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Competency Questions STAR technique
Competency Questions

Behavioural/Competency Questions

Behavioural interviews (also known as competency based interviews) are becoming increasingly popular in the contemporary recruitment process.  They are regularly used by Multinationals and the public sector and are seen to be a good predictor of future employee success.  As many “traditional” interviews have also started incorporating behavioural questions into their structure, it is important to be fully prepared for this style of questioning – to both understand what is being asked and how best to present your answers.

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Tell me about yourself
Popular Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself

This is a hugely popular interview question and at first glance looks little more than an “ice breaker”. In reality it’s probably one of the more challenging questions asked as it’s not immediately obvious what the interviewer is looking for. What do you focus on – your professional or personal life? How much detail should you give? How long should your answer be?

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What do you know about this company?
Popular Interview Questions

What do you know about this company?

This is a very popular interview question and when answered well is a great way to mark you out from other job applicants.  Employers are interested in establishing what you know about their company as it helps them determine:

How interested you are in working for the company. Making the wrong decision reflects very poorly on a recruitment manager and they will do everything possible to minimise this risk.   By showing a genuine interest in the company, you will position yourself as a credible applicant with a desire to succeed, fit in and develop with the role. 

Your commercial awareness. By demonstrating in interview that you have extensively researched the company and have taken the time to understand their positioning in the marketplace, their key business drivers and the commercial pressures they face – you will show your ability to think outside the box and the value added you are bringing to the organisation.

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What are your strengths?
Popular Interview Questions

What are your strengths?

Although it is impossible to anticipate every interview question– being asked to describe your strengths is an old favourite and should be prepared for. As part of the recruitment process, employers will already have identified the essential qualities required in a prospective employee and by showing that your strengths compliment the job requirements, you will immediately stand out from the crowd. 

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What's your biggest weakness?
Popular Interview Questions

What is your Greatest Weakness?

Why is this question asked?

Like so many people, I used to cringe when asked this question and wondered how it could add value to the interview process.  After all, nobody in their right mind admits weaknesses in interview – do they?

Interestingly, an employer can learn quite a lot by asking this question. Many times their interest does not lie in identifying the actual weakness…instead they want to see how self aware you are, if you are happy to maintain the status quo or if you are constantly looking for opportunities to learn and develop.

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What your body language says about you
Why wasn't I successful?

What your body language says about you

Pictures speak louder than words…………………This is particularly true in an interview situation where body language plays a significant factor in determining whether an employer sees you as a trustworthy, confident, capable individual who has a future with their company.  Interestingly, research has shown that words by themselves account for only 7% of the impact of your message, a hefty 38% of the message is transmitted by tone of voice and the remaining 55% is communicated by body language.

As most of us have no idea how we are perceived by other people we underestimate the significance of non verbal forms of communication and how it can lessen the impact on what we are saying.  I have highlighted below, the four most common pitfalls for interviewees. By modifying your behaviour in these areas, you will dramatically increase your interview performance and your ability to influence the final outcome.

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Interview questions on communication skills
Competency Questions

Interview Questions on Communication Skills

Once an employer is satisfied that you can do the job, they will focus their attention on your communication skills.  Specifically they’ll want to know how you’ll interact with colleagues/ senior management /customers, how skilled you are at resolving conflict and how adept you are in the art of negotiation.  By anticipating questions that will be asked, you can prepare examples that show your competency in these areas and prove that you are a great fit for the role.

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Dress for success
Why wasn't I successful?

Dress for Success

Do looks matter? Yes. Politicians have recognised this for years. Hilary Clinton when running for the 2016 US Presidential election, hired Kristina Schake, former aide to Michelle Obama, to help shape her image and signed up a make-up artist who worked on Veep. She even appeared in US Vogue, a publication she previously avoided. Two of our own most prominent leaders took a leaf from the same book.  Bertie Ahern is reported to have spent more money than the average industrial wage on make-up, spending an estimated €550 a week on his appearance.   His predecessor Charles J Haughey understood the importance of a tailor made shirt and infamously became a loyal customer of Charvet, Paris.

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Graduate Interviews
Graduates

Graduate Interviews

Recently graduated? Looking to get your first step on the career ladder? As there is always high interest in the best companies, graduates need to sharpen up their interview skills to give themselves the best possible chance of beating off the competition and securing a job offer.

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Laura McGrath - Executive Coach