A few interview tips!

The dreaded interview, an hour or less to tell someone all about yourself and WHY they should hire you. Not an easy task!

In an effort to help people 'sell themselves' I've put together a few tips on how to do just that.

"Features tell, Benefits sell"

I must have heard this a million times from my previous boss and mentor, but he wasn't wrong!

Feature = "5 years management experience"

Benefit = "I have 5 years practical experience managing 60 employees, 3 of which were Superintendents. I hired at least 20 of them and managed their Development Programs over the years. I have sat in CCMA hearings, helped employees develop and managed change (insert example).SO I can walk into this role and easily identify any areas that are lacking and take charge of this team."

Feature = "I'm hard working"

Benefit = "I completed my degree in record time / whilst I was working after hours. OR I was always the first employee into the office and I managed to assist my colleagues with their work because mine was done (insert example). SO I will be worth more than my weight in gold and will never slack on the job."

Give interviewees your BENEFITS, not just your features. Even easier to do if you've tied this in with asking "What will make this person successful after 6 months in this role" - you are then able to truthfully give examples that are relevant to the employers problem.

Ok so lets look at the next points in short:-

1. Research the company - you don't need to know what their gross profit was in 2016 but you DO need to know what their core business is.
2. It is better to be overdressed than under-dressed. Clean cut. Conservative.
3. Arrive on time. Not more than half an hour early, your interviewee may not be at the office yet or may feel pressured to drop what they are doing. 15 minutes is fine.
4. "Give us a brief overview of your background AKA - tell us about yourself" - Start from Matric / what led you on the career path you are on. Keep it brief and to the point.
5. "Why did you leave this job" - someone will only believe your reason if it makes sense. 'Career growth' is too vague, could you not get that growth where you were? Be specific. And NEVER discuss an old employer badly, it will only reflect badly on you.
6. "Do you have any questions for us" - YES. Always yes. Have at least 2 questions ready and try not to ask 'whats in it for me' questions for eg. 'How much leave do I get'. Rather ask "What impact can I make", "Why does the employer like the company" or "What has made someone successful in this role before."

The interview is all about finding out if you fit together, so relax, enjoy it and remember - you'll be spending more than 50% of your life at work - make sure you've made a good choice!

GOOD LUCK!