Need advice to help get you through those tricky interview questions? Read on for advice from Redhill-based recruitment specialists, Volt International, to help you secure your next role.
How well do you handle change?
This is the kind of question that we would always use an example for. Think about a time when you had to handle change. Covid is a perfect example: how did you adapt your day? How did you learn to communicate with your team over Zoom? How did you balance your workload? Or did you start a new job during the pandemic and how did you prepare your workspace?
If you are already in a professional role, think about a time when you used a new technology in a role and how you worked this into your day, for example a new spreadsheet, CRM or App.
As a student you might want to talk about moving from being a student to looking for a job. How did you manage your time when looking for a job?
If this is your first job back after having a baby, you could you talk about routines or how you learned to work smarter to fit more into your day. Don’t be afraid of using a personal example this will only make you look more personable.
What attracted you to apply for this position?
Make sure you read through the job description and think about why you would be good at this job? Pick out points from the job description and relate them back to jobs you have done before, examples are always good. Think about your experience and how that relates to this job. If you have experience of a certain type of system like Excel, make sure you say. If this is your first job think about any part-time jobs you have had, all experience is good experience. If you worked in pub for example, think about how you managed your time to make sure everyone had been served. This is still example of good time management. Never be afraid to use other jobs as examples.
What do you want to be in future?
This can be a tricky question depending on the job you are applying for. You could answer this with:
“I want to be working for a company that want to grow me as person and develop my skills.”
“I want to work for a company that is progressive.”
“I want to work for a company that has core values that they uphold like (and read back the ones from their website).”
Why do you want to work for this company?
Make sure you read through the company profile for inspiration, look at any videos that have been posted on LinkedIn, and think about the company culture and the company message. Consider the company values and make sure you can relate to these.
Don’t be afraid to say that you want to work for the company because it’s the best company in the local area or that you want to work for a company close to home. You shouldn’t either be ashamed to say that you don’t want to travel for two hours, for example:
“I’m a working Mum and this job really fits in with what I want to achieve in my life.” If the company value diversity and inclusion you should never feel like you have anything to hide in an interview.
Or perhaps you have a strong sense of community: “I want to give back to my community.”
Be up front and honest in an interview, don’t bend or embellish the truth because in the long-term it won’t work for you or them.
How to go about a Zoom interview?
Background: Plain, uncluttered background, not elaborate. On Teams, use blurring. On Zoom, keep it plain.
Remember to pause and use good pitch in your voice – sound excited/passionate when needed or look focussed and attentive.
How to write a follow up email after an interview
Be polite but direct: Thank them for their time in the interview, explain that you’re following up on your interview – remember to be specific about the job, mentioning the job title and interview date. Restate your interest in the position and say you are keen to hear about next steps.
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me about the position of [the position you’re applying for] with [Company Name] this morning. It was a pleasure to learn more about your [innovative strategy / upcoming challenges / core values / industry insights].
The details you provided me with about the position convinced me that this is a job I would enjoy and one where I could make a valuable contribution with my skills and experience [refer to your specific area of expertise and how it can benefit your employer].
I was also thinking about what you said regarding [specific issue discussed during the interview]. In my last role as [your current or most recent position] I found that [data-backed explanation of how you would tackle the issue in question].
Finally, attached you will find the details of some of my projects we talked about. Please feel free to contact me if you find you need any more information. I look forward to our call next week as discussed.
Thank you once again, [Hiring Manager’s Name].