME will ask you to manage different areas of the business, from payroll to bookkeeping, but a multinational might need you for its export department - Asian markets...
Beyond that, getting to know your future employer will go a long way to reassuring the recruiter about your motivation. He knows you can't possibly know the company, but he'll be reassured that you've taken the time to get to know it.
Build trust, tell a story
The recruiter already knows a little about you and has formed an idea of you. The trap, however, is to think that they know everything about you because they've read your CV... But that's not the case, you'll need to give them a quick overview of your personality and skills.
When they meet you, their ambition is that every brick in your CV, every element of your profile that they've been able to detect in your application, should materialize in concrete, verifiable elements. Make sure you have a concrete narrative for each of the experiences you've mentioned, and make sure it all fits into a story that brings you, right here, right now in front of this company. As if it were all self-evident. If you can't get the recruiter to buy into this story, you're lying to them and to yourself. If you're right for the job and it's obvious, your story will make the most of it. As you can see, you'll need to tell a story rather than a bunch of stories...
The little extra that makes all the difference
There's a lot of talk about soft skills and behavioral added value, but don't forget that the recruiter is first and foremost looking for a colleague with whom he or she is going to spend time. The interview is about going beyond theory to practice. Who are you really? What do you bring to the table that goes beyond your core competencies? These are the points that will make the difference between you and the previous candidate. For example, you're a diplomat by nature and you're very good at communicating. Make your interviewer understand this. Today, most hiring opportunities ask for "good communication skills" or "ability to report to management". These two skills, linked to synthesis and communication, are highly prized by companies. If you look hard enough, you're sure to find soft skills that make you a good and pleasant person to work with.
Why is this job for you ?
Some things are obvious. If you can demonstrate that you're the right person for the job, because you've got the right profile, the right skills and that little extra something, then you'll look like the five-legged sheep the recruiter is looking for. There are always bridges that bring you back to the obvious, that bring you closer to this company. Use an experience or an asset that's close to the activity of the company you're applying for. The idea is always the same: to add interest and motivation to your core skills.
Take care of your exit
You've probably already thought about your entrance, your behavior and your attitude, but have you planned an exit? Remember that in the vast majority of cases, the recruiter will say: "Good, thank you. Do you have any questions ?"
This precise phase of the interview is not a trap, but a conclusion designed to finalize the interview by giving a little something back to your interviewer, who has listened to you speak for 80% of the time (and that's normal) and who has the right to talk a little about himself. You have several options. You can ask a question (or two) like :
« Qui sera mon manager ? Avec qui vais-je travailler au quotidien ? » Cette question est bien perçue par le recruteur qui se rend compte que vous vous projetez déjà dans votre rôle
« Souhaitez-vous que je vous communique des (de nouvelles) références ? » Cela vous permet de renforcer le capital confiance
« Quelle est la prochaine étape ? » Cela permet de rester dans le rythme
« Je souhaite vous raconter une rapide anecdote… » Si vous êtes brefs et percutant le recruteur se souviendra de vous, ce n’est pas mal mais vous devez être sûr de votre récit.
« Ai-je bien répondu à toutes vos questions ? » Ici, vous invitez le recruteur à vous poser la question qui fâche et éventuellement dénouer un conflit qu’il n’a pas mentionné puisque c’est vous qui parlez. C’est une façon de demander un feedback immédiat et de dénouer un souci. Par exemple, vous êtes légèrement sur-qualifié pour le poste, et bien le recruteur ne manquera pas de vous le faire sentir, vous pourrez alors argumenter.
Finally, be yourself, don't think you can change destiny by becoming a superhero for a day. If you're right for the job and follow these common-sense tips, there's a good chance you'll be called back !
In the meantime, you can post your CV on our DCS website, and we'll get back to you to discuss your career.