Job Interview Preparation Strategies

Job Interview Preparation Strategies

求职面试准备策略

A. Phases at a glance (maximum impact version) 🌟

• ⏳ Waiting phase:
  Behave inconspicuously and patiently; assume that you might be observed 👀. The job interview begins at the reception or the front desk!

  Be friendly and courteous, but also self-confident.

  Well-mannered small talk always makes a good impression.

• 👋 Greeting:
  Eye contact, a light, firm handshake. Greet the other person and state your name clearly, audibly.
• 🪑 Taking a seat after being asked:
  If avoidable, no door at your back, as you can be easily distracted if it opens. Moreover, some people feel insecure with a door at their back.

  Do not be blinded by incoming light; if possible, ask for the blinds to be closed, e.g., if sunlight is shining in your face.

• ☕ Accept an offer of drinks (soft drinks, coffee/tea). This is a gesture of hospitality.
• 😊 Engage in small talk calmly and "break the ice."
• 🏢 Usually, there is a brief company presentation given by the company.
• ➡️ Then the conversation will turn to you: Most often with questions like "Why did you apply to us specifically?"
  • ✨ Highlight positive aspect(s) that you (genuinely) like (e.g., design/quality of products, company culture, etc.).
  • 👍 This sets the first sympathy points.
  • 🎤 Brief presentation (profile-related elevator pitch) of personal suitability for the advertised position.
• 📜 Usually, a question about your professional background:
  • 📈 Present stages of your career in chronological order and enrich each stage with essential information (activities, responsibilities, experiences, clients, what new things you could learn, and competencies, etc.).
  • 👀 Observe the interviewer to gauge how extensively you can present yourself and what their opinion of what you've said might be.
• 🎯 In-depth questions from the interviewer, which you should answer specifically: Please listen carefully.

  Applicants typically repeatedly answer with a "topic overshot" ("That wasn't my question," the interviewer then thinks).

• 🔄 The transition to your strengths and weaknesses, which are not necessarily "asked" directly but are incorporated into scenarios. E.g.: "Imagine the following situation..., what would you do?"

  Answer confidently and self-assuredly. With a prior SWOT analysis and preparation of case studies (storytelling 📖) from your professional life, this becomes much easier!

• 📝 Possible aptitude test or processing of a case study.
• ❓ Possible tricky questions: Why were you terminated? Why the change, gaps, or regular irregularities?
• 🤫 Possible private topics: Attention! Do not be caught off guard; there is a private sphere!!!
• 🙋‍♀️ What questions would you like to ask us? (You definitely should!)
• 📋 Framework conditions (vacation entitlement, overtime regulations, etc.), responsibilities, team, supervisor, subordinates, etc.
• 💰 Salary negotiation:
  Please take your time for this ⏳.

  Many applicants want to get out of this phase as quickly as possible. It's "just" about money, about your salary. Don't you want to get as much as possible (without overdoing it)? Of course!

  So: Talk about salary packages (modular remuneration systems: fixed salary, social benefits, non-cash benefits, performance bonuses, possibly commissions or profit sharing 📈, etc).

• ⁉️ Tricky question at the end: Why should we choose you specifically?
• 👋 Bye (Thank you).

  What is the next step? Who should contact whom by when? Write it down.

B. Questions you should or could ask

If you have studied the company thoroughly ?

On the homepage, you should create a list of questions you have for the potential employer. You can have this list with you during the job interview. Make sure not to ask questions that have already been answered during the conversation.

The following open-ended questions are for your guidance:

