Interviewers are trained but not born! Prepare for an interviewer
who:
- has not read your CV
- gets aggressive to see how you react under stress
- is constantly disturbed
- makes remarks about your previous
employer or boss
- asks questions but doesn't listen to your answers
Some interviewers may be disorganized.
They may just get things mixed up easily, and you should allow
them time to settle down and look for the papers or notes they
need. Establish your preparedness early on and, if necessary,
subtly suggest an interview structure.
Other interviewers may be unprepared, as they are just too
confident! Experienced interviewers tend to think they can sail
in on the day and preparation is not necessary. If you are lucky
enough to meet such interviewers, you have to keep calm and
be patient. It won't do you any good if you try to catch them
out or show them up. If interviewers have a position of authority
over the post, you may want to consider how you would feel working
with them.
There are also some interviewers are nervous (may be even more
nervous than you are!). This sometimes happens when specialist
functional managers are taken out of their familiar work setting
and are expected to be at ease in a more social setting. They
will be grateful if you offer relevant information. Do not patronize.
Don't let aggressive interviewers provoke you. Give positive
explanations for your weaknesses, failings or gaps in your
CV rather than apologies.
Familiarize yourself with the process of the interview. This
will help you understand the direction it is taking. If you
are not sure about a question, assess what the reasons are for
asking it and answer it accordingly.
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