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Posted By Stuart Boorman
Hi,
Has anyone got any interview advice? I know this is likely to be a common question here, but it is important and I believe worth asking again.
I recently had an interview for a job which if I'm successful will be my first health and safety role. I must admit I discovered how little I'm prepared for interviews - it's been a long time.
The interview was short, but that doesn't worry me as the interviews with the other candidates were about the same length. What concerns me is that I came out of the interview feeling as if I had not had the opportunity to sell myself and reel off the pieces of experience which I hoped to quote in the interview. I basically just answered the questions that were given to me as well as I could. It may be that I did the right thing, as I know interviewers are not going to like a candidate who rams their own facts down their throat, but I know I can do better.
Hopefully I will get the job and won't have to be interviewed again, but that's not a given. So please, any advice would be great. Thank you.
Kind regards,
Stuart
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Posted By Mark Farrell
Very briefly,my personal experience of interview preparation always covers what the job entails. Having as much information as to what you are going to be required to do prior to the interview always helps.
If you are going to be expected to complete assessments - Risk, Fire, Coshh, Manual Handling, PPE and DSE. Then you should expand on your experience and knowlegde of these subjects during the interview.
If you are going to be leading a team then you should talk about your Management of people skills.
You should know all the topics that you are going to discuss before the interview, and be prepared enough to steer the interview into subjects you want to talk about.
I hope this helps.
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Posted By garyh
If you are asked to an interview, you have nothing got lose by phoning up and asking what the format is. Is is panel based, will you be asked to give evidence of competencies, achievements and so on. Or is it a cosy chat?
Once you know the format you can prepare for it.
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Posted By Pete48
Stuart, your cv got you to interview. That tells them you are near enough to the profile to be worth some time.
It may well have been your other experience and not your H&S stuff that attracted them. The only and best advice is to be yourself. Know why YOU want the job and be honest about that. make sure that is what they understand above all else. It is almost impossible for you to know what they want from you at the interview so why try to control that end? Answer the questions they ask and listen, listen, listen very carefully. If I had a penny for every candidate who answered a question I didn't ask, I would be very rich.
Remember I am trying to put a face and a person to the cv spec I have seen. I will tease out your + and - if I am a good interviewer. After all, I have more of a vested interest than you since I am going to invest a deal of resource and money in the successful candidate so I want to hear the good just as much as you want to tell me.
It doesn't actually matter whether it is your first H&S job or your last. The fact is that you need to fit the profile they have built and that includes personal attributes. How can you know for example before the interview whether they prefer bullish, macho people or positive team players? If you are the wrong type for them, then all the tickets and technical competence in the world doesn't get you the job.
Enjoy and go with the flow, you will present yourself more favourably I am sure.
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Posted By TBC
Be yourself - You got to the interview with what you have in your CV and covering letter. They will chose who they want for the job. It may not be you because of your particular personality. I had this experience when I once went for a job. It got down to two of us and then we did this little exam thing. The other guy (I think) came across as more aggressive - if that's what they want fine. I much prefer co-operation in H&S not attitudes.
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Posted By Christopher
Hi Stuart
Have you been after this particular post for some considerable time?
Can I suggest that you visit your local college, they may well have someone there who can help you with interview technique.
There are a lot of good books available in almost every bookshop. One I found to be particularly good was
60 seconds and you're hired by Robin Ryan. Published by VERMILION.
He suggests identifying 5 key activities you were involved in within your employment career, look at questions you might be asked in relation to the new job, and come up with short scenarios linking both.
It really does work.
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Posted By Stuart Boorman
Hi,
Thanks for the advise. I like the advise about being yourself as you don't know what the interviewer actually wants in a candidate. That's what I'll do next time and I suspect I will come accross as more relaxed and less nervous because of it. I will check the book out too.
Anyway, hopefuly I won't need any more interview advice as I have actually been offered the job that I had the interview for, so I can't have done that badly! Should I ever need to attend an interview again I will bear your advice in mind though. Many thanks.
Stuart
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