• 🎯 What is the specific area of responsibility? What are the expectations?
• 👥 Who are my colleagues? How large is the team? Who are my employees?
• 🤝 Is the work predominantly done in a team or mainly independently?
• 🖥️ What does my workplace look like? When could I please see my workplace?
• 📈 What does the hierarchy look like? What are the decision-making processes? How is the company organized?
• 🥅 What goals do you have for this position? What goals should be achieved? What should your ideal candidate bring?
• 💪 What challenges must a person master to be successful in this position?
• 🧑‍🏫 What expectations are placed on me as my supervisor?
• 📊 How will my performance be evaluated?
• ❓ Why has this position become vacant?
• 🧑‍💼 Who is my supervisor?
• 🎓 What training programs do you offer employees in this position?
• 📚 How is training and further education regulated, is it supported, possibly even financially?
• 🚀 How is the onboarding process regulated?
• 🌱 What opportunities for personal development exist in the coming years? Do you have career or development planning? How can I develop further with you?
• 🧭 What leadership style is established and practiced in your company?
• 📈 What growth do you expect for your company in the next 12-24 months?
• 🌍 What market position does the company have? With which products is your company particularly successful on the market? (Only if you do not work in marketing; here you must have researched this yourself or be able to answer it)
• 🏢 What can you tell me about the size of the company and the number of employees?
• 💵 What remuneration model do you have?
• 🎁 What social benefits (non-cash benefits) do you offer? What other remunerations do you offer, such as expenses, benefits, etc.?
• 🕰️ What can you tell me about the specific working hours, working time models or work regulations, overtime regulations, vacation entitlement?
• 📜 Possibly: Does a company mission statement exist?
• 🤔 What impression did you get of me?
• 🔢 How many applicants are in the shortlist?
• ➡️ What is the next step? What are the next steps?

C. Questions that may be asked of you

For many applicants, the questions directed at them are like an oral exam, which fuels their nervousness and excitement. That is why a positive mindset and strengths analysis 💪 are so important in preparation.

Try to get into a flow and simply accept the situation as it presents itself to you. This relieves the pressure!

• 🙋 Please tell me more about yourself.
  With this specific request, your answer should only relate to professional or technical aspects. Talk about your past activities and functions, your educational background, and above all, your core competencies based on hard skills (e.g., technical and methodological competencies).
• 🤔 Why are you interested in this position?
  Explain which of your competencies (80% hard skills, 20% soft skills) and qualifications, in your opinion, match the job requirements. Also, express your interest in working for the company and what this career step means to you.
• 🏆 What are the most important achievements of your career so far?
  Refer to recently achieved results that are relevant to the position and its requirements. Here you can use your positive case studies (storytelling 📖).
• ⚠️ Describe a critical situation you faced in your professional career so far.
  For this too, it is worthwhile to prepare case studies. Concentrate on how you resolved a critical situation and how you have developed further from this experience.
• 🏢 What do you know about our company? What do you know about the company and our products?
  Preparation by researching the company's homepage pays off. If you have also taken notes, you will have it in a structured form.

  Also pay attention to what the company itself might be proud of and what you personally liked. This will enrich your examples with genuine emotions! And that is appealing.

• 😊 How would you describe your personality?
  The soft skills and values identified in the strengths analysis now come into play. What feedback have you received from third parties about yourself? (A comparison of self-perception vs. external perception could be interesting.)
• 💨 How do you work under pressure?
  They want to know something about your stress resistance. Emphasize how you handle stress and how you deal with it.
• 🌱 What have you done for your personal development in the past year?
  Mention not only the further training and development courses you attended personally but also all online courses.

  Likewise, you can mention technical books, regularly read specialist articles or forums, as well as visits to trade fairs.

• 👍 What did you particularly like about your last employer?
  Please first mention job-related aspects, what you learned, and positives about products and services. Then you can also touch on company culture and similar topics.
• 👎 What did you like least about your last position?
  Highlight the tasks that brought you less joy and explain why.

  But be careful ⚠️: some unpleasant tasks, like documentation 📄, are part of everyday life. So make sure you cannot be accused of only wanting "the cherry on top".

• 🚪 Why are you leaving your current company (or why did you leave your last company)? Why were you terminated/did you resign?
  This is certainly one of the trickiest questions you can be asked. Without preparation, you run the risk of saying something wrong.

  The golden rule applies: Never speak ill of your last employer or supervisor 🤫.

  What you can address carefully:

  • a lack of prospects 📉,
  • too much routine (i.e., little variety 🥱),
  • and, with caution, information about the company culture.
• ✨ What positive qualities did you leave behind at your last employer?
  These questions are often asked of managers. They want to know if positive changes they initiated in companies persist even after their departure.

  Here, for example, changes implemented by a manager in a change management program can be mentioned. Marketing people have it particularly easy here, as they may have, for example, introduced products (brands), developed or optimized a new corporate identity, or realized advertising campaigns.

  Engineers 🛠️ may have co-developed important products or realized a patent. Established customer contact or service programs, a new architecture, and much more could be mentioned as examples.

  A strengths analysis could therefore also produce this type of case study!

