How to successfully pass an interview: the main rules. Preparing for an interview

No matter how impressive the resume of the applicant, no matter how high the level of his professional preparedness, the main step on the way to getting a job is an interview. Knowing how to behave at an interview is important, because only with personal contact will a potential employer be able to really assess the capabilities of a future employee of the company.

The appointment time for the start of the interview occurs in advance and, most often, by phone. It is not so important whether the secretary of the head, who is interested in the resume of the applicant, calls, whether the person who is looking for a job makes the first call.

Responding to a vacancy announcement - from the first minutes of a telephone conversation, you need to try to impress a business person, knowledgeable, polite and correct, because we can say that the job interview has already begun.

When calling the employer, the following points are clarified:

• acquaintance with the interlocutor takes place (both parties introduce themselves by last name, first name, patronymic, the employee of the company indicates his position, specifies the name and position of the head or personnel manager with whom the conversation will take place);
• the vacant position is specified (does it meet the expectations of the applicant, his specialty and experience);
• the time and address of the interview is determined;
• important details are specified (elements of a mandatory dress code, approximate duration of the interview, list of required documents, expected additional testing, psychological and professional).

After the meeting is scheduled and all the data is written down in a notebook, there is another serious stage - preparation for the interview.

Important points in preparing for an interview

So, the “X” hour is defined, and there is some time left before it (a day, two or several hours), which should be spent on thorough preparation for the interview. What does it include?

Firstly, it is important to prepare the required documents - a diploma with a copy, a resume printed on paper, letters of recommendation, certificates of attended courses and seminars with copies, other papers that can confirm the professional competence of the applicant. It is better if the whole set is in a neat folder.

Secondly, it is necessary to clarify the route that is the fastest and most convenient way to get to the place of the interview. By calculating the time for the road, knowing in advance about free parking spaces or near the office, the applicant can protect himself from an extremely undesirable delay.

Third, you need to worry about what to wear to the applicant for the job. Statistics collected by numerous employment agencies prove that the employer decides whether or not to accept a candidate for a job in the first few minutes, evaluating the appearance and the ability to start a conversation. All other factors (resume, diploma, recommendations) are important, but still relegated to the background if the applicant has managed to impress the employer with his appearance and speech.

In question " what to wear to an interview?»For both men and women, it is better to focus on business style: a formal suit with a discreet tie, a fitted skirt or dress without defiant minis and necklines, and closed shoes. Some liberties in their wardrobe can be afforded only by representatives of creative professions - designers, artists, artists, while declaring their originality is better with only one bright accessory or piece of clothing.

Fourth, you should first learn as much as possible about the company in which the applicant is trying to get a job. Using information from the official website, advertising booklets, directories, articles on the Internet, you can get a picture of the company, its main activities, growth prospects and, importantly, the possible role of the applicant in its work. Having thought over this question in advance, a potential employee will easily support a conversation about the enterprise, be able to present himself as a specialist and talk about the benefits his candidacy will bring.

Fifth, it does not hurt to think over the possible questions that a manager or leader can ask their interlocutor, since the “fate” of the vacancy depends on the answers to them - will it be occupied or remain free until an interview with the next applicant.

First, don't be late for an interview. This will show that you are not a punctual person. If you arrive early, you can get used to the surroundings. Secondly, learn to listen and never interrupt an employee. When she finishes the question - answer, but you do not need to talk about yourself for a long time, the question is answered clearly and to the point.
Never show your nervousness and insecurity, you must answer questions confidently. You can’t say phrases: probably, maybe, I don’t know how, and so on. These phrases are used only by those people who are completely unsure of their words. It is advisable to behave confidently, answer questions clearly. If you are asked about the desired salary - speak openly, it is unnecessary to underestimate the salary, otherwise they will understand that you do not value yourself. It is also worth remembering that our speech demonstrates an internal state, and if a person speaks quietly and slowly, it means that he doubts something or is afraid of something.
At the interview, you will hear questions that you have not even heard in the movies. Employees deliberately provoke you to non-standard actions, indignation, negative reactions, and so on. You may be asked why you divorced your wife or why you left your last job. Of course, this is a personal matter for everyone, but the personnel department will still ask you a few of these questions. Because they also read the forums and know how people prepare for interviews, the question can be rephrased. Employees know the techniques of hypnosis, so you may be confused and asked how long you would have worked at your last job if there were no negative people in the team, and paid three times more? It is difficult to answer such a question, because you will agree that you were paid little, and you did not like the team.

You may not be asked about a career, but about a lifestyle. For example, they will ask what you do on the weekends and what kind of food you prefer. You should not immediately talk about your exciting hobby, they just need to understand that you are an adequate person and spend time like all normal people.
You can’t praise your positive qualities too much, besides, it’s better to emphasize them from the outside. For example, to say that everyone in the office considered me too hardworking, they said that I quickly complete the work plan and therefore do more than others. But in no case is it unnecessary to talk about yourself in the first person, especially to mention achievements in other areas besides work. Tell them you're an easy learner and love to read books, so you let them know that you'll quickly settle into a new job.
You will also be asked about the cons. Do not say anything truthful, such as that you like to lie on the couch on weekends and you are too lazy to go to the store. Or about the fact that you like to flirt with girls at work and therefore often complete the work plan later than planned. Just say that you forget about the time when you are actively working and it bothers you. Tell about the fanaticism for everything new and interesting, that you quickly gain interest and want to achieve more. Talk about negatives as if they were positives.

Very often employees ask about children. It may be asked how much children interfere with work. Say that you raised independent children and you are on very good terms with them. When they have asked you all the questions about you and your family, they will let you ask a few questions. Ask the following questions:

• What is the main problem with the job?


• How well did the previous employee perform?


• Can I speak to the boss?


• What will be the work schedule?

And so on, you need to ask about the salary carefully. They perfectly understand that you came to earn money, and not sit in the office 5 days a week. If the employer understands that you are an excellent specialist, he will offer you a salary level. If he names too small a figure, you need to ask if there is a possibility of promotion. When the employer asks you how much you want to earn, you do not need to talk for a long time - name the amount and be silent. No need to be nervous and say that you are ready to “give everything” for the sake of a salary increase, sit in the office 12 hours instead of 8, work 6 days a week and so on. Your salary will be increased, but you will really work 6 days a week for 12 hours. At the end of the interview, you will be told that they will call you within a certain time. It is better to ask in advance when to expect a call, otherwise you will worry for a whole week, and the employer will not call.

What is asked in an interview and how to answer such questions

• Do you have any disadvantages?

Everyone has flaws, but the employer wants to find out your openness. Never tell all the shortcomings, otherwise you will make a too negative impression. It’s better to say that you go into work with your head and forget how much time it takes. It can be said differently, for example, that you, like all people, have shortcomings, but they do not affect the quality of work.

• Tell us about yourself?

People begin to talk about what worries them the most. Basic life values, problems in different areas of life, and so on. First of all, the employer wants to hear about your professional skills. Tell us a little about your studies, hobbies, educated and successful friends (just about them). You can ask a counter question: can you talk about interests in general or interests related to career growth and development? In any case, you should try not to talk about your hobby, what if you are boxing and are a candidate for master of sports?

• What did you not like about your previous job?

Of course, any employer is interested in why an employee quit his job after a certain period of time. A frivolous person will begin to offend the boss, the team, working conditions, and so on. But a smart person should be well-mannered and restrained, it’s better to tell us about the fact that you were not promoted. Say that it was inconvenient to get to work, that the schedule was uncomfortable and heavy, that the work was too monotonous, and there were no difficult tasks. But if you know that this company also has problems with work schedules or career growth, don’t even think about talking about it. It’s better not to talk about earning money for trips to Spain or France, you need to say that you are a family person and strive for stability, you want to upgrade your car and make repairs at home. It is worth remembering that a good specialist is primarily passionate about work, and not about counting the money earned.

• How much do you want and do not want to earn?

