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So your CV has wowed the interviewer, what they are looking for now is whether or not you have the right attributes/personality that they feel will mix well in the company.

With personal interviews you can expect a number of questions to pop up, Careertrotter have narrowed it down to what they feel are the 10 most popular Personal Interview Questions. Here are a few tips on how to answer them. Enjoy

1. Tell me a bit about yourself?

This particular question is the most popular question to pop up in a personal interview, this question quickly puts the ball in your court, and you now have the power to guide the interview in a way that suits you, depending on how you answer of course. When it comes to answering this we would recommend following this simple template:

Quick overview of your education qualifications
Your previous work experience
A small bit about your family background (if you want it in).

2. Can you describe yourself using 3/5 words?

For this particular interview question we recommend keeping closely to the job description for example if you are applying for a customer service job, descriptive keywords to use would be a good listener, great decision maker etc.

You will want to have both good and bad descripters, this can show the interviewer that you know where you fall down on and are willing to work on, once they are not BIG problems. Something like you are picky or hard on yourself to acheive targets or solutions etc.

3. What motivates you?

Answers here can be tricky, we believe that something along the lines of ‘competition’, ‘striving to be the best’, that working as part of a team and trying to reach targets as a team are all good.

4.What are your Strengths/ Weaknesses?

Strengths:

Here you need to think about your most relevant strengths that you can apply to this particular job. This questions helps the interviewer find out if you are right for the job, so give them a personal strength that makes them think ‘this is the candidate for me’.

A good guildline is 3 strengths.

Weaknesses:

Interviewers have heard the ‘I’m a perfectionist’ many times so something fresh and original could do the trick. There are 2 possible ways you could go with this:

Funny: Where you have built up a good rapport with your interviewer and your weakness could be ‘chocolate’ (pause for laughter).
Another route you could take could be to pick a weakness that is won’t affect you if you were to get the job.

1 weakness is not enough always give 2.

5. Why did you leave your last job?

Here you will need to be careful as there are many possible answers you could use, just remember to NEVER talk negatively about any prior or current employer to a potential employer. No one wants to think that in a few years’ time you could be saying the same about them. A possible reason could be to say you were looking for better opportunities, for you to grow professionally, or you were looking for the chance to work abroad.

6.Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Here the interviewer is trying to find out just how ambitious you are. Ambition is never a bad thing, it shows you are a highly motivated self-starter. It’s always good to say that you hope to see yourself with more responsibilities, in a company that values your skills and your input.

7.What kind of Salary are you expecting?

This question can be asked in a number of ways but they all mean the same thing. Money is a complicated subject, we would suggest trying to turn it around and back to the interviewer to see what they believe this job will pay, if that doesn’t work and they are looking for an answer from you we would recommend you keep your answer:

Realistic: You won’t be going home with millions each month.
A bit vague in the beginning as the interviewer may jump at the lower sum you mention.

8. Do you prefer to work alone or within a team?

Again a tricky question, picking one could look bad, that you are unable to work with others or that you lack direction. So why not saying that you like a bit of both?

9. What do you like & dislike about your current position?

Tread carefully here, you don’t want to come off negative, the interview should be all about positivity. Here you can say what the company you were working with has done for you and what you may have disliked could be along the lines of they could only help you so far up the professional ladder, but you will always think fondly of them.

10. Do you have any questions for me?

Sometimes we have candidates who come in asking about canteens, air conditioning and what not, but these are not questions the interviewer wants to hear. For your eyes only here are some Do’s & Don’ts.

DO DON’T

– Are there opportunities to Grow? – How many holiday days do I get?

– What is the management – What other employment benfits style in this company? do you offer?

There you are, you are now ready for your personal interview questions. These are interview questions that you can always have prepared and only need a small bit of adapting for each interview.

Click here for the next step: Motivational Inteview Questions

For more industry specific interview questions why not check out these pages:

If you are making the move to work abroad, check out our 5 Things to do before you go! working abroad.