• 🚀 Where do you want to develop in the next two to three years?
  Not so long ago, people wanted to know where you wanted to be in five years. Today, even one year is sometimes difficult to plan.

  What is important in answering this question is that you do not define yourself too narrowly with job options, in order to have enough flexibility for offers from the company. Enriching specialist knowledge, becoming an expert in an area, and openness to any career prospects are always good arguments 👍.

  If you do not want to pursue a career, you can, for example, mention a continuous improvement of your specialist knowledge. Private goals should be disregarded here; they are no one's business 🤫.

  Especially the desire for a family among young women should never be mentioned (lying is, a necessity here)!

• 🏝️ How do you imagine your perfect workplace?
  Mention sensible and purposeful aspects of when a workplace appeals to you.

  For example, you could say:

  • ergonomic workplace 💻,
  • good colleagues 🤝,
  • snacks,
  • good A/C,
  • drinks and coffee
  • And of course, other aspects such as: being able to contribute your own ideas, appreciation of your performance and person, regular exchange of experience with colleagues, offers for further training and career development.
• 🌟 In what area do you have special experience?
  This is where the results of your strengths analysis with priority 1 come into play.

  You will surely notice that without preparation, you have no chance of getting through an interview stress-free. Also, get further input from your work references.

• 🗣️ How would your colleagues describe you?
  What applies to the last supervisor also applies to colleagues: never speak ill of them; so no bad-mouthing.

  With this question, show your strengths in teamwork 🤝 and people skills.

• 🧑‍💼 What do you think of your boss?
  "He's the biggest idiot, that's why I want to leave...!" 🤬 If this sentence or something similar slips out, the job interview is actually already over. Even if your statement might be true.

  Rephrase any problems constructively and politely: "I consider my supervisor to be an experienced expert in his field. We just occasionally had different views on employee orientation."

• 🚫 Have you ever fired someone?
  A question aimed at young managers. You should answer honestly here. "That has not been necessary so far." This sentence indirectly states that you could, if necessary. Or: "Yes, it has happened a few times that I had to part with employees."
• 🤔 In what situation was that, and how did you handle it?
  Expect to be asked next how it went for you or how it would go (that could have been written above). Show yourself as a balanced leader with tact.

  As a rule, neither "sadists" nor "wimps" are sought after, because having to issue terminations is actually never pleasant, though sometimes unavoidable. A leader should be able to handle it. For companies looking for one or the other, it is advisable to beat around the bush.

• 💡 Are you creative?
  Are you? If so, in what? It doesn't always have to be an artistic achievement like that of graphic designers or advertising copywriters.

  Developing new ideas or problem solutions are also creative achievements. Expand on this question!

• 🎯 What are your career goals?
  In addition to future job options, you can also answer by mentioning the expansion of your expertise.

  You should definitely be able to name something here, as it might otherwise be assumed that you do not want to develop further under any circumstances. And one does not want to hire people who just stand still, as working life and the (global) economy are dynamic and subject to constant change.

• 🌟 Why should we hire you specifically and not another candidate? Why should we choose you?
  This is a very good question that is not always easy for applicants to answer.

  Please do not say: "Because I am the best." That is a superlative, and that is generally never good.

  It helps here to have the job profile in mind and to name your own competencies that meet the requirements profile.

  Address your qualifications, your expertise, and practical experience that are relevant to the position; then you "match." ✅

  And that is exactly what is convincing and factual.

• 💰 What are your salary expectations? What do you want/need to earn? 💵
  One could fill an entire chapter on salary negotiation. (Under "D. Frequent questions from HR," you will find more tips on this).

  In my experience, the approach can vary greatly depending on the company, industry, professional experience, and labor market situation.

• ❓ What other jobs or companies are you considering?
  Keep quiet about the companies; that's your business!

  (You can certainly mention other job options you are applying for. Perhaps other alternatives will arise in the company where you are interviewing, thus increasing your chances of a job offer ✅).

• ❤️ What is your state of health?
  Your health is nobody's business but yours and your doctor's !!!

  Such questions are forbidden. Smile and say: "Good for my age." That always fits and in every life situation.

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What is your marital status? Children?
  This information should already be in your CV. You can gladly repeat it.

  For leadership positions, intact family relationships are valued.

• ⏳ Why do you have gaps/time off? Why were you unemployed so often?
  And here we have another example of: Never lie without necessity.

  However, it means you should think about it beforehand. If your CV has no gaps, this is completely negligible.

