In general, if you are called for a job interview, then you should be prepared to sit in front of one, two or even three interviewers, who will be representing the employer’s interests. There may be a presentation for you to deliver, but otherwise the standard form is for you and them to have a discussion of about 15 minutes in length, during which they will try to establish whether or not you are suitable for the post.
The bulk of the job interview will entail the interviewers asking the candidate questions about his or her job history, personality, work style and other factors relevant to the job. For instance, a common interview question is “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” The candidate will usually be given a chance to ask any questions at the end of the interview. These questions are strongly encouraged since they allow the interviewee to acquire more information about the job and the company, but they can also demonstrate the candidate’s strong interest in them.
If you are going for a better paid job - either in money or prestige terms - then expect a tougher interview than if you are going for a less popular posting. In general, a job interview will be a formal meeting that will require you to adhere to certain norms and dress codes. Flout these rules at your peril.
Additionally, some professions have specific types of job interviews; for performing artists, this is an audition in which the emphasis is placed on the performance ability of the candidate. If you were called for a medical interview then you would need to be prepared to answer questions on clinical matters as well as give a powerpoint presentation about a specified topic
Increasingly, companies are moving away from old fashioned interviews and employing assessment day strategies, in which a variety of activities are undertaken to learn about the different qualities of each candidate in a less contrived way.
A candidate should follow up the interview with a thank-you letter, expressing his or her appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the company representative. The thank you letter ensures that the candidate will stay fresh in the interviewer’s mind. The primary purpose of the job interview is to assess the candidate’s suitability for the job, although the candidate will also be assessing the corporate culture and demands of the job.
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