Add 30% to your last salary and tell the employer the amount. The minimum wage should be 10% higher than the previous one. Do not underestimate yourself and name small amounts.

• How long will you work in our company?

Of course, you can say that you will work all your life. But this is not true either, you have not even come to work, and you are already saying such things. Say that you want to work for a month and find out what you have to do and what kind of people will work with you. Often people leave because of problems in the team.

• What achievements are you proud of?

Do not try to please the employer, talk about achievements coldly. Just say that you were able to solve a difficult task at work and you were promoted. Or that you wrote a diploma on an interesting topic and defended it with an A. You can tell that you are the soul of the company and the people around you are calm, and that you love and appreciate this in other people. Do not talk about your friends, of course, you can say that you helped your friend the director of a large company in some area, but you transfer the responsibility to another person.

• How do you feel about recycling?

You may be asked if you are ready to work hard. Ask how many hours it takes to process and if there are fees for going out on Saturday and Sunday. Answer confidently that you are ready to recycle. Naturally, if it does not interfere with your personal life.

• What do you know about our company?

Before the interview, you need to study the activities of the company, at least - look at the site and learn the basics of production activities. It is not possible to study the activities of all companies, since you can attend two or three interviews at once a day. Study the minimum information so as not to stand in a stupor on this issue.

• Why did you choose us?

Here, the employer wants to know what attracts you to a new job. You may have heard that they have a high salary or an ideal benefits package. Tell that you have confidence in the company, that there is an opportunity for career growth, that you can quickly get to the workplace. Talking about salary and social package should be the last thing.

How to dress for an interview

It is best to dress in a business suit, but do not buy a suit that does not fit your social status. Wearing shoes for 30 thousand and a gold watch for 60 thousand is clearly not worth it. Buy nice boots and a business suit, preferably black or navy blue. The same applies to women, it is advisable to wear a skirt to the middle of the knee along with a shirt. Do not wear open shoes, wear closed shoes with medium heels. Do not dress provocatively and sexy, this will arouse the suspicion of the employer.
Do not flaunt tattoos, this is highly undesirable, especially if you want to become a middle manager. Don't forget that too many accessories only turn people off, it's better not to wear a watch at all than to put on the most luxurious watch made of gold and diamonds to impress.

You can choose not to dress in a nice business suit and dress in casual but well-chosen clothes. For example, a man can wear light-colored jeans and a light-colored jumper along with suede boots, but the most important thing is to choose clothes that fit so that they do not dangle. The same applies to women, it is not necessary to buy a business suit, you can just dress in attractive clothes. Of course, shiny belts, sandals, transparent blouses, and so on are unacceptable. You must show that you came to business negotiations, and not to a party.
Do not forget that clothing tells about your inner world and behavior. If a man wears dirty shoes and wrinkled trousers, it will give the impression that he treats not only himself, but also those around him. Employers note that it is better to see an employee in ironed and clean clothes than in dirty and wrinkled ones. The fact that you put on an expensive suit does not mean anything if it is poorly ironed and looks ugly. In no case should you wear a dress with a deep neckline, jeans with holes in the knees, a T-shirt with strange inscriptions. Also, you can’t show your manicure for show, for example, with bright drawings. In everything you need to know the measure, and in accuracy too. You can not use perfumes with too strong a smell, especially in large quantities. This will cause rejection from the employer, from a sharp and pronounced smell, even perfume - no one will be pleased.
Compliance is important in everything, for example, if a person says that he wants to become a loan officer and comes to an interview in shorts and a red T-shirt, this will cause confusion among the employer. Much depends on the position, it is better for specialists to dress in a free style: jeans with a shirt and a jumper. Middle managers need to dress in business attire: a suit, polished shoes, a briefcase bag. It is advisable to familiarize yourself in advance with the clothes in which employees of a particular department walk. A designer does not always need to dress in a business suit, just like a photographer or screenwriter. Do not try to attract attention to yourself and stand out from the team, you should be like other people, this will immediately inspire the trust of others.

Each employer can say with confidence that a lot depends on the clothes of the applicant. According to statistics, you can see that employers treat applicants better in a businesslike, free and democratic style. There is another group of employers who believe that the applicant should be aware of fashion news and surprise others with their appearance. Of course, this is very rare.
Do not forget that in the interview you need to pay attention not only to appearance, but also to what you will say. Before answering the employer's questions, you must understand exactly what you need and for what purpose you are applying for a job. Decide on your own goals, and you will significantly increase your chances of getting the position of interest. Be sure to practice with a friend before the interview, you may see a question that will put you in a stupor.

Everyone has had a chance to participate in an interview at least once in their life. Someone took part as a candidate for a vacancy, while someone, on the contrary, acted as an evaluator, being a potential employer. Depending on the rules adopted in different companies and even industries, there are different practices for organizing this conversation between the two parties.

What is an interview for?

An interview is a process of communication between an employer and a candidate who applies for an open position in a company. As a rule, the full organization of the interview lies on the shoulders of the HR manager or HR manager. This person must first find a suitable candidate, get management approval of his resume, and then arrange a meeting with the candidate. Some companies do not have a dedicated HR specialist, so organizational issues can be resolved by other people, for example, secretaries or managers directly interested in a new employee. Someone prefers to outsource recruitment issues to an agency or work with a remote freelance recruiter. In this case, the first interview takes place on the territory of the recruiting company.

An interview is necessary for both parties for the initial assessment of each other. The employer assesses the candidate's professional skills and his psychological qualities, and the candidate, as a first approximation, studies the potential job, gets acquainted with the list of possible tasks and often with the immediate supervisor.

What types and methods of interviewing exist

Depending on the level of the position for which the candidate will be interviewed, on the conditions of the interview and on its goals, recruiters can use different types and methods of interviewing:

• structured interview;
• situational or case interview;
• projective interview;
• competency interview (behavioral);
• stress (shock) interview;
• brainteaser-interview.

Some companies also deliberately practice the group interview format, which is not the most respected among job seekers. Several applicants take part in it at once, forced to compete with each other. At the same time, the employer can choose the most interesting from several candidates.

The personal practice of the author of this material shows that very often fragments of different types are collected in one interview. For example, a recruiter conducts a basic acquaintance with a candidate in the format of a structured interview, asking expected questions about education and work experience. A potential manager participating in the first interview together with a recruiter can ask several cases or arrange a small stressful interview.

Structured interview

The most common is the structured interview. This format is the most logical and simple in terms of organizing the event. The interview takes place in a tête-à-tête format. The representative of the employer asks the applicant standard questions and receives direct answers about the candidate's education, qualifications, work experience, professional and life expectations. Such a conversation allows you to understand the level of compliance of the candidate with the formal requirements for the position, as well as how easily he will be able to fit into the work team.

Most often, the interview is conducted according to a predetermined scheme.

situational interview

A case interview implies that in addition to standard questions, the candidate will be asked to solve several practical problems from the practice of a given company or industry as a whole. This way you can determine the candidate’s train of thought and suggest how he will act in a work situation.

Projective interview

A projective interview involves a shift in focus from the candidate to an imaginary third person who solves some problems. The task of the applicant in this case is to comment as quickly as possible on the actions of the people involved in the situation given by the interviewer. This method is based on the principle that each of us has a tendency to analyze other people's actions from the standpoint of our own experience. So, in order to reveal the life values ​​of the candidate, they ask the question of why the employee could be fired, in which case the employee can steal from the employer or lie to him. Asking why people are late for appointments will help reveal attitudes towards punctuality.

behavioral interview

The longest time is usually the competency assessment interview. Here, it is the candidate's professional experience that is closely studied, and the results of his answers are carefully evaluated according to various types of scales (competences).

shock interview

A stress interview is used to assess the level of conflict and stress resistance of a candidate. This method is non-standard and is most often practiced in relation to representatives of certain professions. In particular, the ability to keep a cool head in the face of a brewing conflict is very useful for top managers, sales people, and insurance agents. It is very easy to understand that you have become a participant in a stressful interview. The interviewer may deliberately provoke conflict, make inappropriate comments, and ask incorrect questions in order to throw the candidate off balance.