Turning your Duties into Achievements

Our C.V. paints a picture of who we are. It is really important to explain not only what we did but what we did well. Employers are always looking for the best candidate and the one who will be the best investment. We can show that by explaining our duties in a detailed way.

Many people ask me ‘why should I explain my duties? I was a sales assistant /secretary and everybody knows what they do’. This is true, but everybody also knows what a black marker does but you couldn’t sell it to anybody by just saying ‘it’s a black marker you know what it does’. You need to explain the reasons why I should buy it, what is unique about it, what it does and how it will benefit me. You would need to talk about the size of the marker, the quality of the ink, the lifespan of the marker it’s amazing non-drip qualities and weightless feel. It is the same for our C.V.; we need to state what we can do and why the company should hire us. We do this by detailing our duties and mentioning not just what we did every day, but what our achievements were. The employer will always look for the candidate who can give extra and will add most value to the company. Mention anything extra that you did in your previous job or anything that will make you stand out from the crowd

So what exactly are achievements?

Achievements don’t have to be anything major, however instead of just including routine duties they need to say, what we did and most especially what we did well i.e.;

A project you were involved in
Customer satisfaction ratings
Promotions and extra responsibilities that you were given
New strategies or ideas that you implemented
Deadlines reached
Targets exceeded e.g. resulting in an increase in sales of 10%
Awards received
Publications made
Presentations given
Improvements that you made to the working of the company or department
It is really good to mention anything that made or saved the company time or money
Did you manage to increase the customer base or develop repeat custom

Proof

Make sure to give specific tasks accompanied with figures or statistics to really sell your experience e.g. exceeded the daily sales target by 30%. Facts, figures and statistics are a clear way of giving proof that you did the job well. Try to have a ‘what’ and a ‘how’ or a ‘why’. If we write a duty such as ‘answered calls’ this doesn’t really give the employer any idea of how good we are. We need to mention; how many calls, what the calls were about and how quickly or effectively we dealt with them. So instead of just saying ‘answered calls’ we could say; ‘answered over 60 calls daily, providing customers with information about our hotel facilities, packages and promotions, turning 80% of calls into direct bookings’. It is important that in each duty the employer gets a clear vision of our soft or hard skills and what we will bring to the company. Instead of just saying, ‘exceeded targets’, we need to say what the targets were e.g ‘regularly exceeded the daily sales target of €2000 by 15% through using up selling techniques’. Instead of saying ‘met deadlines’, we need to give the proof; ‘Calculated payroll for over 60 staff on a monthly basis using SAP software’. Here are some more examples of achievement based duties.

Responded to approximately 30 calls on a daily basis, solving customer’s queries regarding their tourism packages i.e. accommodation, flights, prices and availability.
Provided customers with support and solutions related to mobile phone charges over the phone in under 5 minutes.
Sourced, negotiated and secured an average of 3 welding or fabricating projects every month for the company with an average contract value of €25,000.
Assisted the team leader with evaluating and supervising a team of 35 people, helping with shift rotation and replacing people on sick leave
Initiated an audit and review of all suppliers, based on performance history, quality, net price and geographical location, reduced the amount of suppliers and as a result reduced costs by 30%

After these adjustments your C.V. should act as a dynamic and attractive sales document. Good luck.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment. Breda is also the author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and Interview skills call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

Job Fairs – Be Ready

One of the very first job fairs I attended, I ran around the hall, picking up all sorts of literature about roles and courses I would never even dream of applying for. On further investigation of the materials I had taken from the fair, I realised that I had not only taken home leaflets and brochures, but I had also come away with people’s name badges from their tables. Speaking from experience this is not the best way to attend a job fair. Job fairs are normally very busy and overcrowded and it can be easy to become panicked, disheartened or carried away, it is therefore very important to have a strategy and be prepared when attending one. The following tips will help you to get the best results out of job fairs and to avoid the rookie errors that I made.

Research

Many job fairs and career expos have information on participating companies on the job fair web site. Have a plan. Research in advance what companies are going to be there and pick the top 5 companies you would most like to talk to. Make sure to attend these stands first and be prepared to talk to the HR managers. Check out the company’s web site, mission statement, vacancies, and general information in advance. Demonstrate your interest in the company and their job opportunities.

