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Interviews - Getting back to basics
The recent CareerForums seminars revealed that some of the most fundamental steps in the application process remain areas of greatest concern for retail job-seekers. In response to this, we thought we would go over the focus of most nervousness: the interview.
'You, your CV and the interview' was far and away the most well-attended seminar at the recent CareerForums event in London. Delivered by Anthony Mills of the Retail Trust, the two-hour session covered the most fundamental stages of the job-seeking process. Its popularity showed, once again, that while these elements may seem basic, they remain areas of most concern...and rightly so - failure in these areas and the pursuit of a new career can never really get going. With the CareerForums attendees representing a reasonable cross-section of the retail industry as a whole, it seemed a fair assumption that these fundamental areas of concern might need re-addressing to our wider readership.
Of these topics, the least recently covered by The Appointment is the interview so that's where we shall begin. The simple fact is that some people interview better than others. Wherever you happen to be on this continuum, however, there is an awful lot you can do to optimise your performance and minimise your nerves.
'If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail': overused, often paraphrased but entirely accurate when it comes to job interviews. Although the face-to-face bit is the most nerve-wracking, it is your preparation beforehand that will dictate your success during the interview. But what sort of preparation is appropriate?
This is another great big cliché but, again, it is absolutely true in most situations and never more so than at an interview. You need to arm yourself with as much relevant, useable information about your potential employer as possible.
What are its primary interests, i.e. what does it actually do, or produce and in which countries? Is it part of a group of businesses? Who are its competitors? Have there been any recent news stories about the company or the marketplace in which it operates? Has it undertaken any major initiatives (new store openings, new brand launches, new senior personnel recruited, etc.)?
Happily most major retailers have information about themselves readily available on their corporate websites - there's typically an 'About Us' or 'Corporate Info' section you can check out. Many now also have bespoke careers sections on their websites. These are real goldmines not only for general information about your target company but also in terms of helping you get a better idea of its culture and key recruitment criteria (i.e. what qualities they look for in prospective employees).
On top of details provided by the company itself, it is also important to supplement this with what other people are saying about it as well as information about the wider industry. The trade press, such as The Appointment itself, is an invaluable source here (and if you're not already signed up to its Daily Retail News email feed, do so straight away).
Attaining a thorough background knowledge of the retailer is very important. Equally important, however, is go and take a look yourself. Visit at least one of its stores (even if you're not looking for a store-based job). This is an absolute minimum, ideally you should visit a number of different stores as well as some competitors' stores. Not only does this convey a genuine interest in and commitment to the company, but also it enables you to talk confidently and professionally about its operation
Fail to visit a store and you can pretty much forget about your application progressing any further.
Know yourself
Until you actually meet your would-be employer, all they know about you is what's written on your CV. It's vital, then, that you have this information firmly in your mind and that you're prepared for any likely questions your CV provoke. Your interviewer will, for example, seek explanations for any large gaps in your career history or further details about projects you may have mentioned. Make sure you have an answer to hand.
Question time
When it comes to potential questions you may be asked, there is a lot you can do to prepare answers ahead of the big day itself. Many interview questions are posed to test certain competencies or abilities. If you responded to a job advert, re-read it and you might well be able to gauge the sorts of competencies they are likely to want to measure from the advert text. If it emphasises the need for certain qualities (such as resilience, openness to change, team-working abilities) there's a reasonable chance the interviewer will ask you to provide examples of when you demonstrated some or all of these qualities.
Favourite competency-based interview questions might include how you dealt with situations when you were challenged, when you had to lead a team to a successful goal, when you had to resolve a problem, when you made a mistake and what steps you took to amend it.
The interviewer will probably also ask you about your strengths and weaknesses so having a couple of answers to hand is vital. It can be as hard to talk about your own strengths as it is weaknesses. Many people fear coming across as arrogant, underplay their strengths and end up coming across as unsure or vague. If you can refer to real examples in which you demonstrated your strengths 'in action' as it were, you're unlikely to be seen as arrogant. Again these qualities could include the likes of team-building/leading skills, enthusiasm, commitment etc. Citing your own weaknesses is always a bit of a minefield. You don't want to be too negative nor do you want to indicate that you believe yourself to be without flaws! Really the interviewer is looking for an ability to learn, a willingness to learn, from your experiences. You might choose to cite examples such as relative inexperience, taking on too much or lack of confidence. If you are asked about your weaknesses, always be quick to emphasise that you are aware of your shortcomings and that you are taking steps to remedy them.