Brainteaser interview

The brainteaser interview is used to assess the creativity of candidates. To successfully pass such an interview, the candidate must show a level of resourcefulness sufficient for solving non-standard logical problems and strong skills of independent work.

A long wait before a meeting may not be the interlocutor's forgetfulness, but a test of stress resistance

Other types of interviews

When organizing interviews, various special tools for communication are widely used today. In general, it should be noted that the format of the interview very much depends on the level of the position for which the candidate is applying, as well as on the industry itself, within which the person wants to work. So, for the selection of performers of creative professions (film actors, models, and so on), the interview is called casting or samples and takes place in a format that differs significantly from the introductory interview for office employees.

New forms of interviewing have also opened up thanks to the availability of modern technologies. Thus, video interviews are becoming more widespread in some circles. Such interviews can be arranged using various computer services, the most famous of which is Skype. The convenience of this format lies in the fact that both the applicant and the recruiter, as well as other interview participants, can be located in different parts of the world. The main condition for conducting an interview via Skype is a good Internet channel. Many IT companies conduct at least one of the first interviews with a candidate this way.

There are also special services that allow you to conduct video interviews in a different way. Its essence is that first the recruiter records his questions to the candidate on video, then the candidate answers these questions in front of the video camera and sends his answer to the recruiter. He can view the candidate's response at any convenient time. This format helps the HR specialist to process more applications.

Video: types of job interviews

How is the interview

A common practice today is to conduct a whole chain of job interviews. A modern candidate will have to go through two to five interviews before receiving the coveted offer. There are no uniform requirements for the number of interview stages, and each company independently determines the procedure for communicating with candidates for each of the vacancies.

Communication most often begins through telephone conversations or e-mail correspondence. If a recruitment agency is looking for candidates, the first contact can also be made by the manager of this agency.

The first interview in the company traditionally takes place with an HR manager. To save time, some employers prefer to have the first conversation over the phone or Skype. Adherents of more conservative methods immediately invite the candidate to the office. At this stage, the HR specialist evaluates the general adequacy of the candidate, as well as compliance with the formal criteria for the vacancy. Some positions require mandatory preliminary testing of the candidate. After the level of professional competencies is confirmed, line managers and, in some cases, top management of the employing company are connected to the interviews.

Of course, we are not always talking about such a long chain of interviews. In most cases, people try to save their time and make a job offer after two or three interviews.

The pattern in which each of the interviews in the chain takes place is to some extent standard and is determined by the host. As a rule, the recruiter sets the pace and general mood of the conversation. The professionalism of this person also largely determines the results of the interview and the conclusions that each of the parties will make for themselves. Most often, the scheme of the conversation looks like this:

1. The recruiter offers the candidate the opportunity to tell about himself that the latter considers relevant in the context of a particular vacancy.
2. Those present ask him various clarifying questions.
3. If a potential manager participates in the meeting, he can ask the applicant to solve or comment on any task from the practice of the enterprise.
4. After the participants from the employer's side find out everything that interests them about the candidate, it will be his turn to ask questions about the company.

What questions are often asked to candidates and how to answer them correctly

Candidates can be asked any question during the interview. Of course, most of the questions will be standard and aimed at clarifying various formal details of the applicant's biography. Answering questions about where you studied and worked should be calm, confident and truthful. There are no special tricks here.

A well-prepared candidate should not be confused by interview questions

Much more interesting and more difficult will be questions with a greater degree of abstraction - those for which there may not be a single correct and unambiguous answer. It is important to remember that when you are asked such a “weird” or “stupid” question, the recruiter will be interested not so much in the content of the answer as in your first reaction. The question may be directed to something unpleasant for you, to a moment in your biography or resume that can cause negative emotions.

Interviews often ask you to talk about your biggest failure and biggest success. When answering, one must be honest, since everyone has ups and downs, and a person who has never experienced either victory or defeat makes a rather negative impression.

Among the non-standard ones is, for example, the question of professional plans for the next five (ten, fifteen, and so on) years. Based on the answer, the recruiter will get an idea of ​​the direction in which you are interested in developing and whether it is interesting at all what kind of career you are going to build. So, if you want to leave for another country in a few years, you may not be hired to work in a government organization, but for an international corporation with offices in different countries, you will turn out to be a very deeply motivated worker. The socially desirable response is to show that you are moderately ambitious and are serious about your future. True, you need to be prepared for the fact that this answer will be followed by an insidious request to tell what exactly you are already doing to achieve your goals. If you do not have a ready answer to this question, the plan announced earlier will look like empty dreams and characterize you not from the best side.

Often at interviews, you can also hear the question of how the candidate is engaged in his professional development. From your answer, the recruiter will understand whether you seriously identify yourself with the chosen specialty, whether you are inclined to self-improvement or will work only from call to call. Be prepared to ask questions about the last professional book you read or the training you took. It is in the interests of a motivated applicant to be aware of the latest innovations in their industry, to be able to explain the contents of the top books in an understandable language, and to explain the methods used in the profession.

Don't try to show yourself smarter than you really are. The use of concepts and terms, the meaning of which is not familiar to you, can go sideways.

Video: Frequent interview questions and answers

How to pass a job interview

On the Internet, you can easily find many articles that detail what and how to do in order to pass an interview and get a job offer. At the same time, if everything were so simple, the very need for such articles would have disappeared long ago. It is important to understand that there is no magic pill, and even the most detailed instructions cannot guarantee a positive outcome of the interview. Expert articles provide general guidelines that will help the candidate feel more confident in the interview process and better understand the expectations of the other side.

How to prepare

First of all, you need to study all available information about a potential employer: a website on the Internet, social networks, offline points of sale, publications in the media, blogs, and so on. It is not worth neglecting this preliminary research, relying on the fact that you will be able to orient yourself on the spot. You should definitely check the presence of the employer in various anti-ratings, look for employee reviews, from which you can find out if there are problems with paying wages, whether the management is adequate, and so on. Some candidates, having studied the employer in more detail, will generally prefer to refuse to go to an interview, since they will come to the understanding that this company is not suitable for them for some reason. For those job seekers who make it to the employer's office for a meeting on the appointed day and hour, the results of these studies will also serve in good stead. It's rare for an interview candidate to avoid being asked what they know about the company they want to work for. It is obvious that a person who has devoted at least some time to thematic Internet surfing will look much more advantageous against the background of citizens who did not want to pay attention to this issue.

Appearance at the interview is very important - the candidate's clothes must match the general style of the company

For specialists applying for certain positions, for example, in the field of marketing, PR and public relations, preliminary research of the company in open sources is critical. When searching and analyzing information, they should not only form some kind of image of the company for themselves, but also note the strengths and weaknesses in promotion, think over options for optimizing the strategy for working with the external environment. In 99 cases out of 100, the employer will ask the marketer to analyze the site as a test task, and ask the PR specialist how he will promote the company's product or resolve conflicts in social networks.

When preparing for an interview, ask yourself why the employer needs a person for this vacancy, what the company can expect from the candidate. Evaluate your resume with someone else's eyes and think about what slippery moments it has, how you will comment on them if asked. For example, breaks between work, frequent transitions from place to place, short duration of work in specific companies.

Prepare questions that you will ask the recruiter about the company and the vacancy. In addition to the standard question about the content of the job, you have the right to inquire about the reason for the vacancy, in particular, is it a new position that appeared, for example, due to the expansion of the department, the replacement of a departed employee, or the result of the owner dispersing the entire previous department in anger. An indirect indicator by which a company can be valued is the timing of the publication of a job advertisement. That is, the length of time during which the employer cannot find a suitable candidate. Information about staff turnover can also tell a lot about working conditions.

