Job interview advise please

[CurrerBell1979]

Hello I have seen a few threads about recruitment and job interviews here and there were helpful advise from people in HR etc. so wanted to ask for help and handhold 😊

Back story, am not in the UK nor is English my first language, where I live the job market is hard now and it is super hard to get a interview (probably like in so many places in Europe now). I was made redundant this summer and many companies are restructuring and laying people off.

Anyway, I have a phone interview next week with a huge international company and am SO nervous, the interview will be in English and with a recruiter from their main office (I think)

We are a lot less formal in my country then in many other places in Europe and am afraid to appear improper or too informal

Have any of you any good advise about does and don’t when interviewing with a huge global company (not from your country)?

The position is similar too my previous one so I know I am very capable and could do it well (and would at their office in my home city)

Bump :)

The best advice is to just be yourself and sell the great skills you have. Give them examples of when you demonstrated key skills such as working under pressure, working well with other colleagues etc.

If you've got an interview, they obviously know you can do the job and are suitable for the role, otherwise they wouldn't want to waste their time and yours.

Have you been given any information about the interview to help?

Also, being less formal isn't always a negative thing. Most Interviewers love to see people's personalities come out so they can decide if they would be a good fit for the company - just try not to swear or appear rude in any way.

Hope that helps and good luck xx

I have had initial telephone interviews for my last two jobs. Both were competency based.

My advice is to read the job description and person spec very carefully and think about the experience that you have that they need.

In my experience they want specific examples of how you handled situations. So the question might be 'tell me about a time when you diffused conflict' . The answers need to include background, what you did, the outcome and anything you'd do differently with hindsight.

Think about the type of situations that the interviewer might ask and get plenty of examples ready so that you don't have to think on your feet.

My fail safe was to google/think of as many typical questions as possible and write out the answer in advance. I’m not suggesting you read them out but it helps to make sure it’s fresh in your mind. Also use the annual report to get material for your answer - especially the usual question of why you want to work for this company. Make sure it’s clear that you’ve done your research from your responses. My husband once failed a phone interview that he’d done good preparation for because he hadn’t peppered his responses with relevant details about the company and industry.

If they are not native English speakers themselves they may not register swearing but otherwise, I totally agree about the point not to swear.

A telephone point is to allow down your speech. Your speech will be faster than usual due to nerves so if you can keep hold of it and force yourself to speak more slowly you will come across as less nervous.

Just in case they meant Skype it's a good idea to have your hair brushed and clean and be wearing a nice top and have a clean area of your house to see.

Slow down not allow down

Stand up throughout the phone call if you can, it makes a difference to the timbre of your voice.

All of the above plus have the job description in front of you.

Thank you all so much for good advises!

I am preparing now and finding examples, also reading more about the company

and trying to think of good questions to ask them

Will 100 % not swear :) we are informal here but not that informal

Agree with the advice given above.

However, I wouldn’t say the UK is necessarily that formal when it comes to work-related interactions compared to some other cultures. For instance, we tend to use first names and don’t address people by job title other than in very specific fields. Where are you based? It may not actually be that different!

CooperTrolley
I am in a Scandinavian country

Ah, then I suspect you won’t find it so different in terms of formality!

Thank you Cooper ! :)

so nervous but so exciting

Those of you that have interviewed with a company not from your country, would you ask any different questions about the job and the company ?

2 hours to go!

thanks for all the good advise :)

How did it go?

I'm on tenterhooks waiting to find out how you did! I hope it went well and you got a good experience from it.

Let us know xx

Interviewer " what's your greatest weakness ?"

"Probably my honesty"

Interviewer " I don't think that's a weakness"

" I don't give a fuck what you think"

ahh thanks for thinking of me :)

I did go OK I think, did not go as deep into things as was hoping but the recruiter sounded positive and now I am just crossing fingers and hoping for a second interview with them!

got a second interview with them!

Fingers crossed still and a lot of prep going on

Thanks for all the tips, please keep them coming if you have any more :)

Good luck!

If you have any specialist skills or you have done courses maybe look up how to say that in English.

some update :)

I am going to second face to face interview tomorrow! so third interview over all