Time

Make sure to arrive early enough. Some companies will have longer queues than others depending on their reputation and available positions. It is advisable to start with the companies that have the longest queues. It is also a good idea to wear comfortable but formal shoes

Impression / Appearance

First impressions are very important. Dress formally. Avoid jeans, tracksuits and t-shirts. Shake hands and introduce yourself to recruiters when you reach the table. Treat the job fair as the first round of an interview, try to make a good impression, give a firm handshake, be enthusiastic, maintain eye contact and smile

Profile

Prepare a profile to promote yourself effectively. Make a two line sales pitch summarising your qualifications and qualities that make you a desirable candidate. Write it down on a piece of paper before hand and practice it.

Ask Questions

Having completed research on the companies will enable you to ask relevant questions. This will show your interest in the company and raise your chances of making a good impression

Network

Every second spent at a job fair is an opportunity to get a job. Everyone who attends a job fair is an information asset. Speak to others in the queues and ask them about their job search

Copies of your CV

Prepare a number of CVs matching yourself to the roles that you are applying for. Bring them in a folder so that they are neat and clean.

Attend a Workshop

If the job fair has workshops or seminars, attend them. In addition to getting job search advice, you’ll have more opportunities to network. Sometimes there will be CV clinics and these can be very helpful

Collect details from the recruiters

Always make sure to collect details for further information. It could be in the form of business cards, emails or phone numbers. Bring your own pens and note book, and take down any information gained from the employer that you can use when contacting them again.

Appreciation

Follow up with an e-mail or phone call expressing gratitude to the recruiters who spoke with you. Thank them for meeting with you and ask them if they need any more information or about the next stages of the process. Having met with a HR manager of large legal firm who used to attend job fairs, she said that she met many people in a day but if someone followed up with a call their C.V. would automatically be moved to the top of the pile.

Learn from it

Take notes and learn from what worked well and what you might do differently next time. Enjoy the day and best of luck.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and Interview skills call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

Hobbies and Interests in the CV – Why Bother?

Up until recently I felt that the hobbies and interests section was a thing of the past and should be left out of the CV. My mind was changed recently after meeting with Human Resources personnel of some of the top 10 companies in Ireland. The majority of them said that they really like to see hobbies and interests on the C.V. as it gives them valuable information about you. The hobbies allow the employer to get to know you better, they show the employer what you are passionate about, interested in, and what extra skills you may have.

Here are some of the reasons why recruiters say it is a good idea to put hobbies and interests on your C.V., and how they can help to increase your chances of being called for an interview:

Personality

The hobbies help the recruiter to get a more rounded idea of who you are. They will get an idea of your personality and show if you fit in with the culture of the company. If you play sports; it could show that you are competitive, a good team player and committed, if you like arts and crafts; this could show that you are creative and innovative, if you like volunteering; this can show that you are caring and empathic.

Balance

It shows that you have a work-life balance, the HR manager of a large transport company mentioned that

“The work is very stressful so it is good to know that people have a way to de-stress. It might also show extra external skills that you will bring to the role.”

Rapport

They are a good conversation starter and help to build a rapport with the employer. Try to make the hobbies as interesting as possible so that they catch the attention of the employer.

Ambition and achievement

The hobbies also show ambition and achievement. It can be a really good idea to mention, if you ever won a competition or performed at an event. The hobbies should add value to your C.V. so shouldn’t be ‘going to the cinema or meeting friends’, they should be more achievement based with detail. If your hobbies don’t add value it might be a good idea to omit this section all together.

It is really important to sell yourself in the hobbies section. Always try to mention an achievement, or membership of a group or team. It is important to give detail so that the employer can have an image of your personality and ability.

For example, instead of just mentioning music, think of the type of music, the genre, gigs that you like to attend, gigs have you been to recently, an instrument that you play, a choir or band that you have been a member of. So then instead of just ‘music’ your hobby becomes more impactful e.g.

