In today’s job marketplace, the interview is increasingly a structured event, with each candidate being asked the same predetermined questions, rather than a process guided by whatever questions happen to float into the minds of the panel. A growing number of interviews are also situational; with candidates being asked questions such as “What would you do if …?”, or “How would you deal with a situation where…?” This approach lets them provide practical examples of how they would tackle a particular situation, whether or not they have had any direct experience of them. Interviews are also generally becoming a lot less formal, reflecting the decreasing importance attached to hierarchy within organisations. It has been found that despite all these efforts to bring the interview process up-to-date, employers frequently make the wrong choice. But although the interview may be a highly unreliable predictor of a candidate’s suitability, it remains the centrepiece of most organisations’ selection procedures.
From the point of view of the candidate, there are important pointers towards maximising the possibility of success at the interview stage. One of the most important is good preparation, both in personal appearance and in knowledge of what the job entails. Confidence gained in this way will enable the candidate to feel at ease, and to avoid the traps of either false modesty or overconfidence when answering questions in the interview.
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