Tomorrow you have a job interview...
Perhaps for a position as a salesperson in a bank, as an IT engineer, or as a manager in a consultancy firm.
How to prepare for a successful recruitment interview?
We will see the following questions and their answers:
- Question n°1: Tell me about yourself, introduce yourself, I'm listening!
- Question n°2, a very common question : What are your qualities and what are your faults?
- Question n°3: What is your motivation?
- Question n°4: do you have any questions, what are the questions to ask the recruiter?
- Question n°5: What is your language level?
For example, what is your level of English, German or Spanish?
To conclude, I would like to say two words about body language.
That is to say, how, on the one hand, to have a good answer to the questions you are asked... and on the other hand, to have a body language that is coherent with your answers.
Let's go, follow the guide!
Job interview, questions and answers, question n°1: tell me about yourself, introduce yourself, I'm listening.
This is a very classic question, which often launches the interview.
What's the catch?
Here, the trap is to set off in a river presentation.
It is the candidate who tells his CV
So here we are, in 2002 I did this, in 2004 I did that, and then, and then, and then... and then the recruiter is drowned in a mass of information.
How can this question be answered?
The principle is to know how to sum up your career path by saying "That's it, my career path in a nutshell 5 years at bidule, 3 years at machin, 2 years in such and such a position... and then, at the end of this path, in particular, I developed such and such a skill, a marketing skill, an example of an operation that I've run
An organisational skill, an example of an operation I have carried out, and then, a management skill, an example of an operation I have carried out, for example by setting up a team.
So don't knock the recruiter out with a story about your career path!
Summarise your career path and focus on your key competences, illustrated with examples.
Job interview, questions and answers, question n°2: What are your qualities and faults?
What is the trap, concerning the question of qualities?
The trap is to give a quality without illustrating it.
That is to say we give a word, for example, we'll say "I'm a very good listener" "I have good interpersonal skills" but no illustrations behind, so we don't mark the recruiter.
On the question of defects, what's the catch?
The trap is to give a defect that could be a hindrance to your position.
So the idea is to look for a defect that is relatively marked but does not directly conflict with what is expected of you in the job.
Example of quality, for a beginner who wants to land a work-study contract.
Well listen, one of my qualities is that I am a team player.
I have played a lot of team sports, football and basketball,
And that's something that marked me, I'm really someone who plays the team, it's part of my personality.
Example of quality, for a seller of luxury goods.
Well, one of my qualities is that I'm a very careful person, on my outfit, on my nails, on my hair, I pay attention to all the little details and that's something that characterises me, so being careful.
Example of quality, for a management assistant.
Well, listen, one quality is discretion.
In the company, we hear a lot of things, I am someone who is very discreet, I know how to keep things to myself.
Last example of quality for a position in HR (human resources)
Well, listen, my quality is the pedagogical sense.
For example, internally, I have trained trainees in telephone prospecting.
I really knew how to interest them, it's a job that in the end is sometimes a little ungrateful, I really knew how to put them in the bath and today we have results because we get more appointments.
Let's now move on to the defects.
Let me remind you that the defect must not be a major inconvenience in relation to your missions.
Example of a defect, for example, for a person working in the field of translation.
Listen, I have a flaw, when I have to speak in public, in front of groups, 10, 15 people... it's something that stresses me, I'm not comfortable in this kind of situation.
Second example of a defect, for a young graduate.
Well, listen, I have a flaw, it's that I'm someone I sometimes find it a little hard to ask for help... I'm someone who likes to find solutions on my own, so here it is... it's true that I have a little bit of trouble, that I'm a little reluctant to ask for help.
Another example of a defect, for a sales representative
Well, listen, I have a flaw, it's that during the sales and negotiation phases,
Sometimes I tend to be a little too technical in my arguments.
I refocused on listening to the client and I saw that it brought much better results, much faster.
Last example of a defect, for a quality manager.
Well, listen, my fault is that, when you are at the heart of the mission, I tend sometimes to have my head a little bit in the handlebars...
I forget a little bit, for example, to send thanks, to partners or team members who worked well. Sometimes I am a little too focused on the mission and I find it hard to step back.
Job interview question answer
Question n°3: what is your motivation?
The trap is to present motivations that are self-centred.
Like: "Listen, what interests me, what motivates me, is to discover a new sector".
It is to have access to training.
The idea is to present motivations that bring a plus to the company and where the recruiter says to himself: "that could be useful to me".
