A recruiter's dream part IV: The Job interview

The recruiter's dream series aim to give potential candidates a few tips on how to approach their job hunting from a strategic angle and taking into consideration the point of view of the recruiter and, by extension, the organisation.

Over the last few weeks we have discussed the importance of planning and research as an initial stage in the Job Hunting process. This article will deal with the actual job interview: how to present yourself, from personal grooming to initial communication. Whilst some of the tips on this article may be seen by many of you as "common sense", again my experience as a recruiter indicates that it is not that obvious to many candidates.

Once you have finally received a reply from one (or many) of the organisations you sent your CV to, is time to think about presentation. Remember that I (the recruiter) have already pre-selected you among many other candidates and therefore you have the upper hand. Don't loose it!

The first thing to remember is to keep with you a list of all the organisations and jobs you have applied to. From this point on, getting the job will depend on how professional you come across; and by this I am not only refering to the actual interview.

On many occasions I contact a candidate and upon introducing myself, it becomes obvious that he/she does not remember what job was applied for, which hotel it is, its location or indeed anything else. Comments like: "I am sorry, I have sent my CV to so many places that I don't remember which ones they are" do not fill recruiters with confidence with regards to your interest in working for our organisations.

If you have followed the tips on our previous articles, you will have carried out a fair amount or research on each organisation you want to work for and also on each particular job. It will pay dividends to keep a list of these in your pocket until you get the job, so that when you get the call you sound confident and can immediately show the hard work you made at the preparation stage.

It is likely that the person who calls you will either be a department manager or an HR person. In any case, you are likely to be asked a few questions. I often use these to assess:

- The candidate's interest
- The candidate's communication skills

If your communication skills are not that great, make up for it by showing passion and commitment to working in that organisation (don't come accross as desperate though): "I really need a job" is unlikely to get you this one.

If you are not able to have a quiet conversation at this point, politely say so and offer to call back: make sure you have pen and paper to write telephone numbers and name of the caller. And then, call back as soon as possible!

When you get offered a personal interview, agree on a suitable date and time. Be as flexible as you can and be prepared to attend outside office hours if necessary. The timing can be tricky, particularly if you are already working. Wherever possible consider taking a day of holidays, morning off or alternative at your current job. If this is not an option, explain that you really want the job but that you currently have other work commitments. I can assure you: most recruiters will appreciate this honest approach and will be flexible enough to accommodate. Those who are not, do you really want to work for?

What to wear to a job interview?
Now, don't get me wrong: there are some truly informal employers out there who value casual wear and trendy clothing. These are the exception.

Forget what you may have heard before. There is only one option that guarantees success: wear a suit and tie, if you are a man, or a conservative dress, if you are a woman. Trust me, what you wear is important. It is the difference between coming across as professional or not.

IN (men)
Clean and crisp suit (grey, black, blue)
Clean and ironed shirt (plain white looks good)
Conservative tie
Black polished shoes
Dark socks
Clean shave
Short hair

OUT (men)
Anything other than the above
Visible tatoos
Any visible piercings

Look at the two images below:

Both look smart and clean and sexy. However a suit projects an image of sobriety and professionalism that a pair of jeans cannot.

I know that you probably have strong opinions about this, but follow my advice: I am interested in you and not your taste in fashion and as I was once told:

"Dress casual and they will only see the clothes, dress impeccably and they will only see the person"


If any of the ladies among you would like to share with us those "tips" for women, I am sure that you can do a much better job than me.

To be continued