Ace your interview with advice from industry leading head hunters

‍

Three of our experienced recruitment experts have revealed the advice and top tips they give to candidates. If you have an important interview coming up and you want to make sure you land the job then read on and take note!

From the experts – interview advice for candidates.

Do your research

Chloe Bathgate, Senior Consultant at Blakeney Point and Head of BP DRINKS, says, it is essential to demonstrate effort in your interview. The more you can do in the interview, the better! It is important to show yourself to be enthusiastic for both the role and the company. The interviewer will be able to tell who quickly googled them whilst sat in the waiting room and who did their research by looking through the company’s website, news and history. It is also important to know of any new product launches by that company so you understand the dynamics of the business in detail. Make the extra effort by going into a supermarket and looking at the products or even trying them, that way you have a personal opinion of who they are.

The STAR Method

Daniel Mather, Associate Director at Blakeney Point and Head of BP PROTEINS, suggests, adding more value to your interview by implementing the STAR method. The STAR Method is a recognised and useful framework of how to structure your answer when asked a competency based question is asked (e.g. “Tell us a time where you…”) and it stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. In response to these questions, you would set the scene where the situation occurred, then describe your responsibility in the situation, then explain what steps you did to address it, and then share the outcomes your actions achieved. It’s really good way of staying structured without waffling or going off on tangents! Plus HR teams love it!

Preparation is key

Fiona Pownall, Commercial Director at Blakeney Point, states, that preparation is key. There are plenty of ways you can prepare and practice before an interview so don’t panic! Think of your key achievements and make sure you are able to quantify them. The same goes for your CV – take a copy of it with you, make sure you know what is on there and that you are able to answer any questions about it! Be sure to organise yourself the night before, plan to arrive early as to give yourself time to mentally prepare for the interview. If you are nervous before the interview, try and think of positive feedback or a good experience at work to put you into a positive headspace. You could even get a friend or family member to ask some interview questions then you can practice your interview skills!

5 TOP TIPS

Be friendly to everyone you meet on site – first impressions are important!

Have a list of questions to ask and be enthusiastic

Never say anything derogatory about your last place of work… even if it was a nightmare, it’s better to keep positive

Don’t over play your achievements – people network and you will get found out!

Never ask about salary – Blakeney Point take the emotion out of this and will negotiate for you

Did you find these tips helpful? Why not get in touch with Blakeney Point to see the additional support available to candidates, clients and companies. From one to one guidance through the recruitment process to specialist advice from our industry leading head-hunters.

‍