By Angela Wahome,
The interview process usually includes a sit down with human resources as well as your potential future boss. The people in HR don’t know the most about the day-to-day requirements of the position being filled and they’re unlikely to have to deal with whoever gets the gig on a daily basis, so what exactly are they looking for and how do they determine whether you’ve made the cut?
As recruiters we can recommend a few tips to help you wow human resources in an interview.
• Never badmouth anything or anyone. This applies to your former employer, coworkers, or Osama bin Laden. We’re trying to screen out whiners and troublemakers. I don’t care if your last supervisor was a tyrant. Be kind and magnanimous about everything and everyone.
1. Make sure your appearance is in order. Fair or not, you are judged based on how you look. Check to make sure your hair is in order, shirt is tucked in, zipper is closed, shoes a clean. One simple way to look the part is to remember to dress formal for all interviews.
2. Don’t be too aggressive and tell us how awesome you are. You have been called to the first interview. A little humility will go along way with HR professionals.
3. Don’t tell us your life story. Please don’t confuse HR with your mother or best friend. We need to know a summary based on your work experience, knowledge, abilities and goals. Remember that the purpose on the interview rests in business and the position to be filled.
4. Don’t expect us to have a timeline for the interview process. As recruiters we have no idea how long it will take to fill the position. Some factors are out of our control, such as how long it will take the organization to make the final hiring decision.
5. Be prepared to talk about your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t tell us, you struggle to delegate. An interview is a conversation, not a place to create a bad personal profile. Show some self-awareness. One thing you can do is turn a negative into a positive. For instance you may say, “Being organized wasn’t my strongest point, but I implemented a time management system that helped me improve my organization skills.”
6. When you take us through your resume, don’t gloss over areas in your CV that you feel may have a problem with that may get in the way of you getting hired. We like it when you stop and tell us about these experiences and what you learnt from them. This shows that you have character. Address your flaws openly and tell us how you learned something.
7. Compliment us. We are human beings, too. Scan our offices and look for awards, photos, or something noteworthy. Make a connection. This is what salespeople do and it works. We will remember your praise.
8. Make it easy for us to hire you. When you give us examples during the interview process, frame those examples in a way that relates to the job description, the issues in the industry, or the company’s mission. If you make yourself relevant in this way you will be remembered.Whatever you do, do not speak like a bad personal ad, incarnated. Always try to be positive.
Angela is a Recruitment Officer. Corporate Staffing Services. email: angela@corporatestaffing.co.ke. Web address. www.corporatestaffing.co.ke
thanks Angela, very helpful.