  If your CV, however, has several gaps 🚧, you need to consider how to deal with them. As a rule, I start by optimizing my CVs so that these questions don't even arise. Or I consider the right arguments in advance. A few gaps can usually be handled openly.

  There are professions in service industries and construction where seasonal fluctuations can occur more often. In other cases, HR managers need conclusive arguments for the gaps.

  It is acceptable nowadays to have a "professional reorientation" (unemployment). The era of full employment is decades past.

  However, if this phase is a regularity, things look different 😟.

  • Can further training be inserted?
  • Can care for relatives be incorporated?
  • Can an attempt at self-employment be mentioned?

  Whatever "story" 📖 you come up with, you should be able to tell it relaxedly during the interview. If you hesitate, if you run out of words, it will be very embarrassing.

  Sometimes, however, honesty combined with insight can be exactly the right thing. For example: "When I was young, I unfortunately wasn't so focused on my career and had other interests. That changed with the job at company XY." It is understandable that you should then have no more gaps in your CV after this job.

• ↪️ Why did you switch to a completely different field?
  If possible, tell the truth here. It's not a problem to develop a different interest. But justify this with a logic that HR professionals can understand.

  Unfortunately, they always want to see a "red flag" in the resume. Preferably from birth. One job logically follows another with constant improvement.

  Performance-oriented society, indeed! Life often shows other paths.

  My personal and honest argument: "My massive health problems made a career change necessary. Besides, I had a creative talent for data and computers since I was a child. I even reverse-engineered my own programs. I don't regret this change. It made me grow. Nevertheless, I still stand by the values of my first profession today." Consider, if necessary, your argument, what third parties can understand. And stand by it 💪.

D. Frequent questions from HR – what else might be asked

• 🤔 Why are you applying to us?
  Here we go: A typical opening question for which you should have a good answer ready. Anyone who has thoroughly researched the company in advance can score points.

  Does your "dream company" offer, for example, a special career program or opportunities for an international assignment ?

  Is the company in a dynamic growth industry or does it produce a product with which you can fully identify?
  Even if the advertised position represents an opportunity for you to round off your profile or develop further, you are welcome to say so.

  Personal reasons like "I want to work in the same city as my girlfriend/boyfriend" ❤️ or "I prefer a short commute to work" should not be the focus.

  
  

  Important ⚠️:

  • Convey credibly that the job is of great interest to you. Anyone who gives the impression that the job is indifferent to them or that they have sent out their application indiscriminately will be sorted out immediately ❌.
• 📜 What can you tell us about your career path so far?
  "You have my resume in front of you, and you surely know everything already, right?" An answer of this quality undermines the warming-up phase of the job interview.

  The question about your career path is the best opportunity for you to present yourself well from the start.

  If you have prepared an elevator pitch (a short presentation of about 90 seconds), start with this abstract as an introduction. This is followed by the presentation of your most important professional milestones. Keep it short and concise, highlighting only the significant activities relevant to the job profile.

  You have the corresponding years readily available and do not need to look at your resume 📄. However, if you have over 10 years of professional experience with several jobs, this is also acceptable for past stages.
  Emphasize the aspects that are particularly important for the intended activity. Justify important decisions, such as the choice of your training path or the reason for the planned job change.

  Keep an eye on your interviewers 👀:

  • Are they bored?
  • Are they getting impatient
  • do they want to ask an interim question?

  Give them the opportunity for dialogue through short conversational pauses.
  

  Tip 💡:

  • You can fill longer gaps in your resume if necessary, for example, with a stay abroad, a language trip, a phase of self-directed learning 🧠, or even caring for relatives ❤️.

    But be careful ⚠️: You must expect follow-up questions. Then you should be able to provide details; if necessary, tell your "story." 📖

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What about family planning?
  This is a frequently asked, tiresome question that women up to 35 years old, in particular, have to hear repeatedly.

  In principle, you are allowed to deflect questions about your private life or lie 🤥. Whether you are in a stable relationship, plan to marry soon, use contraception, or wish to have children at some point, is no one's business in a job interview!!!

  It is your private life, your privacy. I know women who were pregnant in their second month and feigned ignorance. Because even a pregnancy you are allowed to deny, unless you are applying for a temporary job or could not work there as a pregnant woman (e.g., in hazardous zones).

