What do you do when the flow of conversation comes to a grinding halt in an interview? It’s very easy to feel the weight of silence and the impulse to fill the gap can be hard to overcome. Below are some useful tips to help you deal with these wordless moments:
Humour and interviews don’t often go hand in hand but to get your year off on a happy note, we would like to share some funny stories with you. These are taken from a survey we recently conducted with over 1,000 Human Resource Managers.
Fashion touches every aspect of our lives – our latest phone model, hair style, colours we wear, music we buy…. The recruitment sector is no different and is subject to “what’s hot and what’s not”. So what are the latest interview trends and how do you best adapt your style to beat the competition?
Sweaty palms, racing heart, blood pumping through the veins. Only 60 minutes to prove yourself and wipe the competition to the floor. Winner takes all, no prizes for runners up. These days, interviews are a fraught process, brutally competitive and require nerves of steel.
Many of these emotions are also experienced by athletes before entering a big competition. Sports psychologists have been employed by world class athletes since the1988 Olympics, to help them manage the intense pressure that comes with competing in world championships. In this article we will look at some of the mental exercises used by elite athletes to ensure they excel in their field and win that coveted gold medal.
Competency Interview Questions – Problem Solving
As today’s market place is dominated by uncertainty, employers are placing an increasingly high value on a candidate’s ability to problem solve, show sound judgement and make quick decisions.
New Year, new start……. time to get your house in order, shed the Christmas kilos and put some vigour back into your job search.
When entering the New Year –it is important to start on a positive note. Acknowledge that searching for a job is difficult and will take some time and on some days it can be very hard to stay positive.
Whilst none of us can control global economic forces or government policy, in a job search, the one thing you can control is your outlook and attitude.
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?
In our previous article we discussed the main reasons why people fail to secure a job offer and suggested focusing on three main areas to heighten chances of success.
In this article we will concentrate on guiding you through the second interview process. As with the first interview, preparation is the key to success. There are some subtle differences, however, between the first and second interview and it is worth highlighting these to help you in your preparation.
Why do employers value team work?
In a recent survey, teamwork and communication skills ranked amongst the top five qualities sought by employers. Many companies are now focusing on team building as a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors in the belief that it will positively impact their bottom line. They recognise that team work brings about synergy – “the sum of the parts being greater than the whole” and if implemented correctly, teambuilding can make a company more productive, increase staff morale and foster innovation.
Many multinational companies use telephone interviews as an initial screening tool when hiring candidates. From their point of view it’s a quick, cheap way of assessing candidate suitability and finding out if they’ll fit the company culture.
There are some crucial differences between telephone and face to face interviews and understanding these will help you get through to the next stage.
Take Control of Your Future & Unlock Your Full Potential. I work with clients face-to-face and on skype or zoom.
How to get out of a career rut.
Reigniting your job search.
Newly promoted? How to put your best foot forward.
How to manage personality clashes with colleagues.
