How to manage an interview

Manuelle Malot, Head of EDHEC Career Service -  03/03/2009 10:54:00  - L'Expansion.com 

Manuelle Malot, Head of EDHEC Career Service.

You've got through the first stage and the recruiter is interested in your application. You've been called in for interview but this will probably just be the first in a series of meetings which, in addition to the traditional face to face interview may include different and quite surprising types of encounter.

The group interview

This is where several applicants are invited to come for an interview at the same time so that the recruiters can check out their teamwork skills and how well they interact. Their behaviour during the different exercises is considered as predictive of their behaviour inside the firm...

The exercise may be simple: i.e. you are given information about the firm and the jobs on offer and are asked to talk about yourself, your skills and your reasons for applying. Observers note the reactions of each candidate and the questions they ask.

In more complex role-play type situations you may be invited to discuss a given topic or a business case in groups. The interviewers note the behaviour, reactions and arguments of each candidate.

1.Try not to come across as aggressive or intimidated by the other candidates.

2.Listen carefully to the others to develop a good argument.

3.Be natural and attentive to how you express yourself, taking care not to get carried away.

4.Stay within the frame of the exercise and remain coherent.

5.Pick up on relevant points made by the other candidates without repeating the same thing.

6. It's better to speak when you have a valid point to make rather than to speak just for the sake of speaking.

The interview panel

Stay calm. The interview panel usually includes a human resource manager and an operational manager who will probably be your direct manager.

Even if the panel is made up of three people or more, begin by identifying exactly who is who and their position in the company. Don't be thrown if someone interrupts you and answer all the questions in turn without losing your concentration. Address and make eye contact with everyone, even if one person seems to be leading the panel.

Simulation exercise interview

In the simulation exercise interview, you are given a business case or a sales exercise in the frame of a traditional face to face interview.

You may also be put in a typical day in the life of a future employee situation, simulating a meeting between management controllers or dealing with the challenges of an in-the-field sales round. The firm will see how you manage situations and you will gain clearer insight into what might be expected from you in the future.

Phone interview

This is a kind of pre-interview, designed to assess whether a further interview is justified. The first pitfall to avoid is not taking it seriously enough, as this is when the interviewer makes an initial selection. In other words, it is an eliminatory stage.

1.Give yourself time to prepare for it: as with a traditional interview, think about the different examples that can illustrate your answers

2. Write down and keep in mind three key points that you would like to get across about yourself, your skills, your educational background and your experience.

3.Try not to be disturbed during the interview: find a quiet room and make sure that you have all the time you need to conduct the interview properly.

4.Have some paper, a pen and the job description at the ready.

5.Re-read and keep in front of you all the information that you have already sent to the recruiter: CV, cover letter, application form ...

6. Try not to phone from outdoors or in a busy place. 

7.Use a fixed phone if possible to avoid network problems or running out of battery

8.Find out more about the person you are talking to if they do not introduce themselves spontaneously.

9.Be direct and succinct, use action verbs and short sentences.

10.Make sure that you have heard and understood all of the questions properly. Ask your interlocutor to repeat the question if necessary to be sure that your answer corresponds to what is expected.

11.Don't speak too quickly or too long, and listen carefully.

12.Take short notes so as to pick up on what was said and to structure your answers

13.Never rush things and smile while you're speaking  - you really can hear the difference!

The multiple interview

There may be several interviews over the course of the day: remain focused even if you have the impression that you're repeating yourself. The aim is to test your resistance and your ability to adapt, and to get different points of view.

Keep in mind that it's always easier to tell the truth about yourself if you want to stay coherent when you have several interviews one after the other with different people. Later on, they will check to see if everyone has the same opinion about you.

Informal interview

Every meeting in a recruitment process provides an opportunity to find out more about you. Don't lose sight of this even during informal discussions over a drink or during a meal. Stay alert.