SECOND INTERVIEWS

A rule of thumb among careers specialists is that a first interview confirms that you can do the job, while a second interview checks whether you will fit in. There’s a lot of truth in that. Sometimes the first interview is with HR to establish if you have the right skill set, and the second interview is with a line manager, so questions will be much more job specific. A second interview is sometimes simply a chance for other staff members to check you out, or can be a final stamp of approval from a senior member of staff. Find out as much as you can about the reason for each stage; ask who will be interviewing you, and what areas you should prepare for.

Sometimes a second interview will explicitly pick up on your answers from the first round, probing areas which still provide concerns. Concentrate on those parts of your first interview where you gave answers which did not fully address the question. Think of different and better examples – you should raise your game at a second interview rather than putting in the same performance. However, don’t assume that a second interview will follow logically from the first. Interview notes may have been passed on, but if the same questions come up, answer them as thoroughly as before.

PANEL INTERVIEWS

Panel interviews are widely used, particularly for public sector or charity appointments. The idea behind panel interviews is that objectivity is improved by using multiple interviewers, but there is in fact little evidence that panel interviews are more accurate than one-to-one versions. Panels can be swayed by all kinds of agendas, or dominated by the most senior person present. Furthermore, panels often feel far more constrained than individual interviewers to work to a script, leaving far less opportunity to probe candidates’ answers.

A panel interview may not be something you look forward to. It can feel more intimidating, and it feels harder to build rapport with several people at once. Who do you look at when you answer a question? Panel interviews have more formality about them with less opportunity for small talk, so often candidates respond in kind by acting in a much stiffer, more artificial way.

As with any interview, find out who is on the panel, their background, and what they want to hear. One member of the panel may come to find you and take you into the room – that’s an important opportunity to talk about the organisation if you have time. When you are in the room, note the names of panel members as they are introduced. That way you can respond to questions by occasionally using someone’s name.

Work out who the main decision maker is (this may be clear from the paperwork or from the website, but if in doubt ask in advance) and give that person due attention, but communicate with everyone. Sometimes there are people present who will ask few or no questions, but don’t ignore them – make eye contact with a number of people during each answer.

Remember that panel interviews are constraining for interviewers because they have less opportunity to really get to know you. Also, panels usually contain a few people who rarely conduct interviews, so you may have to work co-operatively to make sure that their awkward questions prompt the right answer. Panels give interviewers much more power, and sometimes interviewers ask sticky questions without giving you a chance to warm up. If so, take a moment to compose your thoughts – well-structured answers matter here more than anywhere else.

If a panel probes your answers, roll with the punches. If your answers aren’t probed at all, it may be that the panel is limited to set questions, so you need to work differently because your first answer may be taken as final. If so, add detail to your answers and make sure you address all parts of the competencies required. You might ask directly ‘Does that cover what you need, or would it be helpful if I provided some more detail?’ You might even probe yourself – ‘I expect you’d like to know a little bit more about how I sold that budget cut ...’

Remember that panel members will usually have at least a few moments between each interview to compare thoughts, so concentrate on a strong opening and a positive ending. The final stage of the interview will be strongest in memory, so it matters that you ask one or two good questions at the end, and look confident as you say goodbye to each member by name, shaking each person’s hand and thanking them for their time.

TELEPHONE SCREENING INTERVIEWS

Employers increasingly use telephone interviews for a quick screening process, checking candidates against a brief set of criteria. In this situation prepare your evidence and wait for the questions. Don’t be disappointed if the interviewer seems to take little interest and doesn’t want to get a bigger picture – the function of this kind of interview is to screen you in or out, so there’s little point trying to throw in extra information.

More detailed telephone interviews require the same preparation as face-to-face exchanges, with some important exceptions. You will not be visible (unless it’s a video interview – see below), so you cannot communicate anything by your appearance, gestures or body language. Your voice has to do all the work, including establishing a relationship. Use your voice actively – think about volume, pace and pitch so that you sound interested and enthusiastic – try smiling when you talk. If you need a bit of extra confidence, take the phone call standing up. Answer clearly, which might mean slightly more slowly than normal, and briefly – it’s even easier for the interviewer to switch off. At the end ask if there is anything else you can add, and ask your own questions too.

Other useful tips are:

1. Find a quiet room to take the call without any interruptions or background noise (never try to undertake an interview from a train or in a public place).
2. Have in front of you the same information you would take into an interview.
3. When you answer the phone, announce your name with enthusiasm, and don’t start sounding flat, or as if you’ve been interrupted.
4. Make notes as you talk to keep you focused.
5. Accept any invitation for small talk at the beginning and the end of the interview as this is your only chance to build a relationship.
6. Be sure you know the name of the person interviewing you and use that name from time to time.