Video: interview preparation

How to behave

If you came to the interview earlier than the appointed time, and you were asked to wait on the couch in the lobby, try to use this time to good use. Instead of monitoring social networks on your smartphone, look around. You may be interested in the quality of the design of the premises, the convenience of planning, the appearance of the employees who catch your eye. Listen to how the receptionist answers incoming calls, how colleagues communicate with each other. If you smoke, go to a local smoking room before your interview. Sometimes from conversations in an informal setting you can find out all the ins and outs.

The author of this material was convinced from his own experience that it is worth paying attention to such an ambiguous thing as toilets. Of course, the quality of the organization of the restroom cannot be the only argument in favor of accepting the proposal or refusing it, but an observant person will be able to draw the right conclusions for himself. The author once happened to attend an interview at a construction company focused on private suburban construction. In order to increase accessibility to potential customers, the company moved to an office near one of the central metro stations, but sales did not grow. The company's management saw the solution to the problem in strengthening the marketing department. The author was greatly embarrassed by a note taped to the toilet stall door, in which an unknown author appealed to colleagues not to steal toilet paper and air freshener. This is hardly capable of creating a sense of reliability and security for potential customers from interacting with the contractor. It is difficult to expect competent business decisions and at least some care for the staff from people for whom such inscriptions are not something out of the ordinary.

If after the interview you didn’t get a call back, be sure to try to get through to the recruiter to find out the real reason for the refusal. Try not to drive the person to trying to get rid of you at any cost. Explain why you need truthful information. Do not try to challenge the results of the interview.

Common mistakes during an interview

Candidates make a lot of mistakes in interviews every day. The most common is the failure to observe simple and well-known forms of ethics, courtesy and business etiquette: to arrive too early or late, to dress inappropriately, to be the first to switch to “you” or, conversely, to be too constrained or formal when interviewers offer a soft and friendly manner of communication. Both the lack of contact and excessive swagger will not work in your favor. It is necessary to be able to navigate the situation, feel the interlocutor and be flexible, but be sure to maintain self-esteem in any atmosphere. So, it is useful to show interest in the job, but showing that you are ready for anything to get this job is already wrong. It is always recommended to stick to the balance, the golden mean.

Interview mistakes are largely due to the inability to leave a good impression of yourself.

Do not try to win over the interviewer or potential boss personally (make eyes, joke when inappropriate, be overly verbose). You need to be able to hear what is being asked, clearly identify the main message of the question, answer concisely and specifically, and, if asked, expand the answer in more detail. Do not immediately answer in detail and start a conversation from afar.

An example of a correct answer.

Applicant: "6 people".

An example of an incorrect answer.

Interviewer: "How many people did you manage on this project?"

Applicant: “This project involved both in-state and out-of-state people, as well as several freelancers who changed frequently…”

Often candidates come for an interview without first studying the company and its position in the market. This is also a common mistake. Candidates who are unable to demonstrate even knowledge of the market and the industry as a whole show blatant incompetence.

A negative impression on the employer is made by overly frank candidates, as well as candidates who lie with inspiration. The ideal tactic is to be honest, not to lie, but to keep back a little on some details. For example, do not indicate the real reasons for leaving the company if the real reason was a serious personal conflict with the management, regardless of whether you were right in this situation or not. Conflict is not the best characteristic of an employee. Do not lie in response to a direct question, but also do not focus on slippery moments. It's best not to lie in an interview. When you do not know something, you can say that you do not remember exactly, but you can guess and speculate a little on this topic, if you are allowed. Such behavior will give the impression of an honest person who does not give up and is ready to look for options.

Video: typical mistakes of applicants

How to prepare for an interview in English or another language

Preparing for an interview in a foreign language essentially has little difference. Of course, a lot depends on how fluent you are in the language. Being confident in your language skills will make the interview process much easier for you. To refresh them, you can watch videos on Youtube with typical questions and answers. Do not memorize ready-made answers. Recruiters are distrustful of candidates who answer very smoothly, with a well-placed voice and extremely logical and verified text. This answer contains all the indicators of memorization and excessive preparedness for an interview. You must be confident and positive, but give the impression of being natural. It is necessary to be natural, and not to portray and seem.

Video: how to prepare for an interview in English if your English is not perfect

What methods of evaluating candidates exist

Candidate evaluation begins even before the interviewer's first call. This is a review of a resume and a cover letter, which show skills in working with text, the ability to structure information and submit it in writing, the level of Russian or a foreign language, the adequacy of salary requests, self-presentation skills. The next step is the assessment of the candidate by telephone conversation. It is performed based on the tone and timbre of the applicant's voice, as well as taking into account the content of the answers to the questions. Of course, the so-called human factor also plays a significant role here, so the first fleeting impression, even on a phone call, can spoil the situation for the candidate. That is why talking with a recruiter on the phone makes sense only when you are really ready for it, that is, you are not busy with anything, you are not disturbed by extraneous sounds or unwitting bystanders, your voice is calm, you can give thoughtful answers. If you don't feel mentally prepared for a phone conversation, it's best to hang up the call or ask to call back at another time.

It is very difficult to perform an objective assessment of a person, so there is no unambiguously recommended universal test or method for performing such an assessment. In fact, tests and methods are only a tool for collecting data about a person according to a certain system. The main role in the analysis and conclusions belongs to the recruiter or other specialist.

For a fair assessment of the applicant, you must remember the following recommendations:

• it is worth evaluating not so much the psychological and other qualities of a person as his behavior and specific results of activity;
• not only the results must be taken into account, but also the conditions under which they were obtained;
• the results of formal tests can be correctly assessed only by an experienced recruiter with rich professional and life experience, who is a psychologically and socially mature person.

Methods used for evaluation include:

• method of peer review, when an expert from the industry, in the presence of an HR manager, communicates with a candidate in narrow professional or behavioral areas;
• professional testing to determine the level of qualification of the candidate or to identify, for example, creative abilities;
• solving cases and situational problems;
• filling out personality questionnaires;
• verification of the recommendations submitted by the candidate.

In practice, recruiters most often use a combination of these methods, since each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, a completed personality questionnaire may provide comprehensive information on a candidate, but the information may be implausible as a savvy applicant calculates socially acceptable answers. Another option is that the personality questionnaire will show the sincere desire of the candidate for a certain activity, but his professional experience and skills may not correspond to his desires at the moment.

Evaluation of a potential employee can be carried out in different directions

There are also non-standard assessment methods for role models of behavior, for example, a film test. Its essence is that a person is asked about his favorite films or offered to evaluate situations from well-known films. Depending on what intentions and possibilities of behavior a person will ascribe to these or those characters, an experienced researcher will draw conclusions about the person himself.

What is a Candidate Evaluation Sheet

For each position there is a set of essential requirements for the personal and professional skills of the candidate. They are placed on a separate sheet, in which the evaluating specialist assigns points or comments on the applicant's compliance with the required level. When each of those present at the interview has such a sheet, all these questionnaires are taken into account in the final analysis. This approach allows you to evaluate the same quality from different angles.

Recommendation to job seekers: never try to look over a recruiter's shoulder to find out what he writes on the evaluation sheet. Instead, make it a rule to take notes during the interview as well. So you will make a positive impression on the employer, form the image of a person who is collected, rational and interested in analyzing the results of the meeting.

A case from the practice of one IT recruiter familiar to the author. One of the candidates of a technical specialty during interviews never hesitated to ask again unfamiliar terms or technologies new to him and always wrote everything down in a notebook. In his free time, this person additionally studied information on identified updates. So he learned what was relevant in the market, what employers needed, and each subsequent interview, even if it did not end with a job offer, in any case made him more prepared. You can, of course, rely on your memory and not write anything down, but in this case, one of the employers really liked this approach of a person to self-education and his focus on self-development. The life values ​​of the applicant coincided with the corporate values ​​of a particular company, and our specialist received a job offer.

The evaluation sheet can also act as a mandatory form of reporting during an interview by a hired recruitment agency.

How to present interview results

The results of the interview are most often drawn up in the form of an evaluation sheet. The more participants from the employer's side take part in the meeting, the more voluminous the "portrait" of the candidate is. The most important are the assessments received from the applicant's potential supervisor, as well as from the leading expert in this specialty.