‘Soloist with the Jesse Tree Classical Choir, having performed in various concerts in The National Concert Hall, Olympia and Gaiety.

Here are some samples of more hobbies and interests with detail and achievement.

Travelling – Travelled to over 21 years to countries worldwide including Tanzania, India, Colombia, France and Germany.
Painting – Participate in weekly Art Classes in The ‘Nature Dome Gallery’ on Bolton Street. Had pictures featured in both the Christmas exhibition in the National Art Gallery and in the yearly calendar which has raised over €50,000 for Down Syndrome Ireland.
Hiking – Member of the ‘Bring it on’ hill walking group, have completed the four peaks challenge twice.

Consistency and effort

The hobbies and interests section is often one of the last sections of the C.V. and can receive less effort or momentum than the other parts. Every part of your C.V. is important. If you spend time and effort on the final and smaller sections, this shows that you pay high attention to detail in everything that you do and are consistent. Therefore make your hobbies and interests section great.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and Interview skills call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

Interview Checklist

Congratulations, you have been called for an interview. Be prepared and ensure that you have everything you need to be successful.

Interviews can be exciting and stressful all in one, but once you get that job offer it will be totally worth it. For that reason it is a good idea to put a lot of planning and organisation into it, to make it as smooth as possible. So with this in mind, we thought we’d compile a list of things to check off and remember before the big day arrives.

Have a nice suit, cleaned and ironed and your shoes are polished
Take care of all the grooming in relation to hair, teeth and nails
Pack ‘just in case items’; i.e. an umbrella, a comb, mints, tights, wipes, tissues, safety pins etc.
Know exactly where your interview will be, and plan out the route and your transport. It is a good idea to go to the place a day or two before the interview to know exactly where it is
Find out the name of the person that will be interviewing you, how many people will be interviewing you and what format the interview will take
Save the phone number of the company in your mobile and have enough credit or battery in case you are delayed or get lost.
Know 3 points of information about the company, why you want to work there and why it matches with your vision and values. Check their social media i.e. Twitter and Facebook
Have a copy of your C.V. printed off for yourself and extra copies for the interviewers
Know every detail on your C.V.
Know all about the position that you are being interviewed for
Imagine the questions that you are likely to be asked, even the tough ones
Practice and prepare all your answers, don’t expect to be able to wing it
Have a clear structure for your answers, know the points that you want to make but don’t learn it off by heart.
Have clear thoughts on what you will bring to the role, company and what you can add to the role
Have examples prepared for each answer, especially those about competencies. Practice using the STAR method
Have a list of achievements or selling points that you want to mention
Practice in front of the mirror or with a friend to ensure that you have positive body language and that your answers are appropriate
Prepare good questions to ask at the end of the interview

N.B. Remind yourself that they picked you out of many applicants, so they believe that you can do the job. Remember to believe in yourself !

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer with Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment, and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and Interview skills call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

Do you have any questions for us?

Do you have any questions for us?

The interview is nearly over, only one question left; ‘Do you have any questions for us?’. At this stage many of us note the nearest exits and give a rapid, fervent nod of the head signalling a definite no.

To answer the question in this way is a wasted chance to make a good final impression. Like every other question in the interview this is a chance to sell ourselves, show our interest in the company and the benefits that we can bring to it. Here are some tips on how to answer this question in the best way.

Research

Always research the company; this is the final question and your chance to leave on a really good impression. Let the company know that you are really interested in them and this position by showing that you have put time and effort into preparing for the interview. Search the company website; see their values, history and recent achievements. It is also a good idea to look at the twitter, facebook and LinkedIn accounts of the company. Google news can also help you to learn more about them and the latest happenings in their company.

Preparation

Some of the best answers are those based on research, as this again shows your interest and enthusiasm for the role. You could ask a question on something that caught your eye on their websites i.e. a new project they are undertaking, expansion, awards received, voluntary work they are involved in, new products or their customer base.

‘I read in the news that you recently ran a volunteering day with all your staff, could you tell me more about that?’

‘I see from your website that you have been awarded best small company to work in, can you tell me more about that?

