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Interview do's and don'ts - Part 1

08 Aug 2017

Interviews can be daunting - fact. When there isn’t much time to prepare we find ourselves focusing on the things that may or may not come up and forget about the simplest of interview practices. We’ve collated a selection of dos and don’ts when it comes to interviewing so that you’re fully prepared. Here are the do's of a successful interview.

Check out part 2 of this blog, the DON'TS here.

The DO'S

DO know your stuff. Research research research. This is no doubt the number one piece of advice for candidates. Find out everything you can about the company, when they were founded, their history, how big the company is and most importantly if/what they specialise in. Start by looking at the company’s website, news articles and social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc). It’s a good idea to take your notes with you to show you’ve done some investigating.

DO prepare for questions. Some companies may only have a few questions to ask you, but others may take this opportunity to really get to know you. Try making a list of questions you’ve been asked before and tailor your answers to that role. Make sure you’re prepared and ready to answer any questions they fire at you.

DO have evidence to prove you’re amazing. There’s nothing better than having examples of when you’ve overcome a challenge in previous workplaces to back up your perfectly polished CV. Think about that time when it was 3pm on a Friday afternoon, 2 hours left until home time and you still had 2 days’ worth of work to complete. How did you overcome that challenge? How did you effectively manage that situation? Try working through the job description, adding in evidence of a time you did what they are asking for.

DO be confident. First impressions count. Did you know that although an average interview lasts around 40 minutes, a third of interviewers said they know whether or not they are going to hire that candidate within the first 90 seconds? You’ve worked hard to get here so be confident, hold your head up high, perfect your posture, give a firm handshake and show your interviewer why you deserve this job. Own the stage, as they say.

We hope you found these tips useful, be sure to let us know what you thought of this article and what you’d like to see from us in the future. Be sure to check out part 2 of this article.. the interview DON'TS here. Coming soon. Good luck, job go-getters!

Testimonials

"Their knowledge of the industry, our organisation and candidates is one of the leaders in the market. They have always been able to supply us with the right calibre of engineering candidate no matter what the discipline or regional location is.

"First Recruitment Group’s service delivery has always been to a high standard and the customer service provided by the team has ensured that First Recruitment Group will remain a preferred supplier of engineering personnel to WorleyParsons on our future engineering projects."

WorleyParsons

"In my dealings with First I have found them to be responsive, knowledgeable, quality-focused and engaging in their approach. I would have no hesitation in recommending the services of First Recruitment Group to any prospective customers."

Global Engineering Consultancy

"We have a good working relationship with First Recruitment and they always put every effort in to filling our positions whether it's on a permanent or contract basis. First have an honest and open approach to recruitment and their clients which is refreshing. First offer an excellent payroll service which compliments their overall delivery service to MWH Treatment."

MWH Treatment

“As the biggest services supplier to the nuclear industry our demand for personnel is significant, when I have an urgent requirement I know I can rely on First Recruitment to rise to the challenge.

“As a preferred supplier for temporary labour and a fundamental part of our permanent recruitment process we get the right people at the right time. Whether its highly technical/specialist resources or back office support personnel the approach is to the same high standard.”

Veolia Nuclear Solutions

"It’s great to work with a recruitment agency we trust. The team at First Recruitment Group are friendly and straight talking and they continue to provide an excellent service. We’re proud to still be working with them after 20 years."

Simon Carves Engineering Ltd

"First Recruitment are on the 1st Tier of Sweett Europe’s preferred supplier list. We have found First recruitment to be hugely supportive and value adding partners to Sweett, helping us source a wide range of roles. The consultants at First are hugely knowledgeable and have a real desire to listen to, and understand, our needs. They have shown an unrivalled desire to work on hard to fill roles using innovative methods to ensure they always supply us with CVs.

"I have been hugely impressed by their willingness to support us, even when we have simply been after guidance which would not attract them a fee. I would be more than happy to recommend First Recruitment Group to any prospective organisation, and to discuss in more detail their capabilities."

Sweett Group

“We’ve worked with First Recruitment for over 12 years and have built up a great relationship with their team. They’ve helped us in sourcing contractors for our chemical division, maintaining consistently high standards in delivery, and we hope to continue building on this relationship in the future. I have no hesitation in recommending First to others.”

Haden Freeman Limited

"We have used First Recruitment to support the recruitment of several key roles within our business. The quality of the candidates put forward were extremely high which helped enormously in our ability to fill all roles, also the candidates have all been a success since joining our business. They were prompt, knowledgeable and very professional and made the recruitment process for us extremely simple. The service we have received has been first class and I would highly recommend the services of First Recruitment to any Company looking to fill a vacancy."

Meadow Vale Food Group

“I have worked with First Recruitment frequently over the last couple of years. Their ability to understand our business and support me in terms of recruitment has been excellent. Candidates are screened initially to meet our requirements and taken through the process in a professional way. I would have no hesitation in recommending First Recruitment to any employer who needs that little extra support in their recruitment process."

Bokomo Foods (UK) Limited

“I have found First Recruitment to be very efficient and professional in their approach to recruitment. They were able to gain an in depth understanding of the needs of our business and source high quality candidates. I would highly recommend their services to anyone with a recruitment need.”

AAK

"First Group are one of the key suppliers to Cobham. The team are quick to respond, friendly and professional, and as such have made a massive difference to the account. The team have supported and filled a variety of roles. Without hestitation I would recommend First."

Cobham

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