Photo gallery: an example of filling out an evaluation sheet

Initially, basic information about the candidate is presented The personal qualities of the candidate can be assessed on various scales The assessment of the level of knowledge and skills of the candidate will vary in different areas of activity The assessment of the experience of the candidate is carried out depending on the specific requirements The final entry in the evaluation sheet is recommendations for the candidate

Job interview protocol

The interview protocol is a standard document and should include a brief summary of the candidate's assessment, conclusions about the strengths and risks that the interviewer found in it. Each company has the right to develop its own form of protocol.

Each company has the right to create its own standard protocol template

Of course, the passage of a job interview causes stress for the applicant. However, you can try to minimize the emotional tension during the meeting by paying sufficient attention to the preparatory process. Inner calmness and self-confidence will help the candidate maintain the right attitude during the interview and make a good impression on the potential employer.

How to behave in an interview? What questions are asked at the interview and what are the most correct answers to them? How to properly prepare for a job?

Hello dear readers! Alexander Berezhnov, one of the authors of the HiterBober.ru business magazine, is with you and is our guest today Ksenia Borodina - recruitment specialist, psychologist.

Ksenia has already conducted hundreds of interviews and knows all the intricacies of this important event. Our guest will share the tricks and secrets of practicing HR specialists and give effective recommendations to job seekers.

In one of the previous articles, we talked in detail about . And now we have come to the logical continuation of the topic - the interview.

1. What is an interview and in what form does it take place

Xenia, I salute you. I propose to start with the most important. Tell us, please, what is an interview, how is it carried out and what types of interviews exist? This is necessary so that our readers understand where they have to go and what to expect, since for some of them this will be the first experience of getting a job.

Hello Sasha. Let's start with a definition.

Interview- This dating process a job seeker and a potential employer (his representative), as a result of which 2 parties want to receive the necessary information about how they fit each other.

There are several types of it.

For example, the number of participants distinguish between individual and group interviews.

• Individual interview. It takes place one on one, where the employer or his representative on the one hand and the applicant on the other participate.
• Group interview. As a rule, it is carried out by a professional recruiter (recruitment specialist) from a company in need of personnel, with a group of potential applicants for a vacancy. Group interviews are most often conducted for mass vacancies in companies, for example, for the position of "sales manager".

Interviews can also be divided according to the number of decision-making "instances". According to this principle, they are divided into single-level And multilevel.

As a rule, for executive positions that do not require a high level of training and great responsibility, applicants go through one interviewer. Such interviews are called single-level, that is, they involve a conversation with one person.

If you want to get the position of a sales assistant in a household appliance store, then more often you will be interviewed by the director of the store, where your further employment is expected. This is an example of a one-level interview.

Multilevel interviews involve the acquaintance of the applicant with representatives of several leadership levels.

For example, if you are applying for the position of a marketing specialist in such a large company as Coca-Cola, then you will be interviewed by the head of the regional branch, the head of the marketing department of the company's plant and the director of this plant.

Sometimes multi-level interviews are held in person with each "level", and sometimes communication with the candidate is carried out remotely.

Thanks to the development of modern means of communication, some managers prefer to conduct interviews via Skype (less often by phone).

This is especially true in cases where the applicant is looking for a job with the prospect of moving to another region or even another country.

The interview process itself is often stressful for the candidate. Indeed, as a rule, a person sends his resume to several organizations at once and receives an invitation to be interviewed, sometimes on the same day with an interval of several hours.

And each such meeting, where you need to competently present yourself, requires both physical and emotional effort.

2. Stages of passing the interview

Ksenia, I think that now our readers have got an idea about the interview as a process and its features, and now I propose to talk about the stages that the applicant goes through in the interview process and the features of each of them.

Indeed, the entire process of passing the interview can be conditionally divided into 4 stages:

1. Phone conversation;
2. Preparing for the meeting;
3. Interview;
4. Summarizing.

Each of them has its own characteristics, which you need to talk about so that you, as an applicant, go through each of the stages as efficiently as possible and get the position you are applying for.

Stage 1. Telephone conversation

This is the first stage of direct communication with a representative of the company in which you are applying for a job. Usually it is a consequence of sending your resume to this company.

If the company is more or less large, then in most cases the employee responsible for recruiting will call you.

When talking to him, be polite, and also remember his (her) name and preferably position. Next, specify exactly where you need to come, (address) and at what time. Also specify a contact phone number for communication.

If you need to take something with you, for example, a passport, a document on education or a portfolio, then the recruiter will tell you about it during a telephone conversation.

Stage 2. Preparing for the meeting

At this stage, I recommend that you imagine your future interview with a potential employer and "live" it. This will be especially true for people who are afraid of the interview itself or they have a fear of failing a meeting with a recruiter.

To tune in to the process and overcome possible fears, I suggest you do the exercise "Meeting with the President". This is done before the interview.

Imagine that you have been invited to the Kremlin and are now sitting at a meeting with the president of the country. The video cameras of the leading TV channels are directed at you and a bunch of journalists are recording everything you say.

Try to imagine yourself in this situation and get used to this role. Think about what you will ask the president and what you want to tell him. What questions he will ask you and how you will publicly answer them.

To do this exercise, stay alone so that no one distracts you and imagine such a meeting in detail for 7-15 minutes.

Then go to your interview. After such a "visualization" you are guaranteed to be easier to pass it. After all, you have already experienced the most “terrible” interview in your life.

A few more words about preparation.

Preparing for an interview includes 3 important points:

1. Preparation of self-presentation and its rehearsal;
2. Preparation of a portfolio (awards, articles about you), works and examples confirming your competence for this vacant position;
3. Rest and further entry into the "resource state". This term refers to your working state in which you are as focused and productive as possible.

Stage 3. Interview

To understand in detail how to pass a job interview, you need to be prepared for different nuances.

For example, very often a specialist who conducts a conversation with you will ask you questions and offer to complete small buildings (cases).

case- this is modeling (analysis) of a problematic or non-standard situation and ways to solve it by a candidate (applicant).

Suppose you are applying for the position of sales representative or sales manager.

To test your erudition, stress resistance, creative thinking and professional knowledge, a recruiting specialist will give you cases for analysis.

Case example:

Recruiter : You are on your way to meet an important client. Major negotiations that you have to conduct, if successful, can bring you a monthly income level and a promotion. Suddenly, your car breaks down in the middle of the road. Your actions?

You: I will get out of the car and try to get a taxi or passing transport to the meeting point with the client.

Recruiter : You were driving through a back road far from the city, there is no passing transport.

You: I will look on the navigator where I am and call a taxi to this place.

Recruiter : You do not have a navigator and your phone is dead.

You: I will try to fix the car breakdown by myself and then continue driving.

And so your recruiter can "drive" you, each time complicating the conditions in which you find yourself.

As I understand it, this is done in order to see if such a force majeure will lead you into a stupor and what exit options will you offer (savvy test)?

Sasha is absolutely right. Also, the HR specialist in this case wants to see how long you will try to find a way out of this situation (testing your perseverance).

One of the very popular cases is called "selling a pen." It is used mainly in sales interviews, but sometimes HR people play similar games with candidates for other positions.

Stage 4. Summing up

If at the meeting you were confident and clearly answered all the questions of the HR specialist, then you will have a great chance of getting the desired job.

At the end of the interview, you will be told how long you will receive an answer if you are hired. If you are going through a multi-level interview, then wait for an answer about passing the next stage.

I usually say this:

If I don't call you back by such and such a time, it means that we have made a decision in favor of another candidate.

You can also ask the recruiter yourself when exactly to expect the result of the interview and in what form it will be.

Now, if I get a job, I will definitely work out possible cases. Ksenia, I am sure that our readers will be interested to know how to behave in an interview and what can confuse an HR specialist in the behavior or appearance of a job seeker?

Sasha, indeed, should understand that the higher and more responsible the position for which a potential employee applies, the more requirements are placed on him.

