How to Nail the Job Interview

Contributed by Elizabeth Ezratty, Senior Recruitment Consultant at Huxley New York Banking Technology

As a recruitment consultant in the Banking Technology sector, I organize interviews for my candidates on a daily basis for roles in investment banks and hedge funds with salaries up to $400,000.

For some people I work with, the job interview can be an extremely stressful experience, whereas others seem to relish the challenge and the opportunity to sell themselves to prospective employers.

So what are the important things to bear in mind? What makes the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful interview?

Preparation
It’s crucial that you investigate the company thoroughly, there is no excuse for turning up for an interview without doing your research. Familiarize yourself with every element of the job specification so that you can show you have the relevant skills and experience. Visit the company website to learn as much as you can and research the organization on the Internet.

The resume
The most important advice I can give is to know your resume inside out and use it as a study guide to prepare for the interview. Your resume gets you through the door but it doesn’t matter how well it reads if you can’t back up your claims.

The number of people who exaggerate their skills on their resume is quite worrying. You need to be able to talk succinctly about the projects you have been involved in and the specific role you played. Be prepared to answer difficult questions about the skills you say you have. If you can’t talk intelligently about a skill you have listed on your resume then you should take it off.

On the day
You will be much more confident if you are well prepared. So get up early and eat a hearty breakfast. Take care to make sure you put forward the most professional appearance and dress appropriately. To avoid unnecessary stress it’s important that you arrive at the interview with ample time, so make sure you know exactly where you are going and how you are going to get there.
During the interview
You should try to be yourself but always err on the side of formality. Don’t speak too informally or use colloquialisms, even if the person interviewing you does. Crack a joke – as long as it’s not inappropriate! Remember that a major factor in any employer’s decision will be based on your personality. If you are asked a difficult question that you have no experience in then don’t panic, turn it round by saying “I have never come across anything like that but this is the way I would approach it.” Showing enthusiasm to learn new skills can compensate for a lack of knowledge in some situations.

Talking compensation
You should avoid talking about the compensation package in the early stages of the interview process. Rightly or wrongly, most employers want to think that you are there because of the fantastic opportunity they are offering not just for the money. You should also be sensible with your salary expectations. For example, if you’re earning $110k then you shouldn’t expect to receive a $30k increase just because you feel you are underpaid in your current job. You can more realistically expect a 10-15% increase on your total compensation, remember that businesses don’t underpay because they can, they base their decision on your perceived value to the company – it’s up to you to make sure they know what you’re worth.

Learn from the experience
If you don’t get the job then don’t lose heart; learn from the experience to give yourself the best chance possible next time around. If there were questions that you struggled to answer then you need to revise these areas because it is likely you will be asked about them again in future interviews.

Why use a staffing consultancy?
If you choose to use a strong recruitment company then you will work with a consultant whose job is to find you the ideal position that suits your skill set and aspirations. A good recruiter will get you in front of as many clients as possible and help you throughout the process by providing a thorough job spec, insight into the company from having met the manager, detailed feedback on your interviews and preparing you for the kind of questions you may be asked. It is also good to have a buffer between you and the manager when negotiating the compensation package because things can become strained when discussing money.

If you do your research, prepare yourself thoroughly and know your resume inside out then you will give yourself the best opportunity to nail the job interview.