Everyone knows that a brilliant application is only the first step towards landing a great job – it’s what comes after you’ve submitted your CV that really matters.
But despite knowing that the job offer of your dreams hinges on your performance at the interview stage – or stages – it’s at those crucial meetings that the majority of candidates come unstuck.
Whether it’s nerves that throw you off or a curveball question from a stony-faced interviewer, there’s nothing more frustrating than failing to put your best foot forward when you’re in front of the decision makers at your ideal organisation.
The good news, however, is that interviewing well doesn’t require some rare and innate talent. Rather, it is a skill that can be acquired and honed like any other, according to Gary Gamp.
The UK-based career coach and business leader, who has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, has now turned his attention to the plight of young people eager to get a foot in the door and build their careers.
The majority of candidates are said to come unstuck at the interview stage of the job application process (stock image)
Realising that school-leavers and university graduates are often plunged into the world of work with little guidance on how to get the job they want, he has published a book filled with insider tips and tricks that’ll help candidates succeed.
In ‘Career Catalyst: Ten Secret Job Skills They Don’t Teach You At School’, Gamp, who has built up decades of experience training employees at huge firms including AT&T and Orange Business Services, draws on his real-world experience to help prospective employees thrive in their careers.
In his new book, available on Amazon, there’s a whole chapter dedicated to navigating the interview stage of the job application process.
From the chapter entitled ‘How to be an interview genius’, here are Gamp’s top tips:
1. PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING
‘It’s all about confidence. The more you plan – and the more you understand the questions and the people you’ll be in front of – the more confident you’re going to be.
‘Any question they ask you, any situation that comes up, it’s likely that you’ve already rehearsed for it and you’re ready for it.
‘We all know the old cliché “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”. That rings true, and preparation makes an enormous difference.
However, interviewing well doesn’t require some rare and innate talent. Rather, it is a skill that can be acquired and honed like any other, according to the expert (stock image)
‘Failure shouldn’t be an option, but preparation will take a weight off your shoulders and give you the best chance of being selected.
‘So how do you start? The best thing to do is research the company by looking at their website.
‘If they’re a public company, they should have an annual report. You can normally find this on the investor relations page.
‘In the first five pages, you will see the strategy outlined by the CEO as well as the risk page, where they normally do their “dirty washing” and explain all the company’s problems – as if it was an internal document.
‘This will provide you with key insights and topics related to the company you can discuss. That will absolutely impress them.
‘When you’re rehearsing for your interview, I recommend you do it on your own, out loud, in front of a mirror. Don’t worry about feeling stupid. It’s just you and no one else at this stage.
‘When you verbalise something and feel good about it, it helps ingrain the process in your head. Then, when you’re feeling brave enough and well-rehearsed enough, do it with your partner or your friend.
‘Get them to fire questions at you. It’s likely that if you’ve done your research, then most of the things you’ve practised will come up.
Gary Gamp, a UK-based career coach and business leader who has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, has shared his top interview tips in his new book entitled ‘Career Catalyst: Ten Secret Job Skills They Don’t Teach You At School’ (stock image)
‘It’s important to think about the questions the company is going to ask you. Think about the role, look at the job description, and use their language to predict the questions they’re going to ask you. It’s much more obvious than you think, but it usually boils down to three key ones. I call this: The gruesome threesome…
- What are your strengths? It’s okay to blow your own trumpet and you can connect back to what they’re looking for.
- What are your weaknesses? This is less comfortable. They might phrase it differently, but you’ve got to be ready for this one and you have to give something away – just don’t give them the crown jewels. I always say, “I’m a very driven person and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea”.
- Why should we give you the job? You need to have thought this one through and it will help you look strong.’
2. TAKE CONTROL OF THE INTERVIEW
‘You need to think of your interview like it’s a performance, because as soon as you arrive, it’s showtime. This next bit is really important. The interview has already started the moment you start speaking to the person who collects you in reception.
‘I don’t know who they are. They might be important, they might not be, but everyone involved in your interview process is usually asked what they think of you at some point, so be on your game from minute one.
‘The non-verbals are just as important as the verbals. You need to get your body language right. Try to look relaxed. It’s a conversation between two adults. They’re not more important than you, you’re not more important than them.
Career Catalyst: Ten Secret Job Skills They Don’t Teach You at School by Gary Gamp is out now on Amazon, available on Kindle and paperback
‘I call this piloting your participation. You’re taking control of this session – because this is what you’ve planned for.
‘So, how do you come across as relaxed and on your game without seeming to be arrogant? You’ve got to have confident vulnerability. Vulnerable enough that you’re interested and open-minded enough to listen and learn – but not too needy.
‘Then you have to be confident enough that you know what you’re doing, and you’ve got something about you. Your job is to find the balance between confidence and vulnerability. That stops you being arrogant.
‘Here is one of my favourite things to do at the beginning of an interview – and if it’s executed well, it can give you a huge advantage for the rest of your time with the interviewer.
‘The most important thing to do when you go in is ask a good question at the beginning, then anchor everything else you’re doing in that session to the answer. You need to find a question that applies to you, but I’ll give you an example.
‘I might ask, “For this role, what does good look like for you and what is the type of person you’re looking for? What would make the biggest difference to making this role successful?”
‘Based on that, everything else I’m doing in this interview will be anchored back to their answer to my original question. It’s a killer question because you’re making an instant connection.
‘We want to make them think as early as possible that we are perfect for the role – then they’ll start selling it to you.
‘Your interviewer might say, “We need someone who is business-minded with very good customer experience”, for example. As you go through your experience, you can then link back to those things.’
3. NEVER BE DEFENSIVE
‘It’s really important throughout the process to never be defensive. If you’ve ever watched The Apprentice, when they do the interview part, you can see they’re trying to get the candidate’s goat – that’s what they trip over on.
‘The key is to never let the interviewer know where your goat is tied up. Never be fazed.’
- Career Catalyst: Ten Secret Job Skills They Don’t Teach You at School by Gary Gamp is out now on Amazon, available on Kindle and paperback
