At Ascendant Recruitment we’ve been very busy, but our MD Nick Peacock still managed to take a few minutes out of his day recently to give us his thoughts on the market in 2012:
Check back next month for our next video featuring one of our own Recruitment Consultants, Maria Mawby, with her views on the market for, and the benefits of, temporary workers.
One thing I stress to the Ascendant Recruitment team, and in turn to our candidates, is the importance of preparation. Whilst we may be fully aware of the benefits of being fully prepared for an interview process, candidates in the job market might not as they will not be subjected to the interview process as regularly as recruiters are.
To counter this, and to ensure we provide the best service possible for our clients and candidates, we make it part of our role to give candidates everything we can to help them when it comes to interview preparation. This isn’t just the basic list of do’s and don’ts either. We provide candidates with interview notes for each stage of the process and then do our best to prepare them emotionally for the process.
Taking part in an interview can be a daunting prospect and it’s all too easy for a fantastic candidate to buckle under the pressure simply because they feel unprepared. Whilst it is easy to find out some of the more basic preparation required such as information on the company and the role itself, there are other areas which you may not realise you need to prepare for.
For example, do you know how you would explain why your skills and experience make you the best choice for the role? Sounds simple enough but so many candidates don’t think this through clearly before an interview and this will show to the interviewer. Before you go to the interview list your skills against the job requirements and make sure you take this note with you so you cover off everything. Think of examples to support this as well.
We’ll always go through interview tips with our candidates before they head to any interview, but there are five key points for everyone to remember:
1) Enthusiasm is infectious – if you show you’re enthusiastic about the role and the industry, the interviewer will pick up on this and be more enthusiastic about hiring you
2) Sell yourself in a confident, professional manner – It’s not about bragging or being modest. You need to find the balance between the two by giving examples of what you’ve done well in previous roles and highlighting the relevance of your skills to the role you’re applying for
3) Never make an assumption – what you don’t tell the interviewer they will not know. Even if you’ve mentioned something in your CV or covering letter, mention it again in the interview.
4) Do the confident thing to feel confident – offer a firm handshake and a warm smile. These small actions will make you look and feel confident
5) Express your interest in the job – you may think it is obvious that you are interested in the job, but in this competitive candidate market you really need to make sure you stand out.