  Nevertheless, it is advisable to prepare a diplomatic answer. Make it clear that not family, but career planning currently has the highest priority for you. Refer to your previous commitment and explain what goals you have set for the future.

• 🎖️ Were you actually in the military?
  This used to be the key question for male applicants. "Have you served?" I was asked that.

  Lying was and is forbidden here 🚫: Whether you performed military or civilian service, you must answer truthfully!

  If you have the impression that the HR person is rather conservative and considers conscientious objectors to be "slackers," you should justify your decision as constructively as possible. Were you perhaps able to gain valuable, professionally relevant experience as a conscientious objector doing civilian service and further develop your social skills?

  Conversely, you can of course also present your military service time as a plus point if you have acquired important skills 💪.

  
  

  Important ⚠️:

  • Answer as neutrally as possible; you do not need to openly disclose your political or religious beliefs in the job interview.

  
  

• 📉 Please describe your weaknesses to us.
  The question about weaknesses throws many applicants off balance. Unprepared, a lot can go wrong or be embarrassing here. Too much honesty could amount to self-sabotage.

  Many application guides 📚 wrote for years that one should interpret weaknesses as strengths ("I am a perfectionist." and "I am impatient for results." or "I tend to be a workaholic.").

  Please, do not do this! You also lose out with weaknesses that could easily be remedied with a little self-discipline ("I am unpunctual and forget appointments." ⏰).

  What is not job-related interests no one ("I can't communicate properly with my patner."); perhaps that's why you can't work well with female colleagues, which affects the work?

  You should steer clear of all these weaknesses, which mostly have to do with soft skills. No HR wants to hear them! 🙉

  
  However, you use the question about your weaknesses to connect a weakness ("I'm not used to negotiating with foreign clients.") with a strength ("Learning foreign languages comes easily to me.").

  Another option is to choose a hard skill that is not important in the job profile: "My English is unfortunately only very good, not business fluent." This was also not required. Or: "This has not been required of me so far. However, I learn very quickly." 💻

  You may notice that all this sounds a bit more engaging, individual, not rehearsed, and therefore more credible. Moreover, you don't need to shoot yourself in the foot with these answers.

• 🏆 What has been your greatest success so far?
  The question about the greatest success is very popular with HR professionals, especially when it comes to managers. The answer reveals a lot about the candidate's attitude to life, values, and motivation.

  
  Top choices 🥇:

  • Choose a success story closely related to your job, ideally a professional task that you solved particularly well. If you are younger, you can alternatively choose an experience from your training period. Were you able to win an important contract? Did you manage an extraordinary project with distinction? 💰

    Also, open your mind to areas of competence where you have demonstrated your organizational talent or negotiation skills, your leadership competence or teamwork ability, or even your entrepreneurial spirit 🚀.

    These are always real case studies from your professional life. If you present this in a structured way, I like to call it well-founded storytelling 📖. It's not about "blah blah," but about convincing, verifiable facts!
    Successes from your private life 🏅 are only useful if they are truly noteworthy achievements. You don't necessarily have to be a champion or an Olympic-level athlete in your favorite sport. But you should be able to show some certificates.

• 💰 How much do you want to earn?
  Many applicants now get cold feet, want to flee, or immediately look for the restroom. Why? It's "just" about money. Anyone who gets flustered here and claims money isn't that important to them will be taken at their word: "Fine, if you want it that way, we'll start really low." Likewise, an exorbitant demand closes doors 🚪.

  So what's the right approach? 🤔
  You'll find instructions in application guides claiming that a vague statement means as much as: "I have no idea what I want to earn." 🙄 I have different experiences.
  If you combine a (realistic) range with the addition "and I am open to modular remuneration systems"

  Note: salaries composed of several components, such as fixed salary, benefits, performance bonuses, and possibly profit-sharing, then you gain room for negotiation.

  With a single figure, you might be too expensive, then you’re out ❌; or if you’re too low, then you’ve missed your chance for a better salary!

  Openness to remuneration via additional systems (benefits, etc.) is fiscally attractive for both the employer and the employee: both pay fewer taxes!

  You can also say, with the lower figure, that the other components come on top if your counterpart shows no signs of reluctance. If they do, then the components are already included (all-in). See? You gain room to maneuver. And so you can discuss salary structure for several minutes ⏳.
  Nevertheless, you should realistically assess my market value beforehand, and be able to state it as concretely as possible.

