Starfish Search were delighted to partner with City CV in their most recent webinar – Incredible Interviews. It’s a subject which is important to everyone who is active in the job market, and we had an enthusiastic audience of 130 people, ready to share their experience and hear some top tips for success.
Interviews are precious and they present us with a golden opportunity to tell a compelling story about ourselves and how we are the best person for the job. Victoria McClean from City CV shared some research to show that on average it requires more than 20 job applications to get through to the final interview stage. Therefore, after such a competitive process to win an interview, we deserve to invest in some focused preparation to ensure success.
As people we are creatures of habit – we love routine and what is familiar to us and therefore it is all too easy to fall back on tried and tested methods, even when they are not working for us. In this webinar we looked at some new approaches to break the mould.
Top Tips
#1 Know your Pitch – your CV, Linked in Profile, supporting statement – all of these documents should align to the core message about who you are and how you can bring an incredible return to the interviewer if they hire you.
#2 Do your company research – demonstrate your commercial or sector awareness. Network with people you know in the company or aligned sector before your interview so that you can demonstrate relevant knowledge and insight.
#3 Research what your interviewer needs – read the job spec and candidate pack and be clear on what will the KPIs of this role be. Ensure you convey the skills and experience you have to meet those KPIs and be clear on what makes you different.
#4 Be clear on your own agenda throughout the interview – what are the key things that you need to tell them and weave these into your answers. Don’t wait for the interviewer to ask you the right question to get your points across – they are the golden thread running across your answers and they underpin your own personal brand.
#5 Treat every question as an opportunity to bring in your agenda and ensure your differentiating points, skills and experience are made.
#6 Be a -STAR – Lead with Situation, Task, Action, Result.
#7 Showcase your motivation – what is it about the role, the company, the sector that excites you. Use the opportunity for questions to link in information about your own skills and experience.
#8 Be smart – ask smart questions and avoid questions which are too general or bland. Show your interest and appear informed.
#9 Your voice is your friend – use it effectively. Avoid speaking too quickly and allow pauses to emphasise what you are saying. Breathe deeply and ensure you have a rhythm to your voice which will give authority and gravitas to what you are saying.
At Starfish Search we’re proud to support so many people on their employment journeys. If you would like to connect with us to discuss how we might help you, we would love to hear from you.
This webinar is available until 20th July: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2455623321232149079
We are delighted to be teaming up with City CV for a series of Webinar Masterclasses throughout the year. Please follow us for all the latest news and events https://www.linkedin.com/company/starfish-search