April 1, 2025

5 Top Tips to Succeed in Cadet Pilot Interviews

5 Top Tips to Succeed in Cadet Pilot Interviews I recently had the opportunity to speak at a conference in Trinity College Dublin, where I was asked about the key qualities needed to become a successful pilot. Airlines interview hundreds of candidates for their cadetship programs, but only 3% make […]
April 1, 2025
Tips for Competency Interviews

What do employers look for in competency interviews?

Competency questions are still hugely popular and form part of most interviews. Whilst recent research has questioned their value in predicting success in fast moving environments (Harvard Business Review Feb 10th 2016), you’d be well advised to anticipate competency questions and have examples to hand.Here’s a few things to consider in the lead up to your interview: Be strategic with your examples:Review the last 5 years in your job, identify your biggest wins and build your examples around them. Choose examples that most closely align with your target role. For promotion interviews, try to choose examples where you’ve already “acted up” in your role – eg where you’ve deputised for your manager or taken a lead role in a project.
March 24, 2025
top three interview mistakes

Top 3 Interview Mistakes

Being told that you were unsuccessful in interview is a brutal blow but it is important to view each interview as a learning experience, quickly identify where you fell down and make the necessary changes to ensure that next time round you get over the line. To help you critically assess your performance, I have outlined below the five most common interview mistakes.
March 6, 2025
What your body language says about you at interview

What your body language says about you in job interviews

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.
March 6, 2025
tips for salary negotiation when you get a job offer

Salary Negotiation when you get a Job Offer – 4 Tips

Negotiating salary is an exercise that many people find uncomfortable, even in a buoyant market.  It is worthwhile remembering that regardless of the economic climate, good candidates are always hard to find.  An employer is looking for a specific combination of qualities – relevant work experience, technical and IT skills, cultural fit, ability to fit in with the team – so when they identify their preferred candidate they are usually willing to negotiate on salary.  With this in mind, how can you increase your influence at the negotiating table?