You've tailored your CV meticulously, researched the
company you wish to work for, investigated your potential future
role and now you face the biggest obstacle between yourself and
that new job: the interview.
The first lesson that needs to be learnt to achieve success is to
understand that abilities, qualifications and even the perfect CV
will not be enough for your future employer, and IT is no different
in this respect than any other industry.
The IT sector places little emphasis on personal or softer skills
and many interviewees believe that IT expertise and qualifications
will win the day when it comes to landing their next IT post.
But this is not the case, said Sally Glover, career development
manager at Cranfield School of Management. She said that for IT
jobs that involve management, candidates need to convey an aptitude
for personal skills as well as technical abilities. Managerial and
people skills are not always prevalent in candidates for IT roles,
but without them you could be throwing your chances away.
A common problem in interviews for IT posts is that the applicants
are too eager to impress by rattling off a 25-year history of their
IT career to date. Selectiveness is key, Glover said.
If you have been in the industry for some time, it is inevitable
you will have racked up a number of projects, but to impress your
potential employer you need to keep these to a minimum. Select
projects which emphasise unique expertise or a project which is
particularly relevant to the post you are applying for. "You do not
want to ramble on forever and ever. Err on the side of shorter
answers," she said.
The company will check your abilities and qualifications and they
may have done this before the interview, Glover said. She
recommended that candidates be aware of what they have included on
their CV and be prepared to discuss it in detail.
Olivier Picard, consultant at Interviewing Skills Consulting, said
that interviewees must always provide real information to
substantiate what they say.
But all this will be wasted if you fail to make an impact in those
crucial first seconds. The interview starts the moment you walk
through the door and the interviewer will make judgements about you
within the first 30 seconds, said recruiter and career coach John
Lees, author of How to Get a Job You'll Love and Top Answers to
Tough Questions.
"The ways you dress, sound and move are all taken quite wrongly -
as indicators of your job performance. Read the dress and behaviour
codes of the company and try to look and sound as if you already
work there," Lees said.
Many IT jobs do not require the employee to wear a suit, but it
would be suicide to turn up in anything other than a dark blue or
black suit, said Picard.
But if you fail to make an impact at the start, all is not lost,
said Glover. An average interview will give you about 45 minutes to
redeem yourself. A shaky start can be remedied if you provide
structured answers, keep to three or four points for each question
and develop each point into 30 or 40 seconds. Make your answers
clear and avoid broad statements, but remember to be yourself and
be personable.
Rounding off the interview is as important as the start, as what
you say in the final few minutes could make or break your pitch -
it will be what the interviewer remembers most.
Make sure you are prepared for a few killer questions to be thrown
in, such as "Where do you want to be in five years time?" or "Why
do you want this job?" Remember that a good interviewer will ask
you about your failures and weaknesses more than your strengths.
This is why preparation will benefit you in every aspect of the
interview.
If you make it through the potential minefield of difficult and
awkward questions, do not be embarrassed to state your interest in
the job and thank them for their time, Glover said.
It is important to remember that a job interview is about conveying
not only a combination of your skills and qualifications but also
about presenting yourself in personal terms, particularly if you
are going for a managerial IT position.
The ability to communicate well in IT is an important yet
underestimated requirement. Simply being a technical expert in IT
is not enough.
Confident body language
- Sit upright but be relaxed. Sit slightly forward as this
indicates interest rather than a laid-back posture
- Do not fold your arms as this could be construed as
defensive
- Make eye contact but do not stare at the interviewer, as this
is confrontational and aggressive. Instead, try to look away at
regular intervals and then maintain contact again
- If possible, subtly mimic the interviewer's body language. This
is what we do naturally when we like somebody and has the effect of
putting people at their ease
- A firm handshake while maintaining eye contact is crucial. This
suggests enthusiasm and professionalism, while a weak handshake
could convey a lack of enthusiasm and is generally considered
impolite
- Moderate use of hand gestures while talking is advisable, but
too much could make you appear too excitable and lacking
control
- Leaning back in your chair will make you appear unenthused and
nonchalant
Questions to ask the interviewer
- What are the training opportunities?
- What projects will I be working on in my first month?
- What are the areas in which the company is planning to
develop?
- How might my role develop? Source: Olivier Picard, consultant,
Interviewing Skills Consulting
Top 10 mistakes
- Lack of preparation
- Arriving late
- Lying
- Rambling
- Answering too briefly
- Inappropriate dress
- Trying too hard to impress. Be yourself
- Swearing
- Asking about salary or holiday packages in your first
interview
- Asking questions about the company that you should have already
seen on the website or brochure
Source: Olivier Picard, consultant, Interviewing Skills
Consulting
Ten tips for successful interviews
- Wear a suit and tie regardless of the post you are going for
and the company's code of dress
- Be punctual. Arriving too early can be just as bad as arriving
too late
- Read and understand your CV. Be prepared to explain gaps
- Be honest. A good interviewer will probe those areas that
appear superficial and weak
- Never use bad language - even if the interviewer does
- Make sure you have strong examples to back up your experience
and CV
- Research the organisation you hope to work for
- Prepare your questions in advance
- Relax and take your time. If you need time to think about a
question, ask for longer
- Read the job description thoroughly.Source: Reed
Technology