1. Read up about the Company you are Applying for.
You will find a wealth of information about history, business
lines and news on their website. And by all means read about their ambition,
strengths, social and environmental commitments, etc. show them that you’re
familiar with them, believe me its the best way to show them you’re interested
in the position.
2. Think about your career path
During the interview, you are expected to tell them where you
see yourself in five years’ time. Tell us about the job prospects you have in
mind, the geographic or functional mobility opportunities you are interested
in, and what the company can do for you (by way of training, for example) as
much as what you can do for the Group.
3. Practice
beforehand
All too often, people skip this step—even though it will help
you feel more self-assured when you come in for your interview. You can
practice alone or with someone. Rehearse your answers to the questions we are
bound to ask (“tell us about yourself”, “why are you interested in this job
offer”, etc.”). But be yourself: if you just recite over-prepared answers, your
memory might fail you, they might sound unnatural and your interviewer will
probably be unimpressed.
4. Prepare
your documents
Don’t turn up emptyhanded. Besides a notepad and pen, bring a
binder with a few copies of your resumé (after double-checking it for typos,
spelling and the like) and maybe even a few examples of your previous work or
references relating to the vacancy. Doing this will help you feel more
comfortable during the interview, and will bolster your application.
5. Plan
ahead
As they say, you don’t get a second chance to make a good first
impression. Arriving late, for whatever reason, sends the wrong message. Better
be safe than sorry: think about how you’re going to get here and allow for
anything that might go wrong (traffic jams, train cancellations, etc.).
Ideally, be here 10 minutes early to catch your breath before the interview.
6. Show them what you’ve got
Many candidates don’t “sell” themselves enough during their
interview. Be self-confident and enthusiastic when talking about your
experience and skills. Show us that we believe in the same values: that you’re
as open to the world, keen on teamwork and eager to take initiative as we are.
Show the recruiter that you will hit the ground running in your team and have no
trouble on-boarding the company’s processes.
7. Check your social-media image
Did you know that 85% of recruiters run online searches on the
candidates they meet? So do the same: Google your name and then search it on
social networks to make sure nothing you want to keep private is public. Adjust
your privacy settings if necessary. And keep your LinkedIn profile up to date,
in particular, to avoid any confusion about your exact academic and
professional background. If you want to remove any information about you from
Google searches, you can do so here.
8. Look the part
Again, first impressions matter. Be yourself, but dress for the
occasion. Pay attention to your look and, most importantly, smile a lot! Your
body language is as important as what you say.
9. Ask questions, think about how to wrap up the interview
To end on a positive note, think of two or three questions about
the job and the team, for example. Interviews aren’t one-way interrogations:
You are expected to ask questions to make sure the job is right for you. And it
will show us that you’re keen on this job, not just a job. Questions like “Do
you have room form advance training and career development” ?, “What do you
want candidate applying for this position to achieve in the first year” ? “When
should I expect feedback from you” ?
