The document provides tips for both conducting job interviews as an interviewer and participating in job interviews as an interviewee. It advises interviewers to thoroughly prepare questions, make the interviewee comfortable, ask open-ended questions, and probe for details when needed. Interviewees are advised to research the company, prepare answers to common questions, have examples of their achievements ready, and maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview.

1. HOW TO
INTERVIEW
Learn How to Carry Out an
Interview of a Prospective
Employee

2. Interview Tips - for
Interviewers
 Read prospective employees CV thoroughly
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and make relevant notes.
You must makes notes of the questions you
intend to ask - otherwise you'll forget.
Decide the essential things you need to learn
and prepare questions to probe them.
Plan the environment - privacy, no interruptions,
ensure the interviewee is looked after while they
wait.
Arrange the seating in an informal relaxed way.
Don't sit behind a desk directly facing the
interviewee - sit around a coffee table or meeting
room table.
Clear your desk, apart from what you need for the
interview, so it shows you've prepared and are
organized, which shows you respect the situation
and the interviewee.
Put the interviewee at ease - it's stressful for
them, so don't make it any worse.

3.  Begin by explaining clearly and concisely the
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general details of the organization and the role.
Ask open-ended questions - how, why, tell me,
what, (and to a lesser extent where, when, which)
to get the interviewee talking.
Make sure the interviewee does 90% of the
talking.
Use 'How?' and 'What?' questions to prompt
examples and get to the real motives and feelings.
'Why?' questions place more pressure on people
because they suggest that justification or defence
is required. 'Why?' questions asked in succession
will probe and drill down to root causes and
feelings, but use with care as this is a highpressure form of questioning and will not allow
sensitive or nervous people to show you how good
they are. Think about how your questions will
make the interviewee feel. Your aim and
responsibility as an interviewer is to understand
the other person - not to intimidate, which does not
facilitate understanding.
High pressure causes people to clam up and
rarely exposes hidden issues - calm, relaxed,
gentle, clever questions are far more revealing.
Probe the CV/resume/application form to clarify
any unclear points.

4.  If possible, and particularly for any position
above first-line jobs, use some form of
psychometric test, or graphology, and have the
results available for the interview, so you can
discuss them with the interviewee. Always give
people the results of their tests. Position the test
as a helpful discussion point, not the deciding
factor. Take care when giving the test to explain
and reassure. Ensure the test is done on your
premises - not sent in the post.
 Give interviewees opportunities to ask their
own questions. Questions asked by interviewees
are usually very revealing. They also help good
candidates to demonstrate their worth, especially if
the interviewer has not asked great questions or
there is a feeling that a person has for any reason
not had the chance to show their real capability
and potential.

5. Interview Tips - for
Interviewees
How to Carry Out an Interview
as an Interviewee

6.  Research as much as you can about the
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company - products, services, markets,
competitors, trends, current activities, priorities.
Prepare your answers for the type of questions
you'll be asked, especially, be able to say why
you want the job, what your strengths are, how
you'd do the job, what your best achievements
are.
Prepare good questions to ask at the interview.
Related to the above, request a copy of the
company's employment terms and conditions or
employee handbook before the interview, in order
to save time covering routine matters during the
interview.
Assemble hard evidence (make sure it's clear
and concise) of how what you've achieved in the
past - proof will put you ahead of those who
merely talk about it.
Have at least one other interview lined up, or
have a recent job offer, or the possibility of
receiving one from a recent job interview, and
make sure you mention it to the interviewer.
Make sure your resume/CV is up to date,
looking very good and even if already supplied to
the interviewer take three with you (one for the
interviewer, one for you and a spare in case the
interviewer brings a colleague in to the meeting).

7.  Get hold of the following material and read it,
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and remember the relevant issues, and ask
questions about the areas that relate to the
organisation and the role. Obtain and research:
the company's sales brochures and literature, a
trade magazine covering the company's market
sector, and a serious newspaper for the few days
before the interview so you're informed about
world and national news. Also worth getting hold
of: company 'in-house' magazines or newsletters,
competitor leaflets, local or national newspaper
articles featuring the company.
Review your personal goals and be able to
speak openly and honestly about them and how
you plan to achieve them.
Ensure you have two or three really good
reputable and relevant references, and check
they'd each be happy to be contacted.
Adopt an enthusiastic, alert, positive mind-set.
Particularly think about how to deal positively
with any negative aspects - especially from the
perspective of telling the truth, instead of evading
or distorting facts, which rarely succeeds.

8.  Try to get some experience of personality
tests. Discover your personality strengths and
weaknesses that would be indicated by a test, and
be able to answer questions positively about the
results. (Do not be intimidated by personality
testing - expose yourself to it and learn about
yourself.)
 Think about what to wear.
 Some jobs invite or offer opportunity to re-define or
develop the role itself. It might be a existing role or
a new position. If so prepare for this. Most jobs in
fact offer this potential, but sometimes it is a stated
requirement.

9. Your Name - Curriculum Vitae
Insert your name. Use whatever heading(s) you prefer.
Click on the red box borders to delete them. The first
section is about your personality - use statements that
relate to the requirements of the job and the employer.
Personal Profile / Personal Attributes
•Create 5-7 descriptive bullet-point phrases that describe your strengths and attributes
•These statements should also reflect the personal qualities that the employer seeks
•Keep the statements simple and clear; one line for each statement
•Keep to a consistent format; use professional, concise, intelligent language
•Use good, appropriate punctuation; semi-colons are effective for joining word-strings
•Ensure you are able to back-up and provide an example for each statement you make
This shows what you can do - it’s about your capabilities. Relate
them to the job requirements and the employer's needs.
Experience / Specialisms
•Create 5-7 professional statements which explain your experience and/or specialisms
•Select the experience that best fits your capabilities and the needs of the new job
•Ensure each statement provides an example of a different capability
•For example, planning, communicating, problem-solving, analysing, etc.
This shows what you have done and indicates your credibility and
potential. Relate this to the job requirements. Achievements need not all
be work-based.
Achievements
•Create 3-7 professional statements which describe your achievements
•Select the examples that best illustrate capabilities relevant to the needs of the new job
•Try to show a variety of types of achievements
•Achievements need not be work-related, especially for young people with little work history
•Ensure you attach context, scale, facts and figures to your achievements described
Career History
•mth/year-mth/year - job title/function/responsibilities - employer/city - industry
•mth/year-mth/year - job title/function/responsibilities - employer/city - industry
•mth/year-mth/year - job title/function/responsibilities - employer/city - industry
Briefly list your past jobs, employers, industry, and dates (mth/yr). Most recent first.
Try to keep the details in neat columns. Briefly state responsibilities if not selfexplanatory from the job titles. If appropriate state at the end: ‘References are available
upon request’.
Personal Details
•name
•address
•phone numbers
•email
•DOB (date of birth)
•marital status
•driving licence
•dependents (children)
Education and qualifications
•school, college, dates, etc
•qualifications
Hobbies
•it is helpful to show hobbies that reflect
qualities which relate to the job
requirements
Insert your contact information, education, etc, in these two boxes