It can be a good rule of thumb to only ask questions on positive things that you have seen. The interview stage is a bit too soon to start pointing out the negative.

Training

This can be a good question to ask as it shows that you are interested in developing your knowledge within the role and the company.

‘Do you provide any training in……?’

Promotion

It is important to first outline what you would do in order to achieve a promotion. If you have ever received a promotion before it can be good to use this as an example and it also means that you are selling yourself at the same time.

‘In my last role I managed to exceed my monthly sales targets by 10%, which led me to gaining the role of sales team leader, leading a team of 8 people. I know that if hired by your company I would work as hard to reach and exceed my targets, if this happened would there be similar chances for advancement?’

Result

It is really important to know on leaving the interview, when you will receive the result and what the next stages of the process are going to be.

‘When will you be letting people know the outcome of the interview?’

‘When can I expect to hear from you?’

‘What is the next stage in the hiring process?’

Role and company

These questions about the role, show that you have thought about a future in the company and developing a career there. This will be music to the employer’s ears.

‘What is the typical career path in this role?’

‘How many people will be in my team or department?’

‘What is the structure of the department like?’

‘What is a typical day like in this role?’

‘What is the dress code?’

‘What is the layout of the office like and where would I be located?’

‘How would you describe the culture here?’

Selling yourself –

This question is the last chance to sell yourself, it is important to grasp this opportunity. This is the chance make that final knockout punch and state why you are the best candidate.

‘I am really very interested in working in this position I was wondering if there was anything I could clarify or add regarding my experience, education and skills’

‘I can’t think of a question but I’d just like to add that in my last role, I consistently exceeded monthly sales targets by 20%, through up selling techniques and by building strong bonds with my customer base. I know that if selected for this role, I would work as hard to achieve results like these in your company.

Interest in the interviewer

In the interview, you are also trying to build a connection with the interviewer. A nice way to do this can be to ask them about their experience in the company?

‘What do you enjoy the most about working here?’

Don’t

Do not ask about salary, holidays, lunch hour or bonuses as this will sound greedy and that you are not really focused on the role. All of these items can be discussed at the hiring stage.

Thank you- You can also take this as an opportunity to thank the employers for their time, stating how wonderful it was to meet with them, and that you are even more interested than ever in the role and the company.

Employers would like to find a candidate who is interested and passionate about the role and the company. Chances are if you are able to demonstrate this, you will leave a lasting last impression.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course, in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and Interview skills call; (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

The key to answering interview questions.

You have impressed the employer with your C.V. and now it is time, to show that you live up to who you say you are on your C.V..

So, what should you do in the interview to impress the employer enough to hire you? In the interview there is a technique to answering interview questions, follow these tips below to give yourself the best chance of making a lasting positive impression.

Listen carefully to the questions asked – If you don’t understand the question don’t try to answer it. If you give the wrong answer it will make the employer worry about your ability to take direction. Ask the employer to repeat / rephrase the question and answer it professionally.

Imagine what the employer wants to hear – Remember that each question is about your professional life, not just a general curiosity from the employer. Each question is to see if you would be a suitable fit for the role or the company. Therefore, questions like tell me about yourself and where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time should all relate to your career. Imagine that each question either begins or ends with the words in relation to this role e.g. “Tell me about yourself” – in relation to this role, “what are your strengths?” – in relation to this role.

Be positive and enthusiastic – DO NOT MENTION ANYTHING NEGATIVE about yourself or about anybody else, especially not a previous employer. The only person the interviewer can see is you, therefore if you are speaking negatively about someone else all the employer is going to see is you speaking negatively. This will make them question whether you would be easy to work with or not.

Chose what to reveal – An interview is like a first date we don’t immediately tell our prospective partner everything about us, or everything that went wrong in previous relationships. We show them the good parts, so that we can get a second date and like with any relationship we reveal more of ourselves over time. This is the same for the interview, we are just revealing the professional and positive side of ourselves. Reveal only the positive parts. It is important to be honest, but that does not mean that you have to reveal every detail about your life.

