Putting your best foot forward: interviewing for the job you deserve

Interview Tips
Believe it or not, interviewing is a skill!

It can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking when it comes to crunch time, and you need to sell yourself to the hiring company. Trust us, you are not alone. We are here to help you put your best foot forward with a few tips from our consultants:

Be on time – First impressions last. Turning up late for an interview whether it’s in-person or on video link, can leave a bad taste in the interviewer’s mouth. Arrive 10 mins early, with enough time to park and find where you are going, or to compose yourself pre-interview.

Be enthusiastic – Our aim is to place candidates in long-term roles with the right companies. Show your interviewer that you are keen and interested in the company and role you are applying for.

Do your research – Before your interview, it shows great initiative to look into the companies values and aims by looking through their social platforms and website, or even checking out/ trying the products in person. Going above and beyond to find something small to mention and to ask a question back to the interviewers will showcase your attention to detail and is also a great way to take the pressure off you during your interview. Make sure to also read the job description thoroughly and know what is going to be expected from you.

Know your CV – Embellished CVs are more common than you think. Don’t get caught out putting skills and experiences that you aren’t confident talking in depth about.

Be confident – Be confident in your abilities but not too confident that it comes across as arrogant. Try not to overthink things and just be yourself. Don’t forget they want to get to know YOU not who you are on paper.

Dress the part – Presenting yourself well is important. Dress clean and smart for your interview. If you are unsure of what to wear, speak to your consultant about appropriate dress.

Most of all RELAX! We want to get you the job as much as you do! If you are unsure of anything or need help preparing then let your consultant know and we can help.

On The Day
Each interviewer will have their own style of questioning and will cover a variety of topics to get to know you as a candidate and your experience. Here are some common types of questions that you may come across:

• Why are you looking to move on from your current position?
• What have been your two most significant achievements over the past 3-5 years?
• What appeals to you about this position and working with this Company?
• What are the real levers you can pull to drive the business?
• What has been your impact over the last year?
• How do you benchmark your area against the competition?
• Who is the competition for you?
• Exceeding Customer Service Expectations questions such as: How do you get your team to focus on the customer?
• Talk me through the aspects of customer service you identify as particularly important going forward.
• Why are they important? What can you do/have you done to have an effect?
• Tell me about a time when you worked with a direct report to identify opportunitiesfor development.
• What process did you use?
• Think of a situation where you have had to lead a team during a major change. What steps did you take to maintain cohesion?
• Communicating poor performance can be difficult. Describe how you’ve handled a situation like this with a direct report.
• How do you motivate your team?
• How do you get others to ‘buy in’ to your ideas?
• What were the key things that you did to persuade them?
• Tell me about some of the toughest groups of people that you have had to get cooperation from. Why was it tough? What did you do? What was the result?

An interview is a two-way process. This is as much your opportunity to check that the company is right for you, as it is for them to see if you’re the right candidate for the role. If you have any questions, now is the time to raise them. You need to be certain that if you accept a position, that you’re making a well-informed decision.

Veritas Partners - Comprehensive Recruitment Solutions
Leaders in FMCG recruitment

Our people have 60 years' combined knowledge in the FMCG, B2B and consumer sectors. This experience means we're well-placed to respectfully challenge and innovate to match clients with the best sales, marketing, category management, supply chain and operations talent across the UK.

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