Phone interviews seem informal, so job seekers sometimes take their eye off the ball. If you take the call at your desk, turn your computer OFF, otherwise you will be reading emails or consulting Google while you are speaking, as your voice will reveal. You do not have time during a telephone interview to look up documents to retrieve extra information – print important items in advance.

Have a Plan B for calls that come in at unexpected times. Keep a printed activity sheet to hand to remind you of the names of organisations and people you have approached. If the interviewer calls at an unscheduled time, gather your thoughts and take the interview if you possibly can, otherwise you might miss that day’s schedule. If you really are not ready, arrange a time to call back when you have had a chance to prepare properly.

VIDEO INTERVIEWS

Twenty years ago it was predicted that by now all interviews would use video technology, but they are still relatively rare. However, web-based interviews are now growing in popularity as with the growth of Skype and similar packages. Be careful with Skype – make sure the camera on your computer is switched off unless you deliberately choose to let the interviewer see you on screen. You may be invited into a business centre or office to join in an interview using higher quality connection. Sometimes video interviews are recorded by external selectors, using questions set by the company. The advantage of this approach is that managers can see each candidate answering the same questions, and can compare responses. You can consider these very much like the kind of interview that will be conducted by recruitment consultants (see Chapter 3).

The rules for video interviews are an adaptation of what you need to do in telephone interviews. You are not in the room, so body language and gestures will not have the same effect and may even be difficult to interpret on screen. What you are wearing will be visible, so dress accordingly. Check out in advance how you appear on camera. If you have a webcam on your computer, record yourself giving some pre-rehearsed answers, and you’ll see there is often a time lag between sound and picture, and audio is not always as clear as it could be. This is a good reason to make sure that you don’t answer too quickly, and don’t move about while talking. When you are interviewed, look at the camera rather than your screen, otherwise you will always appear to be looking down. Be aware if you use a webcam that the microphone usually picks up all the noise in the room, so don’t shuffle papers.

ASSESSMENT CENTRES

Candidates often feel stressed by the prospect of an assessment centre. An assessment centre is an event where candidates are brought together to undertake a range of assessment activities. These can include intelligence, personality and other tests; group exercises including discussion, goal-setting and team activities; in-tray exercises; and you may also need to give a presentation. The assessment event will often include at least one interview, and feedback from specialist assessors including occupational psychologists.

Assessment centres are expensive and time-consuming, but are statistically more penetrating and effective than any single method used alone. Their focus is on predicting job performance and they should offer a thorough, in-depth assessment. For candidates they are demanding but often positive experiences, and sometimes include helpful feedback. Sometimes these events are competitive if there is one or more jobs to be won; at other times there is a fixed standard so no one, or everyone, may be selected.

If you are invited to one, look carefully at the joining instructions and then do not be afraid to ask for further information if anything else is unclear. An assessment centre is a complicated event, and very few people understand exactly what they have to do, and what standards they are supposed to reach, simply by reading the invitation letter.

Ask for full details of the various tests and events you will experience, and then use the Internet to research them – many providers offer online samples of tests and other materials such as in-tray and group exercises. Rely as much on your personal research as the information you are sent by the employer.

Interviews conducted during the day at assessment centres may be identical to the kind of detailed, probing questioning you might receive in any context. Often the interview will also probe aspects of your personality and working style that have come out at the event itself.

Give particular attention to group tasks or discussions as these are strong indicators of leadership potential, team interaction, communication skills and decision making. In discussions seek others’ opinions and make suggestions, and don’t try to dominate conversations; include everyone in the discussion, but be decisive if the task requires it.

Be aware of the most frequent reasons people do badly at assessment centres. One is poor preparation through inadequate attention to briefing materials, another is allowing your overall performance to be knocked back by difficulties experienced on one task. Others are routine interview flaws writ large – lack of research on the organisation or sector, superficial awareness of challenges being faced, a poor understanding of what is required in the role, and a failure to anticipate questions.

‘INFORMAL’ INTERVIEWS

It’s always an interview, whether it’s in the board room, Starbucks, or on the golf course. Even if you’re assured that it is ‘just a conversation’, be prepared.

If you are invited to an interview over a meal, that effectively means you’ve got to the second interview stage – the employer knows you can do the job well but wants to get to know what kind of person you are. A relaxed setting can encourage you to drop your guard, but also presents a good opportunity to find out about the organisation and role.

If it really is an interview over a meal remember three things: don’t choose an expensive item, don’t choose a dish which you will end up wearing, and avoid alcohol. Don’t forget that you may be being assessed on your social skills, especially if it is a role where you may be entertaining clients.