Show interest in the position and the company – Let the employer know that you don’t want just any job you want this job in particular, you can do this by researching the company and referring back to the specification in your answers. “ Well I saw in your advertisement that you are looking for someone with experience in…….I feel I really match this role because I have…..”

Don’t lie – If you do not know the answer to a question, tell the employer that you don’t know the answer but focus on the positive that you are willing to learn and give examples of skills / activities that you learned in your previous roles. Do not lie or make something up.

Speak slowly calmly and clearly – Sometimes when we get nervous we can have a tendency to speed up, this can mean that we come across as nervous and some of our answer might be lost if they are given too quickly. Try to take a breath before each answer to calm yourself.

Buy yourself time – You do not have to answer the question straight away, you can take some time, you can use phrases like, “that is a good question” or, “let me think about for a moment” or, if you cannot think of an answer you can ask the employer if you can come back to that later.

Answer what you have been asked – Try not to go off the subject. Answer what the employer has asked and try not to ramble. Take note of the employer’s body language, see if they are waiting for more information or if they are taking chances to interrupt.

Do not interrupt the interviewer – Sometimes you might have someone interviewing you who does not have expertise in the area that you are working in. Try to explain your answers clearly in a positive way and try not to talk over the employer.

Avoid answering questions by saying, of course or, like I said earlier as this can sometimes sound a little rude.

Sell yourself – Every answer is a chance to say something good about yourself- Use this opportunity, mention achievements and examples, if you don’t sell yourself no one else will, and someone who is not as good as you might end up getting the job!

Prepare examples – Look through the advertisement to see what competencies they are looking for and have examples prepared for when you used these competencies before

Finish strongly – Often times when I am carrying out interviews, I notice that candidates start answers very strongly and then trail off towards the end, always try to finish strongly. Remember the question you were asked and try to finish off by coming back to it e.g Q. Why should we hire you? A. ………and that is why I believe I would be a good candidate for this role. Q. Why do you want to work for our company? A. ……….and that is why I am really interested in working for a company like yours.

Make sure you are prepared and show the Employer that you are exactly who they are looking for!

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to C.V.s . cover letters and interview skills call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

How to Prepare for an Interview

Know the role

Read the advertisement many times to be familiar with what the employer is looking for. Be familiar with the vocabulary of the advertisement. Reading through the advertisement will also give you an idea of the questions that might be asked, and the areas of your C.V. that you should highlight.

Know the company

Know three things about the company. Show that you have done your research, give figures or statistics. Avoid fake flattery; this is something that employers don’t like. Saying things like; your company is one of the best and a great place to work lets the employer know that you have not done your research. Researching the company and having key information will show this employer your interest and eagerness for the role. Try to find out the mission and vision of the company and show the employer how this matches with your values and goals.

Know your C.V.

Know every detail of your CV. Be prepared to talk the employer through your CV. Employers may have not had a long time to look over your CV. It is up to you to know every section of your experience and relay it to the employer in a passionate way.

Prepare for the worst

Think about what you least would like to get asked and prepare for that. That is the best way to settle nerves before an interview, as you know that even if they ask you a sticky question you will be ready. Be ready to explain gap years and change of career. If there is an area of the role that you are not familiar with, be ready to show how you dealt with unknown areas in previous roles.

Prepare your answers

Interview questions are nearly always the same, though they might be asked slightly differently, research the most popular interview questions and prepare your answers for these.

Prepare your examples

Always give specific examples in the interview, this will show the employer what you will be able to do in their company. Pick different examples showing your competencies i.e. communication, organisational, planning, prioritisation, time management, teamwork, conflict management, decision making and problem solving skills. Make sure your examples are detailed. When giving an example it is really important to use the star technique. Mention the situation, (When I worked in …) task (I had to ……), action (I did…….) and result (This is how it was resolved). Spend most of the answer on the action as this will hold the most important information for the employer.

Prepare your achievements

Have achievements and points you want to make prepared, and make sure to work these examples into the interview.