Example of motivation, for a financial advisor.
Well, listen, what motivates me is to provide the best advice to my clients, and for this purpose in particular, to create centres of specialists with lawyers, tax specialists and notaries.
Everyone has a very specific job, and this allows us to create a dynamic, and to provide the best service.
That's what I like about my job.
Another example, for a management controller, in supermarkets.
Well, listen, what motivates me is that often the financial controller is seen as a cop as someone who comes to tighten the taps.
What motivates me is to show the operational staff that the management controller is also someone who is there to develop the margin, increase turnover and put himself at the service of the operational staff.
And when I get that message across, when I give people management control tools to improve their performance, that's really something that motivates me.
Example of motivation for a Webmaster, or a Webdesigner.
Listen, what motivates me is to bring something extra to the customers.
For example, I worked on the design of a site, I like to give advice, for example, on how to develop traffic.
I happen to be very comfortable on Youtube, so I'm going to make a site that is graphically elegant, but I'm also going to give advice on how to bring traffic, for example through Youtube, to a site.
So that's it, I like to give that little extra touch, it's something I like.
In short, the motivation must show a plus that you are able to bring to the company.
Job interview, questions and answers, question n°4 "Do you have any questions?
What questions to ask the recruiter.
So, the trap, when faced with the question "Do you have any questions"... is to start with self-centred things.
Will I have access to training courses?
What is the progression that will be proposed to me? You see, things that are too self-centred.
The idea is, in relation to this question, to ask questions that will allow you to argue afterwards... in particular questions centred on the position.
Example, for an engineering position in the civil service.
Do you have any questions?
Yes, listen, what I would like to know about the coming year is what are the projects, the types of projects I might have to work on.
Another example, for an accountant's or payroll manager's position.
Do you have any questions? Oui, j'ai une question, y-a-t'il des changements de prévus dans les outils de gestion que vous utilisez pour traiter la paye ?
Another example, for a nursing station.
Do you have any questions?
Yes, I happen to be competent in setting up training courses on the subject of quality of care?
So my question is: "Are there any such programmes in your institution?"
The idea is that the questions, which focus in particular on the objectives, will enable you to argue more precisely afterwards... or to highlight a particular skill.
Job interview, question number 5, among the frequently asked questions.
What is your level of English... or German, or Spanish?
Here, the trap, if you go back a little bit, is to inflate your level on your CV.
The principle is that if you write a language on a CV, you should at least speak it.
For example, if you write "Basic English" on your CV,
You must be able to book a hotel room by phone in English.
You are not being asked to declaim Shakespeare, but to have the basics, for tomorrow communicating with customers at a trade fair.
Basic rule: write down the languages you speak, and be honest about your language level.
The solution, to convince the recruiter of your level of English... well, don't hesitate to continue the conversation in English on your own.
It's not about having exceptional English, it's about showing that you're able to manage... and that you're willing.
To sum up on the issue of languages, be honest about your level and be prepared to demonstrate your language skills.
If you take a step back, a failed job interview is often an ill-prepared interview.
The first stage of the rocket is your answers to frequently asked maintenance questions.
What we have just seen.
Now it's a second floor, it's the body language floor.
Indeed, if the recruiter feels that you have the right speech but not the right (body) language he has a doubt.
It's a little as if, facing a crossroads, your thought goes to one side and your body to another.
The recruiter senses that something doesn't add up.
So, 3 tips to align your answers to the questions, and your body language.
First tip, have an open body attitude.
A lot of people, sometimes, are a little cramped...No! Stand up straight, have an open attitude
Don't cross your arms, don't cross your legs, stand up straight, be open to the situation...
It's a way of showing that you are part of the exchange.
Second tip, when it comes to body language, avoid parasitic gestures.
Touching your face, moving your watch, these are gestures that will distract the recruiter.... and at some point will cast doubt on your sincerity.
So don't make parasitic gestures, in particular don't touch your face, which is often interpreted as a sign that someone is hiding something.
The third body language tip, when recruiting, put yourself in a register that is fairly similar to that of the person you are interviewing.
If you have someone who moves around a lot, gets agitated... you can go on a fairly similar terrain.
D'altra parte, se hai qualcuno che è molto calmo, molto composto, se inizi a diventare irrequieto... allora il reclutatore può dire "Che diavolo è questo?
Quindi, avere un registro abbastanza vicino a quello del reclutatore senza scimmia...
È qualcosa che renderà più facile lo scambio.