Interview guide
Step 3: Interviews
1. Competency-based questions
They target one or more skills/competencies such as teamwork, leadership, and commercial awareness.
Example:
“Describe a situation where you showed leadership.”
For more examples click here.
2. Behavioural-based Interview Questions
They are focused on your past experiences, where interviewers observe if you have the necessary skills for the role you are applying for. Questions will be asked on how you handled various work situations in the past.
The STAR approach is the best strategy for behavioural type questions.
Example: “Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague”
For more examples, click here and here.
3. Case Interview Questions
They are used by recruiters to gauge your analytical and problem-solving abilities by presenting you with a business situation and observing how you manage the situation.
Example: “Firm X is considering purchasing a competitor’s company. Would this be a wise business decision for Firm X?”
For more examples click here.
4. Situational Interview Questions
They are quite similar to behavioural-based interview questions, where you are asked how you would approach difficult issues and circumstances in the workplace.
Example: “If you knew your colleague was wrong about something, how would you handle it?”
For more examples, click here.
5. Role-playing interviews
They are ones where interviewers will give you real workplace scenarios and ask you to assume the role of the company when acting out the hypothetical situation.
Common role-playing exercises include handling a customer complaint, marketing a new product or marketing your product to your clientele.
Video Interview
- A video interview typically occurs early on in the application process. Candidates are normally called for a video interview after the CV and cover stage of the application process.
- There are two main types of video interviews: synchronous and asynchronous.
- Synchronous interviews are conducted live over the internet, with both the interviewer and the candidate in attendance. This is often used as an alternative to an in-person interview.
- Asynchronous video interviews are recorded by the job seeker at a time convenient to them. Typically, the applicant responds to questions displayed by the video interview platform. Applicants will be given between 30 seconds to 1 minute between each question to write down their thoughts. The hiring manager is not present for the interview. This form of interview is getting more and more popular as it helps recruiters screen applicants faster. Some companies have developed their own platform for carrying out asynchronous video interviews while others use platforms such as ‘Hirevue’ and ‘skeeled’.
Preparing for your Video Interview
- Research the role and company that you are applying for.
You should be prepared to answer technical questions during the interview about the role and day-to-day responsibilities of the job or programme you are applying for. It is important to know the principals and cultures of the company that you are applying to and tailor your answers to show that you exhibit those skills and values.
- Practice common video interview questions
It would be advisable for you to rehearse and practice so that you familiarise yourself with the questions as well as getting rid of anxiety . Outline your answers for some of the questions so that your answers are clear and concise. This will also train you to utilise the short preparation time in between questions.
Telephone Interview
A telephone interview is a pre-scheduled job interview (typically lasting half an hour), depending entirely on the recruiter. Plenty of employers still use telephone interviews as part of their recruitment process. Telephone interviews are more personalised, and typically comes after the video interview stage.
Telephone Interview Tips
- Make sure you know your CV and cover letter inside out. This is what you’ll be questioned on, after all, so make sure that you’re prepared for questions regarding your employment and education experience.
- Be enthusiastic and sell yourself – even if you do not have all the experiences or qualifications. Remember that there is always an underlying skill in everything that you have done.
- Use the ‘STAR’ technique for competency-based interview questions.
- Be in a distraction-free area so that your train of thought is not disrupted.
- Refer to your notes sparingly – do not rely on them heavily/ keep scrunching or flipping your notes as the recruiter can hear.
- Have a glass of water nearby in case of nerves.
- Dress as if you were meeting in person to put you in a professional frame of mind. This mindset will allow you to feel as if you are attending an in-person interview.
- Write down any questions that you would like to ask.
- Listen carefully to all the questions and think before answering.
In-Person Interview
- An in-person interview refers to the face-to-face meeting of the interviewee with the interviewer.
- This is typically the last stage of the application process after the Assessment Center, where you will have an interview with the firm’s hiring manager, partner or CEO.
- In-Person Interviews usually last for 30 minutes to 1 hour and are held in the company’s office.
- At this stage, the company is already very keen to have you. Still, they want to know more about you and your personality to see if it coincides with the firm’s culture and principles.
- This is the traditional mode of interview which companies are following, and we hope that it continues after the current pandemic.
In-Person Interview Tips
- Make sure you know your CV and cover letter inside out. Make sure that you’re prepared for questions regarding your employment and education experience.
- Be enthusiastic and sell yourself – even if you do not have all the experiences or qualifications. Remember that there is always an underlying skill in everything that you have done.
- Use the ‘STAR’ technique for competency-based interview questions.
- Wear something professional to leave your recruiter with a good impression of the type of candidate you are.
- Listen carefully to all the questions asked and organise your thoughts in your head so that you will be able to provide a precise and structured answer.
- Do your RESEARCH on the firm. Know why you are applying for this role, this firm and location – the more detailed your answer, the better.
- Pre-prepare 2 questions to ask the interviewer at the end. Ask questions that will leave a lasting impression on the interviewer.
- Practice your handshake – firm and short.
- Control your body language – hand gestures, eye contact, body posture and most importantly – smile!
- Speak clearly, continuously and with projection.