Let me give you a few general key points from my practice that all candidates, without exception, should take into account when passing a job interview.

1. Accuracy and neatness. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to your condition in general. Never come to an interview drunk, after a "stormy rest" or a sleepless night. In the eyes of a recruiter, you will immediately earn the status of a "reveler", and with it the rest of the interview's relevance will be called into question.
2. Friendly and good manners. Whatever position you apply for, good manners and adequate behavior will definitely add points to you. Find out the name of your interlocutor and address him by name. Moreover, it is worth addressing exactly as he introduced himself. For example, if a recruiter said that his name is Ivan, then call him “You”. “Ivan, you said that ...” If he gave his name and patronymic, then this is exactly how you should address your interlocutor.
3. Proficiency in professional terminology. You will definitely like a recruiter if without abusing terms, use them 3-4 times during your interview, and also explain how you use (used) these terms in practice. For example, if you say that at your previous job you were able to increase sales by 30% per month, thanks to an increase in conversion, by analyzing the number of incoming calls and the size of the average check, then this will count as a plus.
4. General level of erudition. Also, a couple of times in the topic, you can mention famous books that you read or seminars in your specialty that you attended during the year. Recruiters pay attention to the craving for knowledge and the desire of a person for self-education. This is especially important if you are applying for management or "intellectual" positions in the company.

In a word, you need to “sell” yourself and show your best side. Moreover, this must be done both from a professional point of view and from the point of view of general human values ​​and rules. If you want to get a job, it is important to correctly and clearly answer the questions of an HR specialist.

4. Interview questions and answers

I heard that there are a number of questions that almost all recruiters ask job seekers. Ksyusha, can you give some examples and good answers to them?

Yes, sure.

In addition to the cases that you will be given at the interview, in order to successfully pass it, you will need to answer a number of tricky questions. They are also chosen by your recruiter for a reason.

After all, the decision to enroll you to work depends on how you answer them.

Interview questions and correct answers:

1. Tell us about yourself. It would seem a simple task, but for many people it is at this moment that a stupor begins: “mooing” or “nuking”. Here you must present yourself from the best side within the vacancy for which you are applying. Briefly describe your education, work experience and achievements that distinguish you as a specialist. Speak clearly, without excess water and philosophizing.
2. Why did you leave your previous job? Tell us here about your motivation "to", that is, that you are striving for development and new opportunities in work that you currently see in this position. Don't use the "from" motivation key, that is, "I ran away from bad conditions, low pay, and a rotting team." In no case do not scold the previous place of work and your former boss. After all, any person, including your interlocutor, will think that if you change jobs in the future, you will also speak negatively about his company.
3. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years or your plans for the long term? The best answer here is that you associate your professional future with this particular company. This way you will form an impression of yourself as an interested employee who is ready to devote a large amount of time to this work. After all, nowhere is the “turnover” of personnel welcomed.
4. Do you have weaknesses (shortcomings)? If yes, please name 3 of them. By asking this question, the recruiter wants to understand the level of your maturity. A person who says that I do not see any shortcomings in myself or will think for a long time how to answer this question will lose points in the eyes of the personnel specialist. Do not answer like this: “My shortcomings: often late, conflict with colleagues (management), lazy.” It’s best to say here that you are a “workaholic”, that is, you like to go headlong into work, and this is not always right, a “perfectionist” - strive for perfection in everything and because of this, sometimes you lose speed. And your third drawback is the desire to establish good relations with everyone. And sometimes you are too kind to subordinates, because you do not want to punish them for the inadequate quality of the work performed.
5. List your strengths. Describe your real strengths that are directly applicable to the job you are applying for and give examples with facts and figures. For example: “I believe that one of my strengths is the ability to think in numbers. At a previous job, I analyzed the sales funnel, identified patterns and, based on this, developed a new sales model that brought the company additional 500 000 rubles or 15 % for the first month of implementing my marketing model.”
6. Did you make mistakes at your previous job? Which? Here honestly tell me exactly what mistakes you had. But the most important thing is that they are not fatal and be sure to supplement the answer to this question with the fact that you yourself corrected them. For example, you wrote the wrong mobile phone to the client and he returned to the store to exchange it. And you managed not only to avoid a conflict situation, but also to sell him additional accessories for the purchased mobile device.
7. What level of compensation (salary) do you expect? Here you should objectively assess your competencies, say how much you want to receive and justify the benefit of the employer company if it makes its choice in favor of you as an employee. Also analyze the level of salaries offered by similar companies for similar vacancies.
8. How did you hear about our company? Usually this question is asked by the employer's representative in order to find out which channel for searching for candidates is working. This question is not tricky, rather it is simply informational and is aimed at optimizing the search for personnel for this organization. Just answer as it is, for example, you found out about a vacancy on your company's website.

In addition to answering common questions, I have compiled a table to show which key criteria are important for a candidate and how they are confirmed.

A visual table of the main criteria for evaluating a candidate at an interview

The first column contains the evaluation criterion, and the second - indirect evidence that the candidate has this criterion.

№	Candidate Quality	Proof
1	Honesty	Ability to be honest about your shortcomings with examples
2	Level of professional competencies	Examples of measurable achievements in the previous job, availability of awards and portfolio
3	Resilience and will	Manifestation of calmness when analyzing cases
4	Tact	Polite tone, soft gestures, open posture
5	Creativity	Quick and non-standard answers to tricky recruiter questions
6	General literacy rate	Correct speech, use of terms

5. How to pass a job interview - 7 main rules

That is, as I understand it, an interview is a rather creative process and there are no clear standards in its conduct, or is everything here individually?

Quite right, Sasha. Every HR professional approaches the interview process differently. There are recruiters who simply technically "drive" the candidate through the list of questions, determining his prof. fitness.

I do it a little differently. That is, I approach the interview process individually for each applicant. I try not only to classify him according to the principle of "suitable / not suitable" as a specialist, but also to determine his psychological type, features of motivation and internal potential.

It's great, you can see that you really love what you do. Ksenia, let's now move on to the most important part of our interview and talk about what rules a candidate needs to follow throughout the interview from beginning to end in order to maximize the chances of getting the desired job?

If you have to be interviewed, then follow the following rules and then your interview will certainly open the way for you to career and financial opportunities in a new job.

Rule 1. Find out everything about a potential employer

This is the first and very important stage of preparation.

• Firstly, this information will help you find out who you are going to work with for a long time (perhaps several years). Open the Internet, the print press and see what exactly sets your potential employer apart from other companies. Perhaps this is the introduction of innovations, working conditions or methods of promotion (marketing).
• Secondly, all the data and facts you have learned about a potential employer will help you in your interview. In the process of passing the interview, compliment the company, show off the knowledge of the facts about it. All this will have a positive impact on the final decision on your candidacy.

What you need to know about the company you are applying for:

1. History of creation and leadership. When it appeared - the year of foundation. Who is the leader now, and who was at the helm earlier. What are the features of the style of business management and what is the life philosophy of the top management. Also find out what the corporate identity and logo of the company symbolizes and what its corporate culture is. What values ​​underpin the organization.
2. Main directions of activity. What this organization produces or sells, and perhaps it provides services. What is their feature? Why did she choose this particular market segment?
3. Features of doing business. Does the company have competitors and who are they? What is the scale of the organization's business, in what territory (city, region, country or international format company). How does seasonality and other factors affect the success of the company. How many employees work in it and what is their organizational structure.
4. Achievements and important corporate events. Perhaps the organization has recently won a competition or opened a new office. This information will also be useful for a comprehensive understanding of the current affairs of the company.
5. Facts and figures. What is the market share of the company in its segment and its financial performance: revenue, growth rate, number of clients and open offices.

Having comprehensive information about all the features of the future employer, you will certainly get advantages over other applicants.

Rule 2. We prepare a self-presentation and rehearse it

When you find yourself at an interview, in most cases you will be asked to tell about yourself. As I said earlier, it is this request that confuses many applicants.

