Job Interview

If you're invited for a job interview, you'll be nervous. This is perfectly normal, as you want to present yourself at your best and really want that job or internship. You'll find that if you're well-prepared, you'll be less nervous and therefore perform better.

Things to prepare for

• What do you know about the organisation? Besides studying a website, it’s also advisable to look up news or current events, for example. What you find van also be a great icebreaker.
   
• Who is (or are) your interviewer(s)?

This could be the CEO of an organisation, a recruiter, a future colleague or your future manager, for example. Remember that everyone has a different agenda. A future manager will likely want to know how you fit into the team, a director will want to know how you view the company's vision, and a recruiter might ask you about your strengths.

Look up your interviewer(s) on Google or LinkedIn and try to gauge what they might want to know about you.

Note: The person you're interviewing with will likely also look you up online. So be aware of what they can find.

• How will the interview take place?

Is it a face-to -face interview at the company? A phone interview or online? Or perhaps a case interview, where you have to solve a case related to the job you’re applying for?

Note: the tips you receive apply to all types of interviews to a greater or lesser extent. Separate attention is given to online interviews.

• Is this a first, second or perhaps third interview?

A first interview can be more of an introduction, while a second or third interview can delve deeper. 

• What questions can you expect?

Check the list of sample questions to get an idea of what to expect. 

• What's your story?

‘Name a strength?’ ‘Have you ever experienced stress?’ are questions you can expect during a conversation. They're usually followed by ‘Can you give me an example?’

‘Tell me about yourself’ could also come up, perhaps even in the first few minutes of your interview.

What do you want to say about yourself and what examples do you want to use to demonstrate your competencies, for example? More information can be found on the elevator pitch page.

• Practical matters
  • When and what time are you expected?
  • What is the location, travel distance and how will you get to the interview?
  • Do you have their contact information, in case your train is delayed?
  • Do you know what is the dress code for the interview and/or organisation in question?
  • Don’t forget to bring your CV and cover letter.

These may seem like small things, but they can cause a huge amount of stress if something goes wrong.   

When you answer, think of an example!
If you don't know what to say, ask a question of your own:

• What do you mean by this question?
• Is it relevant for the position?
• I don’t understand you, could you be more specific?

About yourself

• Tell us something about yourself? / What can you tell us about yourself?
• What do you do in your free time?
• Walk us through your CV
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• If we were to call your best friend, what would he/she tell us about you?
• What are your interests?
• Who will we gain if we hire you?

Education

• Why did you choose this particular programme?
• Which subjects appealed to you most or least, and why?
• What does your programme entail?
• Why did it take you so long to complete your studies?
• Why did you (not) take additional courses?
• What else do you want to learn?
• Why didn’t you finish your programme?

Motivation for the organisation

• What do you know about our organisation?
• Do you know who our competitors are?
• Why do you want to work for us?
• Which trends do you think are most important for an organisation like ours?
• How do you think we can improve something in our organisation?

Motivation for the position

• What can you offer us that others won’t?
• What do you find most appealing about this job?
• What do you find less appealing?
• Are you willing to work overtime?
• What do you consider a commercial mindset?
• How would you describe your customer focus?
• What’s your attitude toward meetings?
• How do you handle clients’ requests that are difficult to fulfill?
• What do you believe clients are entitled to?
• What will you do if you don’t meet the schedule?
• Why should we choose you?
• You don’t have the required experience. How will you compensate?
• Why are you applying for this position?
• What do you expect from this job?
• We think you’re overqualified for this job. How do you feel about this?
• How committed are you, as not every day is challenging?
• What do you consider most important in your job?
• What do you already know about this vacancy?

You as a colleague

• What leadership style do you have?
• What do you consider the most important qualities for new colleagues?
• How do you feel when an uncertain situation suddenly arises?
• How successful have you been so far, in your opinion?
• How do you handle conflict situations?
• What makes you a pleasant colleague?
• Which people do you absolutely not get along with?
• What are you proud of?
• Can you improvise?
• Can you accept direction?
• Can you collaborate?
• Can you work idependently?
• How resilient are you under stress?
• What knowledge, skills and qualities do you consider important for this job?
• Do you possess these skills?
• Can you describe a situation in which you received criticism?
• How do you identify problems?
• How do you generally solve problems?
• Can you describe a problematic situation you’ve encountered, and how did you resolve it?
• How do you think you could prevent problems?
• How do you establish and maintain contact?
• Have you ever failed in your studies or work? What happened?

Ambition

• What salary are you considering?
• How long do you want to work for us?
• What is your long-term goal?
• Where will you be in five years?
• What do you value in your work?
• Where do you see this job in your career?
• What expectations would you have for this job?
• How do you feel about working at a lower level?
• What are you looking for? A job or a career?

If you already have a job

• What are your most important tasks?
• What did you do in your previous position(s)?
• Why have you had so many different jobs?
• What is your greatest success?
• What have you learned so far?
• What is the most challenging part of your job?
• Why are you looking for another job?
• Why were you fired?

