Job Search
Initial Interview, No Problem: Here’s What To Expect!
Oct 16, 2017
Whether you are new to the job search or it’s something you’ve been working at for some time, there is always that one question that comes to everyone’s mind—”What are they going to ask me in during this interview?” We’ve all heard about potential employers asking outrageous off the wall questions such as this one I found on google — “A snail is at the bottom of a 30-foot well. Each day he climbs up three feet, but at night he slips back two feet. How many days will it take him to climb out of the well?” Honestly, if this question comes at you in an interview don’t stress it! The idea is to push you to think outside the box, however don’t let your reaction to such a weird question throw you off your A game.
In all actuality, most interviews are simply a dialogue between you and your interviewer. Let us break it down for you:
I can’t speak for everyone out there, but as an interviewer during the first initial interview all I’m really trying to do is get a feel for the candidate themselves, as well as what they are looking for as far as their career goes. I tend to ask “why are you here?” and “what it is you are really looking for in a job?” The obvious reasons are typically the most common answers, but I’m looking for more than that. Is it a career change you are after or are you fresh out of college looking for that first “big kid” job that is going to help pay off those student loans you worked so hard to earn? Don’t be afraid to share with me the details, because the more your show your personality the better culture fit we will be able to find for your new position! The more you open up about where you see your path going the better idea I get of what your future holds. Don’t think of this interview, as an interview. We’re now turning it into a basic conversation so that I, as the interviewer, can get to know you better.
So, let’s just say that it’s a career change that your after. During the next part of the interview I’m going to find out why you are interested in changing positions. What have you been doing in the past, and why do you feel like it is time to move on? Half of the time applicants who come into my office and say they want a change have no idea what they want to do next, and that’s okay! Chances are I am going to start going over your previous work history anyways and ask you to go into detail about each and every position. Such questions such as “What did you do there?” and “What programs did you use? Tell me about your daily activities.” You may not realize it but many of the things you did at one job can very well transition into a role in a completely different environment—giving you that career change you’ve been hoping to get!
What if you’re not looking for a change, but something more along the same lines of what you’ve done in the past? Or something you’ve gone to school for all those recent college grads out there? We would take a similar route. I want to know what exactly you have been doing, what skills have you learned along the way, and why that is your passion. The more in depth we get, the better idea I have on what kind of an employee you would be and how much you actually know about the job. Do you have a unique story of how you ended up in your career of choice? Did you start at the bottom and work your way up? I want to hear it! By throwing in those extra details I learn so much more about you in a few minutes than I would ever find out by asking you random questions that have no real meaning behind them.
It’s really that simple. Don’t over think the interview, and don’t be too scared to open up and tell us what you really want. We may wrap up by asking about hours, pay, and the work schedule you prefer so we know in advance exactly what you are looking for. Without key information we are stuck offering you positions that you have no interest in. So the more you help us out, the more we can help you. Remember- think of it as a conversation. Not a session where you will be drilled on unnecessary questions.
Need assistance in finding or changing your career? Visit us online at www.HireLevel.com, or give us a call at your local HireLevel location.
HireLevel powered by Extra Help is raising the bar for workforce management, specializing in light industrial and professional staffing in multiple locations throughout the United States. Our staffing agency in Indianapolis, IN is focused on helping people, job opportunities and providing the very best in customer service.