So that this does not come as a surprise to you, you need to prepare in advance.

self-presentation- this is a short and capacious story about yourself in the context of the vacancy for which you are applying.

I emphasize that specifically in the context of a specific vacancy. That is, the emphasis in the story about yourself should be done on those qualities, experience and knowledge that will help you solve problems in the framework of your future work.

For example, if you are applying for the position of a sales manager, then, as part of your self-presentation, tell us what recent sales courses you took, what experience you have in this area. Maybe you are so passionate about this topic that you have created your own website on it or a “club of successful sellers” in your city.

If you have an education that will help you in such work, for example, in the specialties: marketing, advertising, PR, then focus on this. If you have a construction or medical education, then simply say that you have a secondary or higher education, without indicating its profile.

It would be advisable to name the direction of education if you will sell goods in a similar industry as part of the profession "sales manager".

For example, if you get a job in a trading company selling building materials, then a construction education will be an advantage in your situation.

You should not focus on your hobby in your self-presentation, unless it will positively affect the results of your work.

How to prepare your presentation for an interview

Conditionally break your entire presentation into several blocks.

For example, your self-presentation may consist of 4 main parts, interconnected in meaning:

1. Education and professional experience.
2. Your achievements with facts and figures.
3. The benefits of working with you for the employer.
4. Your professional plans for the future.

Once you've mapped out your presentation, it's time to rehearse it.

To begin with, say all the theses that you plan to voice to the personnel specialist at the interview.

Then sit in front of a mirror and look at yourself, say everything that you have prepared, based on your plan. Most likely the first time you forget something or start to stumble. Then your task is to bring your story to the ideal and imagine that you are now at the upcoming meeting and tell about your beloved.

Fact

Many people have a psychological barrier when it comes to presenting themselves in the best possible light.

Rule 3. We observe the appropriate "dress code"

As a rule, certain professions require a special style of clothing. So, if you are applying for an office vacancy, then your appearance at the interview should be appropriate.

• For men a light-colored shirt and dark-colored trousers or jeans are suitable.
• For girls it can be a blouse, a skirt of sufficient length and shoes with low heels.

If your future job involves active interaction with people in person, then in this case the requirements for your style of clothing will be especially high.

The exception to the rule is only "creative" professions. For example, a designer or photographer can afford to come to an interview in an extravagant outfit. In this case, your clothing style will emphasize a non-standard approach to solving creative problems.

In all other cases, "classic" and business style is your win-win!

Also, in addition to the main style of clothing, the presence of accessories is welcome.

Accessories may include:

• wrist watch;
• tie;
• decoration;
• stylish notepad;
• pen;
• bag (purse).

Rule 4. Taking written notes during the meeting

An indicator of the general level of preparation of the candidate for the recruiter is the presence of the first notebook and pen. If you make notes to yourself during the interview, then first of all it will be very convenient for you. Indeed, at the end, based on your notes, you can ask clarifying questions or ask for clarification of the details of employment and other conditions for future work.

By the end of the meeting, you will have everything in full view. This is especially useful if you are doing multiple interviews at different companies so that you can then compare working conditions in different organizations and make an informed decision.

It is also necessary to take notes if you are going through a multi-level interview. Keeping the main points on paper will help you remember what was discussed at the meeting and better prepare for the next stages of the interview.

Rule 5. Make a list of questions for the recruiter

Typically, at the end of the meeting, your interviewer will ask if you have any questions for him. To do this, think in advance what you would like to know more.

You can write some questions for the recruiter at home in advance, and write some down right at the meeting in the form of notes. To do this, you must have a notepad and pen with you.

Take care in advance that your notebook is of the proper aesthetic appearance. This means that if it is a “worn out” pack of yellowed sheets in which “fish was wrapped”, then this will characterize you as a sloppy potential employee.

Everything should be harmonious - this is an important principle for a successful interview.

Rule 6. Behave confidently and naturally in an interview

Do not try to “put on a mask”, be not yourself, or overly please your interlocutor. Unnatural behavior is easy to read by a person. Your facial expressions, gestures and style of conversation will involuntarily bring you to clean water.

It is better to go the other way in order to achieve a positive result. Follow the elementary rules of good manners, be polite and tactful.

Do not interrupt the interviewer, speak calmly, but with some enthusiasm in your head.

You should intuitively understand where and what is appropriate to say. After all, an interview is a process of mutual decision-making on the cooperation of two parties: you and the employer.

Rule 7. We ask when and in what form the results will be announced to you

I hope that using these simple rules, you will easily pass a job interview. At the end of the meeting, find out when and in what form to expect an answer about the results of the interview.

Simply put, how do you know if you've been hired or not?

Usually the recruiter himself will tell you at the end that the answer will be on such and such a day, for example, before 18 pm.

I tell my applicants that if I don't call you by 18:00 on such and such a day, for example, September 26, it means that you did not pass the interview.

Calling and personally telling everyone that their candidacy for this position was rejected is usually too troublesome.

Here's the rule at work:

“We called - congratulations, you have been hired! They didn’t call - your candidacy did not pass. ”

6. 5 Common Job Interview Mistakes

If you want to successfully pass a job interview and do it without “noise and dust”, then you should avoid the mistakes that I will discuss next.

This is what most applicants do, and because of simple ignorance of elementary things, they fail, losing the opportunity to make a long-awaited career.

Mistake 1. Fear of an interview or "schoolboy" syndrome

Once again I repeat that the interview is a process of mutual choice and both parties are equal participants in this process.

Some job seekers come to a meeting and their hands are shaking, their palms are sweating, their voice is trembling. It is this behavior that is typical for students and schoolchildren when passing the exam. They seem to be in the position of a rabbit, which the boa constrictor is looking at.

You don't have to be afraid of the interview.

It is a big mistake to think that now an evil uncle or aunt will torment you. Indeed, as a rule, a personnel specialist who has been entrusted with hiring a person is a benevolent and attentive person whose goal is to find that very “gold bar” in a pile of ore and clay.

If you shine like gold with your talents, competent speech and show real examples of achievements and your competencies at the interview, then do not hesitate, you will be hired for this job!

Mistake 2. Passing an interview without preparation

In almost every previous block of our interview, I talked about the importance of preparation before the interview.

Don't neglect this rule.

Impromptu is good in many situations, but not at the time of the interview. And as many people know, the best impromptu is impromptu prepared.

Follow all the above rules and the consequences of this mistake will not affect you.

Mistake 3. Excessive heart-to-heart talk with a recruiter

Sometimes applicants get so carried away during the interview process that they deviate from the main topic and begin to “pour out their souls” to the personnel specialist.

This mistake is often found just among inexperienced applicants or candidates for lower technical positions, such as a loader, storekeeper, worker, and so on.

As a rule, among more prepared applicants applying for more responsible positions in the company, this mistake does not occur.

But still remember that you should not deviate from the topic if you want to get a job in a good organization and enjoy the well-deserved respect there.

Mistake 4. Poor health and stress as a factor in failure

Anything can happen in life, and if you have an interview scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow, and you feel bad or something serious happened to you that completely unsettled you, try to reschedule the meeting. In this case, notify the employer's representative by phone in advance.

After all, anything can happen: a child gets sick and you need to go to the hospital, a relative got into an accident, or you simply got poisoned by stale food.

Don't go to an interview depressed, in a bad mood, or not feeling well.

Mistake 5. Tactlessness, defiant behavior

Some job seekers are like tanks and turn the interview into a show, demonstrating not their best qualities. Those who like to argue with the interlocutor will definitely not get the desired job.

If a person behaves tactlessly and disrespectfully towards the partner side, then this immediately characterizes him as a brawler and potentially unsuitable employee.

As the cat Leopold said in the famous cartoon: "Guys, let's live together!".

So, you need to make friends with your interlocutor.

After the meeting, the representative of your employer should have an impression of you both as a good specialist in your field and as a pleasant and cultured person.

Don't Make These 5 Common Mistakes and Success is Guaranteed!