Know what you are going to wear

Get your clothes ready before the interview, know what you are going to wear and make sure that they are clean and ironed and that shoes are polished.

Plan your route

Find out where the interview is going to be. It is so important to be on time for the interview. Ideally you should be there 15mins in advance, anything earlier than that is a bit too early and can be awkward for the employer, anything later than that is late!. Plan the route know which bus or train to take or how long it will take to walk there. It is a really good idea to do a dummy run of the journey in advance, to know exactly how long it will take.

Have two questions prepared that show you have done your research and that you are really interested in the role. This is your last opportunity to make a really good impression, make sure that you use it wisely.

Good luck and keep reminding yourself that they called you for interview so they believe you can do the job.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment, and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to CVS, cover letters and interview skills, call (01) 8743840 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie

What are your Salary Expectations?

This can be one of the trickier questions so it is important to answer it carefully. Most people like to cross their fingers and hope that they just don’t get asked this question. One of the best ways to battle interview nerves is to prepare well for the tough questions, so we are bullet proof when we sit in front of the employer.

Research – Before you go for interview make sure you know the salary scales for your industry. There are many websites that have salary calculators to enable you to research salaries. If you put salary calculator / salary survey into a search engine you should be able to find salaries for your specific sector. Another good idea is to look for advertisements for similar roles to see what other companies are offering.

Placing yourself on the scale – When you carry out your research, you will more than likely find a salary range. It is important to know where to put yourself on the range. This will depend on your previous salary, experience and education. If you are just starting out with a little experience then you will be at the lower end of the scale, if you have a high level of experience, then you will be asking for a figure closer to the top end of the scale.

Waiting for a better time – While in the interview, you are not in your strongest negotiating position. When you are offered the role you are in a much better position to negotiate, as you know that the employer wants you. Therefore if you can, it is much better to give a more vague answer to this question and try to put if off until the hiring stage. You could formulate an answer like this;

“I have a degree in ……………………. and have worked in this area for two years and I would like to receive a salary that would reflect this”.

Even if you say this, they might still push you for a figure so have one in mind. If you do get pushed for a figure, your answer can be given in a similar way;

“Considering my previous salary my 4 years experience in ….. My diploma in ……and my excellent …….skills I feel that I should be earning (€€€€€€) or between (€€€€€€) and (€€€€€€) however I am really interested in this role and am willing to negotiate .”

Willing to negotiate- It is important to show the employer that the role is really important to you and that the salary is not the main driver. If the employer gets the impression that the salary is a main motivator for you, it could be a worry for them that you might leave if there is a better offer. I spoke recently with a HR manager of a large car rental firm, they discovered that a new hire leaving in the first 3 months of their contract, cost the company €7000 in resources. This is a risk that most employers will be reluctant to take.

Don’t lie or inflate your current salary. Be realistic don’t aim too high or sell yourself too cheaply. Try to convince the company that you are worth the figure you are asking for.

Never be the first to raise the topic of salary in an interview- If they haven’t mentioned it in the interview, breathe a sigh of relief and be ready to discuss this when they offer you the role.

Negotiation – When you are offered the role, try and ask for the salary or the range and work up from there. When negotiating salary always focus on why you deserve that figure and what you are bringing. Your salary negotiation should not be based on the price of you mortgage and shopping bills, the employer is not interested in this.

Change your mind – If you mentioned a figure in the interview that you realise later is not in line with your experience and education, or you realise the role entails more than you had initially thought, then you can try to renegotiate the salary, in a very polite, positive and diplomatic way. If you are sent a letter offering you the position, with salary outlined on it, you can always ask if this can be negotiated.

Smile – This is a tricky question for both recruiter and candidate so try to answer it in the most positive and don’t lose that smile.

Breda Hegarty is the Pre-employment Trainer in Business in the Community, supporting people with barriers gain employment, and author of the blog www.thejobmotivator.com . For more information and to book an appointment for a place on our next free training course in relation to CVS, cover letters and interview skills, call (01) 874380 / (01) 8743814 or e-mail employmentprogramme@bitc.ie.