Facing Recruiters' Questions
5 March 2006
Read by 1836 persons
The job interview is a crucial, yet dreaded, part of the recruitment process.
Every gesture and word will be interpreted. How can you, with minimal preparation, overcome this oral exercise?
Good Preparation
For every candidate, the adventure begins when you schedule the appointment. Most often, this happens by phone, and recruiters can, from this first contact, detect your motivation and possibly note some information about you.
Therefore, pay attention to what you will indicate regarding your current situation (availability, positions held, etc.) to avoid contradictions during the interview.
- Get well informed.
Once you hang up the phone, don't be idle until the big day. Be serious! You're not called for an interview every day, so take the time to learn about the company that will receive you. Start with websites (type the company name followed by .ma or .com). If this search yields nothing, contact the company directly to request an information brochure or, if you prefer to remain discreet, consult Kompass pages.
- Talk about yourself well.
Once informed, it is essential to prepare for this exercise... even if you are quite comfortable communicating. Your daily conversations, with friends or family, rarely involve convincing someone for more than an hour that you are the best! First, prepare a short three-minute speech to introduce yourself... without stammering, contradicting yourself, or searching for your words. Start with your education, then detail your internships and experiences. Never go into detail (the name of your high school or the exact date of your entry into the company that hosted you for an internship is irrelevant...). This little exercise will be useful whenever a recruiter says: "Tell me about yourself..." or "Tell me about your background..." or conversely says nothing at all, waiting for you to take the initiative to speak.
- Your CV at your fingertips.
This work must always be accompanied by another, much more direct preparation. Some recruiters will adopt the questioning method, commenting on each step of your career. You must also know your CV perfectly to be able to continue when you are asked: "So, in 1996, you started your first year of DEUG in economics, is that right?" This first step is minimal compared to the time you will then need to spend preparing an answer to each question that may be asked. Put yourself in the shoes of the person who will interview you... Imagine yourself on D-day... And always keeping in mind the position to be filled, always try to reassure your interviewer... For him, only the reliability of his judgment counts; by selecting you, he must be sure to make the right choice. If, in addition, you manage to be witty and engaging, the deal will be almost in the bag...
The scenario begins in the elevator...
All this training simply aims to give you confidence... but don't take advantage of it to relax your attention, you must remain vigilant until the end!
- Your behavior must be impeccable!
When an applicant is accepted for a job, he generally pays close attention to his behavior and words... whereas, just before, he neglected, for example, to say hello to the secretary, thus revealing part of his true personality. In the morning or after the lunch break, the latter often observes, with amusement and inadvertently, his future candidates, in the street or in the elevator, when both are heading to the same place, one to receive and the other to be received! In general, you should spontaneously know how to say hello and smile at your interlocutors. If this attitude is not spontaneous in you, overdo it on the day of the interview and think about it at least five hundred meters before crossing the company's entrance door.
- Introduce yourself well.
Once inside, you have a few minutes to make a favorable impression. Don't arrive breathless and disheveled. Offer a firm and direct handshake. Look your interviewer in the eyes. Say hello and introduce yourself: your first name, your last name, and the reason for your presence. You will have already gained a few points... Then all you have to do is maintain behavior consistent with your words and personality.
Every gesture and word will be interpreted. How can you, with minimal preparation, overcome this oral exercise?
Good Preparation
For every candidate, the adventure begins when you schedule the appointment. Most often, this happens by phone, and recruiters can, from this first contact, detect your motivation and possibly note some information about you.
Therefore, pay attention to what you will indicate regarding your current situation (availability, positions held, etc.) to avoid contradictions during the interview.
- Get well informed.
Once you hang up the phone, don't be idle until the big day. Be serious! You're not called for an interview every day, so take the time to learn about the company that will receive you. Start with websites (type the company name followed by .ma or .com). If this search yields nothing, contact the company directly to request an information brochure or, if you prefer to remain discreet, consult Kompass pages.
- Talk about yourself well.
Once informed, it is essential to prepare for this exercise... even if you are quite comfortable communicating. Your daily conversations, with friends or family, rarely involve convincing someone for more than an hour that you are the best! First, prepare a short three-minute speech to introduce yourself... without stammering, contradicting yourself, or searching for your words. Start with your education, then detail your internships and experiences. Never go into detail (the name of your high school or the exact date of your entry into the company that hosted you for an internship is irrelevant...). This little exercise will be useful whenever a recruiter says: "Tell me about yourself..." or "Tell me about your background..." or conversely says nothing at all, waiting for you to take the initiative to speak.
- Your CV at your fingertips.
This work must always be accompanied by another, much more direct preparation. Some recruiters will adopt the questioning method, commenting on each step of your career. You must also know your CV perfectly to be able to continue when you are asked: "So, in 1996, you started your first year of DEUG in economics, is that right?" This first step is minimal compared to the time you will then need to spend preparing an answer to each question that may be asked. Put yourself in the shoes of the person who will interview you... Imagine yourself on D-day... And always keeping in mind the position to be filled, always try to reassure your interviewer... For him, only the reliability of his judgment counts; by selecting you, he must be sure to make the right choice. If, in addition, you manage to be witty and engaging, the deal will be almost in the bag...
The scenario begins in the elevator...
All this training simply aims to give you confidence... but don't take advantage of it to relax your attention, you must remain vigilant until the end!
- Your behavior must be impeccable!
When an applicant is accepted for a job, he generally pays close attention to his behavior and words... whereas, just before, he neglected, for example, to say hello to the secretary, thus revealing part of his true personality. In the morning or after the lunch break, the latter often observes, with amusement and inadvertently, his future candidates, in the street or in the elevator, when both are heading to the same place, one to receive and the other to be received! In general, you should spontaneously know how to say hello and smile at your interlocutors. If this attitude is not spontaneous in you, overdo it on the day of the interview and think about it at least five hundred meters before crossing the company's entrance door.
- Introduce yourself well.
Once inside, you have a few minutes to make a favorable impression. Don't arrive breathless and disheveled. Offer a firm and direct handshake. Look your interviewer in the eyes. Say hello and introduce yourself: your first name, your last name, and the reason for your presence. You will have already gained a few points... Then all you have to do is maintain behavior consistent with your words and personality.