7. Illustrative video examples of how to successfully pass an interview from the TV channel "Success" in the program "Personnel decide"

Here I want to give you some real examples of interviews with expert comments.

Be sure to watch them, because from the outside it is much easier to analyze the strengths of some applicants and the mistakes they make.

1) Interview for the position of sales manager of corporate tours:

2) Interview for the position of assistant manager:

3) Interview for the position of TOP manager:

You can find other episodes of this show on YouTube. It is possible that among them there will be an analysis of the case of the vacancy for which you are applying.

8. Conclusion

Xenia, thank you very much for such detailed answers. I hope that now it will be much easier for our readers to pass an interview for a job.

1. Prepare for the interview ahead of time;
2. At the meeting, behave naturally and do not worry;
3. Follow the rules of the dress code;
4. Be optimistic and friendly with the interlocutor.

Alexander, thank you for inviting me. I hope we will continue to cooperate.

I wish you all good luck and career growth!

Banks Today Live

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An interview is an essential step in the recruitment process. How the candidate passes this test will determine whether he gets the desired job. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for the upcoming event with special responsibility.

In this article, we will talk about how to prepare for an interview, how to pass it successfully, and what should be avoided when communicating with a future employer?

What are the stages of the interview and what you need to successfully pass them

An interview is the process of getting to know an employer and a prospective employee. It is an important point in the whole issue of employment, because it is here that the parties will find out if they are suitable for each other, and how their employment relationship will be built.

The interview has 4 stages. These include:

1. Telephone conversation with a representative of the organization;
2. Receiving an invitation and preparing for the visit;
3. Conversation with the director, or with the recruiter;
4. Analysis of the meeting, debriefing;

Careful study of these stages will help to successfully pass the interview. Let's consider each of them in detail.

telephone conversation

After studying the resumes of applicants, the HR specialist makes calls and selects the most liked candidates. Therefore, when receiving a call, you should be polite.

It is necessary to remember the name of the employee who called, ask for the address and phone number. It is also worth clarifying the documents that must be provided. They can be both diplomas of education and the candidate's portfolio.

How to prepare for an interview

Many people face the problem of fear of communicating with strangers. In order not to fail the meeting, and to make a good impression, it is necessary to plan a speech in advance. It is best to “lose” the interview in such a situation, for example, in front of a mirror.

In no case should you come to an interview with relatives, friends or acquaintances. This behavior will allow the recruiter to question your independence.

To successfully pass the interview, you must remember that the first impression of the candidate is the most important moment. Therefore, it is indecent to be late, keep chewing gum in your mouth, talk on the phone.

In order to get the desired position, the future employee must show his interest. You need to smile, listen carefully to the representative of the company, ask questions clearly and briefly.

The next important point is preparation for self-presentation. You should think over and sketch out an approximate speech on a piece of paper. This stage will be decisive, because the outcome of the interview depends on the quality of the speech.

At the preparation stage, it is recommended to collect additional information about the employer. You should study the reviews of former employees. This will allow you to form an appropriate opinion about the company, study the scope of its activities, and prepare questions.

How to behave in an interview

During the conversation, it becomes clear to the recruiter whether this or that candidate can take a vacant position in the organization.

To do this, the future employee is not only asked questions, but may also be asked, for example, to play the scene of communication with a “harmful” client.

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The outcome of the conversation will depend on the result of passing this task. A scene can contain a huge number of tricky questions. At this moment, the recruiter studies the psychological state of the candidate, and his resistance to stress. Therefore, all questions asked should be answered clearly, distinctly and honestly.

Among other things, you will be asked to tell about yourself, about your merits at your previous place of work. It is better to back up what has been said with a portfolio.

Do not forget that excessive self-admiration can indicate excessive self-confidence.

Performance should not be accompanied by nervousness and excitement. The presence of confusing speech, incoherent sentences, or wet palms indicates a person’s insecurity.

To successfully pass the interview, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• friendliness and good manners can make a proper impression;
• Proficiency in professional terminology. The moment is especially important when conducting an interview for a managerial position. It is important for a company to hire a person who is familiar with the process of the enterprise from the inside;
• The level of erudition. It is worth mentioning reading books or solving crossword puzzles. The presence of such interests suggests that a person has a certain level of literacy;
• Applicant's appearance should be neat and tidy. You can not come to a meeting with the smell of alcohol, or just smoked cigarettes.

Analysis of the meeting and debriefing

At the end of the conversation, the HR specialist will talk about its results. If the candidate was confident and answered the questions correctly, then the chances of getting a job are high. The lack of a response indicates that he did not make a sufficient impression, and a serious revision of his actions is required.

Self-analysis is necessary in order to take into account all the mistakes at the next interview, and increase the chances of getting the desired job.

In more detail, the stages of the interview are presented in the table:

Stage number	Necessary actions	Possible nuances
1	Receiving an invitation	Please be specific about what to bring with you.
2	Collecting information about the employer, including a detailed study of the reviews of former employees	The information obtained will help you get to know the company's activities as much as possible.
3	Preparing for self-presentation	During the presentation, it is necessary to focus on the identified needs of the organization.
4	Appearance for an interview	Establishing contact with a company representative
5	Speech by an HR specialist, a story about the company and vacancies	Clarification of questions of interest
6	Candidate's presentation with mandatory portfolio review	Short and well-written speech
7	Answers to incoming questions from an admissions specialist	Show a high level of restraint and work through possible objections
8	End of the interview and debriefing	Self-assessment required
9	Feedback	Planning for joint work activities

Sample list of interview questions and how to answer them

Questions asked during an interview can vary. The recruiter may ask about both hobbies and the financial situation of your family.

Diverse questions are asked for a reason. If a specialist is interested in the applicant's hobbies, this means that he is trying to understand his character and find out if he is a conflict person.

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The question of marital status will help the recruiter determine the candidate's willingness to devote additional time to work. You may have to work overtime.

Below is a list of questions that are most often asked in interviews:

1. Story about yourself. At first glance, it seems that this is very simple, but many applicants are lost in the answer at the very beginning of the conversation. At this stage, you need to present yourself from the best side. You need to talk about education, work experience, achievements. These data will form an opinion about the applicant as a professional. The only caveat is that the answer should be short, without water, everything is strictly to the point. Philosophizing is not to be allowed;
2. Reason for leaving previous job. The best way to answer this question is from a future perspective. It is best to say that leaving is associated with the desire to grow up the career ladder, to develop. What was not presented at the previous job. In no case should you scold the former leader and the old team. A negative attitude will have a bad effect on the results of the interview;
3. Future plans. For example, what is planned to be done in the next few years? It is best to focus on the professional development that can be associated with this particular company. Such a response forms an opinion about the interest in getting a job. It will also show that the applicant plans to work here for a long time. The employer must be sure that the candidate will not quit in a couple of months, because a lot of time and effort was spent on his training and infusion into the work process;
4. List character strengths. This question must be answered with the utmost honesty. But to focus precisely on those qualities that are applicable in the workflow. For example, it is better to say that you are able to think analytically. Give an example. Suppose, thanks to your analytical ability, you at your previous job were able to analyze the sales funnel and form a new model, which brought the company an income of several hundred thousand rubles. The desire to improve work processes can increase the chances of getting the desired job;
5. The presence of errors in the previous workplace. It is better to answer that they were present. If you answer that you worked flawlessly, this may mean that you are not honest. It is necessary to give an example of an error, and emphasize that you yourself discovered and corrected it;
6. Salary level. It is better to prepare for such a question in advance. It is necessary to analyze the average level of wages offered by companies in the labor market and name an objective figure. You should not ask for a huge salary, but you need to focus on the opportunity to grow in the company and get more through, for example, sales;
7. How did you hear about the company? Such a question should not be assessed as an attempt to confuse. It is informative. It is important for the employer to identify which of his channels works, and where it is worth placing more ads. The answer may be - they learned from friends, or found an advertisement for a vacant position on the company's website, etc.