Availability

• How soon are you available?
• When can you start?
• How soon do you expect to be up and running?
• Do you have any other applications currently pending?
• For an internship: how long will your internship last? Or when would you like to intern?
• What is your notice period?

Conclusion

• Do you have any questions?
• What is your impression of our organisation?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• Do you have a driver’s license?
• Do you have a car?
• What did you think of this interview?
• Is there a question I didn't ask, that you were expecting?

Inappropriate questions

• Are you pregnant?
• Do you want to have children?
• Are you religious? If so, which religion?
• Are you a member of a political party? If so, which party?
• How do you plan to combine this job with your family life?

And what questions do you have? As mentioned, a job interview is a two-way street, and you probably have questions too.

Below is a list of potential questions you can ask yourself during a job interview. Don't be afraid to ask questions yourself. After all, it's not only the company's opportunity to determine whether they want you, but also yours to determine whether you truly want the position. To achieve this, it's important to get a good impression of the organisation and the position. Furthermore, asking questions, provided they're sincere, also shows interest and care. Don't ask questions whose answers you could already know.

About the organisation

• What are the challenges the organisation will face in the coming year?
• What are the biggest threats?
• Who are your main competitors?
• How do you differentiate yourself from them?
• What are the most important problems the organisation is currently facing?
• Who are your most important customers?
• How would they describe the quality of your service?
• Can you describe the atmosphere within the organisation?
• Why is it more attractive for me to work for you than your competitor?
• What is the employee turnover rate?
• What makes it enjoyable to work here?

About the position

• Can you describe exactly what the position entails within the organisation?
• Who will I report to?
• Who will I receive assignments from?
• Who will report to me?
• Can you describe the profile of the ideal candidate for this position in your opinion?
• How will the new employee in this position be evaluated?
• What development opportunities are available?
• What is the position of my position within the organisation?
• What expectations do you / does the organisation have regarding my position?
• What is the most important aspect of my position?
• What will my first tasks or assignment be?
• What will my first day look like?

About the application (procedure) 

• What are the reasons for hiring someone outside the company?
• What led to this vacancy?
• What does the selection process entail?
• When can I expect a response?

Not every interview is the same, but a job interview often consists of fixed components. These can vary in order, but it gives you an idea of what to expect. 
The first interview will cover the following: 

• Introduction
• Questions about your CV and personal background
• Questions about your (work) experience and suitability for the position
• Questions about your enthusiasm for the position and the organisation
• Questions you would like to ask the employer
• Conslusion of the interviewand the procedure. 

During follow-up interviews, the above points will be discussed in more detail. You can also expect more professional questions during follow-up interviews. You may also have a follow-up interview with other interviewers. The employer may also present you with a case study (existing work situation) to which you must respond on the spot, or you may be given a role-playing exercise

Make sure that you can always explain the following topics in the first and follow-up round(s) of interviews:

• The structure of your CV. (Why did you make certain choices? What exactly did you do? What have you learned)
• Your motivation letter.
• Your knowledge, skills and personal qualities  
• Your motivation for the position and the organisation (use the STARR method, for example)
• The content of the vacancy, including specific job requirements and tasks

The final interview is usually about terms of employment. Keep in mind that there's no standard format for a job interview! It's quite possible you won't be asked questions about your motivation for the organisation or that employment conditions will be discussed in the first interview. So prepare well and prepare to be surprised!

• Be yourself; ultimately, it's all about the click between you and the person representing the organisation.
• Introduce yourself and make eye contact.
• Smile and be friendly.
• Show that you’re prepared. So, bring your CV, cover letter and any notes. Also, make sure you have a pen and paper with you to take notes if necessary.
• Prepare a list of questions beforehand and place it on the table next to you.
• Despite your nerves, try to maintain a relaxed posture.
• If you’re very nervous, please let the interviewer(s) know so they can take it into account.

• An interview is a two-way street. So, you don’t have to save all your questions for the end. Follow up with a question whenever possible.
• Keep your answers short and simple.
• Avoid using abbreviations and professional jargon if you think the other person isn’t understanding you.
• Remain positive and friendly at all times.
• Use open-ended questions to tell your story. Questions that begin with ‘what, who, why, how and when’.
• Be honest in your answers.
• If you don’t understand a question, say so. Ask for clarification.
• Feel free to think about your answer, for example, if it’s a difficult question.
• Repeat the interviewer’s question after you’ve given it some thought; this will bring peace of mind.
• Thank the interviewer(s) for the interview afterward.  

• Being late.
• A poor connection, a broken camera or an unmade bed in the background during an online interview.
• A weak handshake.
• Leaving your phone on.
• Becoming rude or arrogant during the interview.
• Arguing with the interviewer.
• Knowing nothing about the organisation.
• Negatively discussing a previous employer.
• Talking excessively. This often happens due to nerves, for example.
• Using the term ‘we’ when asked about your role.
• Ignore other employees you see or encounter. These might be your future colleagues.