Getting through that interview

You have polished your CV until it sparkles, researched the market and sent out countless letters, filled in application forms until you are fed up with explaining the same things over and over again in different words, and networked your way through everyone you can think of. You have done everything suggested at your Career Transition Workshop and are now waiting for results.

All being well, interview offers start to accumulate. (If they do not, it is time to return to your consultant for some advice.) Some offers may be genuine, but beware of those coming from people looking for a mug to invest in a get-rich-quick scheme. And guess who is likely to get-rich-quick.

For the genuine prospect, however, the really hard work starts now. Your research is now redoubled as you look for the edge that will make you stand out from the competition. And the importance of standing out – in the right way – can be hard for some team players to accept.

Remember that interviewers and panels are human beings. They are under pressure to find the right person for the job, just as much as you are in trying to get it. They need to find the right person for the position; otherwise, they have to find some other solution or start the whole recruitment process again. The trick is to make it easy for them to select you and not some other applicant.

Find out all you can about the organisation and its activities. Websites, PR and HR departments, trade directories and institutes can all provide valuable information. Is its culture tie or open neck; skirt or trousers; Mr, Mrs, Fred or Doris? If in doubt, phone up the person who has signed the letter and ask. But remember that any member of staff of a potential employer may be asked what they think of you.

Let’s assume that you are ready for the interview. You have rehearsed the expected questions and the answers that you will give. You even know what you are going to say in salary negotiations if they arise. You know if the interview will be one-to-one or a panel, whether or not there will be a tour of the premises or the need for a presentation; and you are ready for psychometric testing if necessary. Your referees are briefed and you have the details of your doctor handy for that immediate job offer. If you have prepared thoroughly, you will be confident, and this will communicate itself to the interviewer.

Be at the ‘start line’ early and recce the route if necessary. If you have travelled some distance, perhaps you will change into your interview clothes when you arrive. Perhaps a coffee will ease the nerves; but the smell of alcohol or nicotine will do little for your cause. Have a last check over the information you have given the potential employer so you have facts and examples to back up your claims, and have a notebook handy if you want to use one.

Fifteen minutes to go. Arrive at reception and ask, politely, for the way to the interview. You may be talking with future colleagues, so be pleasant. If you are asked to wait, be patient and remain positive. Visit the washroom if you need to, and keep cheerful.

Walk into the room, shake hands and wait to be asked to sit down. Maintain eye contact without being threatening, and speak normally. As well as your personal qualities, skills and experience, you must be enthusiastic about both the job and the organisation. They want someone who is committed and keen.

What they do not want is someone who will threaten their positions or upset their workforce; so do not issue orders or be too forceful. Be level, balanced and reasonable. If you do not understand anything, ask about it. You are gaining information as well as giving it.

They need to hear what you can do for them. It is the employer’s needs that are important, not your wishes. This is not the time for false modesty. Take the chance – there is nothing worse than leaving the room without having fully made your case.

It may be almost unbelievable but some people still do not use their full resettlement entitlement. A little early planning is a good idea, and so we include a few ideas in this month’s edition, while Brian Howeison looks back on leaving the RAF and some unexpected experiences. The Services contain many people with experience in administration, computing and telecommunications, and we look at civilian opportunities in these disciplines, for the beginner as well as the specialist.

Second careers in the sport and fitness and diving industries are always popular, while Service leavers with road transport and driving qualifications are highly prized by companies that would otherwise have to pay for their employees to get them. Finally, franchising and rigging are covered by a trade body and employer, respectively, to provide a worm’s eye view of these industries.

Something for everyone? We hope so.