All too often, recruitment agencies in London let candidates turn up for interview ill-prepared. This isn’t fair on the employer or the candidate. At Love Success, we’re a London recruitment agency that sees a vital part of our role as helping candidates prepare for interviews for office support jobs in London. Here are some ways to improve your interview technique from a leading London recruitment agency.
Put time into preparation
It seems silly to state it, but the best preparation you can do is to prepare. Don’t simply turn up, then wonder what went wrong. Instead, try to anticipate what will be asked of you and be ready. There are a few important ways of doing this:
- The interview location: Make sure you know exactly where the interview is and when. Ensure you’ve practised the journey if possible and plan to arrive a good 10 minutes early.
- The company: A sure way to impress interviewers is to show you care about working for them. This means that you need to do some homework to find out about this particular organisation. Your recruitment consultant should be able to help, but also read their website, particularly any newsletters they have available.
- What you need: Make sure you have your outfit planned and that it’s suitable for the particular workplace. Always be smart and well-presented. Have copies of your CV and any supporting documents to hand.
At the interview itself
Having done the steps above, you should be feeling relaxed and calm. When you arrive for the interview, realise that the selection process begins from the moment you walk through the door. Politely and confidently greet the reception staff and already have your mobile phone switched to silent.
When the interviewer arrives, shake hands firmly, smile, and make eye contact. Throughout the interview, try to address all interviewers equally and maintain eye contact appropriately. If you’re prone to gesticulating wildly when nervous, then place your hands on the table in front of you and strive to keep them there! Speak clearly and slowly.
Take your time to answer a question. It’s better to take a few moments to consider your answer than jump in without thought. They’re not trying to catch you out, they’re simply looking for the best candidate for their requirements.
Be honest and truthful, as well as positive and enthusiastic about the company. It’s good practice to ask questions that came up in your research about the company. Remember that an employer will value integrity over most things. Therefore, if you have gaps in your CV or don’t have a specific skill, be honest. Frame your answer positively. For example, talk about how you plan to develop your missing skills.
Don’t push the discussion on to things like salary and benefits. One huge benefit of using a London recruitment agency is that they can do much of this negotiation for you. If you jump the gun at interview, it can make you appear more concerned with what you can get out of the arrangement.
Be yourself. It won’t pay in the long term to be anything but your authentic personality. To be happy in your future role, you need to naturally fit the culture.
Following the interview
Once the interview is over, write down a few notes. Either email or call your consultant to give them your feedback. Your opinion matters just as much as the employer’s.
If you find that you particularly struggle at interview, then speak to your Love Success consultant in advance. They can spend some time preparing you for interview, considering common questions, and highlighting areas of your CV for discussion.
Love Success is a leading PA and secretarial recruitment agency in London.
Our recruiters can help you find secretarial jobs, office support jobs, and top PA jobs in London.
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