Michael DeSafey | Executive Recruiter and HR Professional
Informal Interviews – The New Casual Interviewing Environment!!
Informal Interviews – The New Casual Interviewing Environment!!
As a professional recruiter who has been working recruiting professionals in the environmental, engineering and construction industries for over 18 years now at Webuild Staffing. I have seen many interviews conducted in such an informal setting that they could be considered a conversation rather than an interview; don’t let the setting confuse you..
We are now in a world where everything we do is becoming more and more casual and interviews are no different. Many employers are now trending towards a much more casual and comfortable interview style – the “Informal Interview”. This is most often a meet up for a cup of coffee, quick breakfast or snack and can leave the interviewee confused as to how to proceed, even with simple aspects such as what to wear.
Don’t forget an interview is an interview and you should prepare this informal gathering much the same way you would for a traditional interview. You should still dress just as you would if it was being held in their office. Complete your recommended research on the company so you are educated about your interviewer, their company and what type of employee they value and hire. You should still be prepared to explain your strengths, career plan and goals, the value you bring and how your expertise makes you the ideal candidate. Always bring extra copies of your resume and any samples of work would normally want to have to help present yourself as a very organized and professional manner.
Unlike a traditional interview however, you will usually have more of an opportunity to ask questions and to learn more about their company than you would normally have. There is also the pitfall of allowing the casual setting to let yourself slip into a more casual way of speaking – keep it professional and appropriate – remember, it’s still an interview. It’s not uncommon for an offer to be extended to you in this informal setting, and you should be prepared with how you want to handle this and proceed.
At the end of the interview make sure you get a business card and promptly write and send out a thank you note, as you normally would. When the check comes, it is traditional that the interviewer takes care of it, as they invited you there.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing (www.webuildstaffing.com). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com
Are You Qualified? Succeeding In A Qualification Interview..
Are You Qualified? Succeeding In A Qualification Interview..
As a professional recruiter who has been working recruiting professionals in the environmental, engineering and construction industries for over 18 years now at Webuild Staffing. I have seen many extremely qualified candidates never get past the first qualification stage of the interview process, due to lack of preparedness..
In a Qualifications Interview setting the interviewer is seeking precisely information about what makes you qualified for the opportunity – your skills, past experiences and qualifications.
They are seeking to obtain information on the qualifications you possess and how well they pertain to the position they are hiring for. You will need to choose your answers carefully to allow yourself to concisely, yet completely, demonstrate how your experience directly relates to their needs.
This is an interview where you can expect lots of demonstrative questions about your past and how well it has prepared you to go further with their company. You can expect a series of questions like:
(1) Why do you want this job?
(2) What qualifies you for this job?
(3) Why should we hire you, what can you do for us?
(4) Why are you the best candidate for this opportunity?
(5) How do you measure success?
(6) What makes you a team player?
(7) Tell me about your successes? What are your strengths?
(8) Tell me about your failures? What are your weaknesses?
Everything about this interview revolves around your experience and how it has helped you to become the perfect candidate for the position you are interviewing for. As you provide your answers you should also be prepared to follow them up with solid examples and explanations of how it will benefit your prospective employer in the future.
As with any interview don’t forget how important it is to make sure that your answers to these questions match any previous answers you have given, as they are also looking for honesty, consistency and integrity.
In addition it is important to make sure that you are prepared to speak with potential employers when they call. If you need to let the call go to voicemail so that you have the advantage of listening to the message and properly preparing yourself before returning the call, do not hesitate to do so.
A little preparedness can go a long way when you begin the interviewing process; especially during the qualification interview stage. Do not let a qualification interview impede your success; this is the time to showcase your abilities and qualification’s.
Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing (www.webuildstaffing.com). To learn more about Michael or Follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com