Most employers see the interview process as being one of the most important parts of the hiring process. There are a few ways that you can conduct an interview. For example, you can conduct it face to face, over the phone, through Skype or even via a panel. If you are preparing to interview an applicant, then you need to consider the style of the interview and you also need to think about the structure too. A structured interview is where you’ll ask predetermined questions. An unstructured interview on the other hand, is much more casual and often follows the flow of conversation.

Picking your Interviewers

When you are trying to decide who is going to interview someone, you need to think about the relationship that they are going to have with the potential employee. As a general rule, this should be an employee or manager who is overseeing the position, or even someone who is going to be working closely with the new hire. It’s also important to make sure that the interviewer has enough experience in the field to understand the position itself, and the skills that are required to do the job efficiently.

Determine the Length of the Interview

The time and length of the interview will depend on the company and the position that is being filled. If you want some guidance as to how long your interview should be, then take a look below.

Non-Manager

A one-on-one interview really should last around 45 minutes. It can however go up to an hour. If there are two interviewers, you could probably reduce the time it takes to conduct each interview by half an hour.

Manager

Management is often a leadership position. These interviews will usually take much longer, and it can sometimes last up to an hour and a half. If there are more than two interviewers, then each one should last around half an hour.

Logistics

Now that you have a good idea of who is going to be conducting the interview and how long the process is going to take, you then need to consider the logistics of it all. Some of the questions that you need to ask yourself include where the interview is going to be taking place, if you need to book a conference room and even if you will need to provide tea and coffee.

Job Documentation

If you want to get the best result out of your job interview then you need to make sure that you have all of the right documents, well in advance. This can include a copy of the job description, the applicant’s CV, the cover letter and even references too.

Interview Preparation

If you want to feel confident during the interview, then it helps to consider some of the questions that you are going to ask. Think about asking the potential candidate why they’re interested in the position, how they fit within the culture and why they think they’d be a good fit.

De-Stress

There’s a high chance that the candidate you are going to interview is super stressed out about the interview, so it helps to put them at ease. Give them as much detail as you possibly can about the interview, tell them your company’s dress code and even set out some scenario questions.

Closure

When your interview is over, you will need to provide your candidate with some degree of closure. You should do this whether you are giving them the job or not. One way for you to provide closure would be for you to extend a job offer, or to even let them know if you require them to come in for another interview.

By following the above tips, you can be sure to give your potential employees a good experience when coming in for their interview. You can also help to put them at ease too, which will help you to get a better idea of their skills and personality.

If you want to experience any success with your job hunt, then you have to make sure that you get your CV right. Your CV is essentially your chance to convince your employer that you are right for the role and that they should choose you over the other applicants that they have. First impressions are everything here, so take your time and go through your CV to make sure that it is the best that it can be.

Age and Date of Birth

Your age doesn’t impact your ability to do the job. For this reason, it doesn’t need to be on your CV. Any employer should be measuring your ability based on your years of experience, and not how old you are. In the UK, it is actually illegal for any employer to discriminate against candidates based on their age alone, therefore you really don’t need it to be on your CV.

Marital Status

This is very similar to your age. Your marital status, and even the amount of children you have has no place on your CV. These are actually protected characteristics thanks to the Equality Act 2010, so if you have information like this on your CV then take it off right away.

Being out of Work

Not many people are lucky enough to have a smooth career trajectory. You’ll probably have a few bumps here and there, and this is normal. Your reason for being out of work really doesn’t have a place on your CV though, for a few reasons. To start with, your CV is a document which showcases your most relevant skills and even your abilities too. You don’t want to waste precious space by listing why you were out of work, as this could convince your potential employer that you’re not actually great for the job after all.

Secondly, some personal circumstances may fall under the Equality Act of 2010. This can include being pregnant or even being on maternity leave. If you were caring for someone or if you were wrapped up with a personal situation then don’t list it. It’s your private information, and you have the right to keep it that way.

Photo

In some countries, it is customary for you to have a headshot. In the UK, it’s not required. The last thing that you need is age discrimination on your CV.

Your Address

Listing your address on your CV was once a requirement. In this day and age, you only need to put down your town and country. If you feel as though where you live is going to negatively impact your choices, then don’t be afraid to miss it out entirely.

CV as the Title

So many people make the mistake of putting “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae” at the top of their resume. This is outdated, and not required. Put your name instead.

Work Experience that’s Not Relevant

It’s so important that you tailor your CV to the job. Don’t be afraid to cut out any irrelevant details, as this will help you to refine your CV while also helping you to cater it more towards the position itself.

Being able to nail an upcoming job interview will often mean the difference between you landing that dream job, and having to settle with the position that you have now. Making a strong first impression really is crucial, but luckily for you, interview skills can be both practised and learnt.

Why Interview Preparation is Essential

The more you can prepare yourself for an interview, the better. Here’s why. Confidence will really work in your favour when going for a job. The more confident you are, the more at ease you’ll be and the quicker you’ll be with your responses. If you prepare ahead of time, then you’ll also show the employer that you are committed to the position and that you are willing to work for it.

What Recruiters Look for

Recruiters know that the interview process won’t really give you the chance to showcase your personality. They also know that sometimes, your confidence will be knocked a little too. That’s why they tend to watch your body language, as this will show how well you convey your words. If you want to help yourself here then sit up straight, smile and always make eye-contact. It’s also a good idea for you to project professionalism, by wearing the right clothing for the position you are going for.

The Week Before

The week before your interview is due to take place, you need to do your research. Set a Google Alert as this will help you to stay up to date with the local company developments. You might also want to review their social media presence too, so you can find out who their target market is and the way that the company themselves have impacted the industry as a whole. If you want to take things to that next level, then research the interviewer too. What’s their title? What interests do they have? If you know a bit about them then this will help you to create valuable talking points that will really help you.

Practice Questions

Find a list of industry-appropriate questions and test yourself. This will help you to prepare for what lies ahead and it will also give you the chance to really be on the ball when the big day comes along. It also helps to refresh your resume, as your interviewer will most likely ask you questions about its contents and even about your previous positions.

On the Day

The day of the interview has finally come around. It’s full steam ahead from now on and the nerves are probably setting in. If you’re feeling jittery, then it helps to soothe your nerves by exercising, and by also trying to take things slow. You might also want to try and arrive early, so you don’t walk into the interview feeling frazzled and out of sorts.  Before you go in, give yourself a quick refresher and take a deep breath. Another thing that you can do to try and help is to visualise yourself nailing the interview, then focus on making it happen.