In addition to questions asked of you, you'll need to have one or two questions of your own to ask the employer. Otherwise you risk coming across as disinterested or overly passive. However, if your questions are in fact answered during the course of the interview, it's okay to say exactly that - something along the lines of "I was going to ask about x but I think you've actually covered those areas."
Not everything you want to ask needs to be pre-meditated, issues raised in the interview may prompt questions you wouldn't otherwise have thought to ask. However, a few good 'fall-back' questions might include: why has the position has become available, what you could expect in terms of training and development, an idea of the company's rate of staff turnover and, of course, when you might hear back from them about the job itself.
Location, location, location
A vital yet often overlooked aspect of preparation is ensuring you know exactly how to get to your interview. Look up the route, whether it is by bus, train, car or tube, and make sure that you have left enough time to get there without rushing. Make sure you know the exact location of the interview venue and if you need to, take a map or a print out of the area. If you are in any doubt about the journey time, err on the side of arriving early. You might even want to do a trial run to make sure that you've correctly estimated the time needed to get to your interview with about 10 minutes to spare
Once you have arrived outside of the interview venue, you can always grab a coffee (probably decaf, so the nerves don't have anything to get hold of!)
Everything laid out neatly!
With all this information buzzing around your head, the final aspect of preparation is how you present yourself on the day. This means everything from ensuring you get an early night the night before to making sure your outfit for the interview is laid out and ready for the morning. You are going to want as little stress and hassle as possible on the big day and that doesn't include risking making yourself late because you had to iron your shirt or polish your shoes.
Talking of which, unless you have been specifically told otherwise, you should assume that business attire is the expected dress code. Very, very rarely are jeans and trainers acceptable. If you have attained the interview through a recruitment consultancy you can always ask your consultant if you're still not sure what to wear on the day.
The big day
BE THERE ON TIME! There's just no excuse for being late if you have planned your journey properly. If something truly out of the ordinary arises that makes arriving on time impossible try to call ahead to let people know.
Once you have arrived, you will probably be shown to reception so use that time to learn more about the company from any literature lying around. Also, make sure that you are polite and courteous to everyone you meet at the venue. Anything less than polite will always be fed back to your interviewer. Before it is time to be called in, ask if you can use the cloakroom and check your appearance.
Face-to-face
At that slightly surreal moment when you're walking into the interview room take a moment to take a breath and compose yourself. Smile, lots of eye contact and a nice firm handshake. Remember you've got that far, they obviously think you could be right for the role and what's more they really want you to succeed.
During the interview itself remember to stay positive in all your responses. Don't moan about the journey in, in fact don't moan about anything - particularly not your current or old employer. If you're not sure you heard or understood a question it's fine to ask them to repeat it - can buy you a moment's thinking time too. During the interview, remember to remain positive as this will have an affect on the interviewer.
Warmth, interest, intelligence and professionalism, these are the qualities you are wanting to convey so smile from time to time, look interested in the questions - your preparation will help you do the rest. If you feel the interview is going well you still need to stay focussed on your answers, don't let your enthusiasm run away you - never interrupt the interviewer, don't name-drop and don't try to apply pressure by saying that you've had another offer. That said, it is acceptable to let them know, if they ask, that you are being interviewed by other companies.
When the interview comes to an end have your pre-prepared questions in mind. However tempting, this is not the juncture to ask about how you might progress from this job. Even if in your mind the role may be a stepping stone to greater things, your commitment needs to be shown towards the job for which you are applying. Lastly, before you go, make sure you find out what the next stage will be, then leave quickly and politely (with a nice smile and a handshake).
Post-match activity
You're done! Well almost. The hardest part of the process is definitely complete but there are still things you can do to improve your chances. After the interview, write back to your contact, thanking them for meeting you and reaffirming your interest in the job. If you got the interview through a recruitment consultant, give them a call too, to give them your opinions on how the day went.
If ultimately you don't get the job try to get some feedback on where you might have fallen down and where you could improve next time around. The chances are, however, that your lack of success will be about specific experience or skills and not your performance on the day. Assuming you have the right skill-set for the role, however, your preparation will have given you the best possible chance of landing your new career.