  However, salary structures are completely different.

  They depend on:

  • industries
  • collective agreements or non-collective agreement regulations
  • salary cultures within the company
  • company size
  • age
  • unfortunately, gender (for me, this is wrong and outdated)
  • qualifications
  • professional experience
  • specialist knowledge

  All these factors can influence a salary. Starting after unemployment can unfortunately sometimes also have a negative impact with a deduction, as the applicant's negotiating position may be unfavorable. So, definitely inform yourself in advance.

  Business and career magazines, online job boards, or industry and professional associations regularly publish salary surveys. Employment agencies or personnel consultants also provide information. Several portals are offered on the internet where you can do an online (serious) salary check. However, assume that these can only be general values 🧭.
  If you know someone in a comparable position in the same industry, you can gain a real benchmark. But: When I worked in advertising, there were sometimes differences of up to 50% for the same job for people who could simply sell themselves better, as nothing was collectively agreed. It's just not always that simple!
  Clarity can sometimes come from an open conversation with a recruiter or personnel consultant.

  They know the complete scope of a sector, at least if they have been in the job for a while. Tell them your desired gross annual salary, i.e., the amount you would like to receive including special payments like Christmas and holiday bonuses 🏖️. This saves follow-up questions and misunderstandings here.

  Discuss, if necessary, in which environment you have the best chances. Perhaps this will even lead to a placement opportunity for you 🤝.

• 🚀 Where do you see yourself in three to five years?
  "Honestly, exactly in the chair you're sitting in." A scene worthy of a film, a wonderful sketch.

  But not in an interview ❌!

  It’s clear why: who brings competition into their own house? And on the other hand: the answer is bold and impudent. HR managers like to see a portion of healthy ambition; it shows that the applicant is motivated and willing to perform. However, one generally does not want pure careerists who are only interested in ego and money, but not in the matter itself.
  Therefore, conduct a personal inventory before the interview 🤔:

  • What career paths are common in my profession?
  • Do I have the right qualifications for them?
  • Am I up for more responsibility?
  • Do I even want that, or am I just fulfilling the expectations of my social environment?
  • What have I achieved so far?
  • Am I aiming for a disciplinary or a specialist career?

  If you can clearly show that you have been purposefully working on your profile and development so far, your personal career goals will be believed in the job interview. But don't just see career steps, but also the development of your knowledge 🧠.
  

  Tip 💡:

  • Inform yourself in advance about career or development programs at your desired employer (phone number provided in the job advertisement). Emphasize that you want to pursue your goals long-term 🎯 and would like to still be employed at the company in three to five years if the development opportunities are right 👍.
• ❓ Do you have any more questions for us?
  The question sounds harmless, but it can still spoil your fun 😟. Your questions often reflect your preparation and interest in the position more clearly than your answers.

  Anyone who, out of embarrassment, asks simple questions that a quick look at the website would have answered, significantly reduces their chances. Likewise, aspects already clarified during the conversation or details that you should have sensibly addressed earlier are not helpful. The same applies to interest in company internals ("What is your profit margin?" 💰, "What does the product cost to purchase?") or matters that do not directly fall under your responsibility.

  This does not mean that you cannot think outside the box 🧠. It's just that some subject-specific questions should be asked first. Since companies pursue cross-departmental collaboration, one can also show interest in other areas, if the arguments for it are valid and it makes sense 👍.
  What you should definitely ask politely 😊:

  • "What are the next steps?"
  • "How many applicants are still in the running for the position?"
  • "Is another selection round planned?"
  • "When can a decision be expected?"
  • If this has not already been addressed in the conversation, you are also welcome to ask for details about the advertised position: "Is the position newly created or did the post exist before?", "Is the previous incumbent still in the company and can perhaps help me with onboarding?", "How large is the department, with how many colleagues will I be working?", "What does my work environment look like?"
  
  Tip 💡:

  • Even if the interview, in your opinion, did not go 100 percent well, remain friendly and composed until the end. That’s professional 👍.
  • And another little tip for a rare, but perhaps more frequent closing question: "What will you do if we turn you down?" 🤔 Stay calm; companies are currently in a difficult situation as they also do not know what the coming months will bring. Simply answer: "I would inquire about the specific reasons and still apply to you again. As I said: I find your company appealing." 😊

  
  

  • "How can you reassure me that I'm not making a mistake if I hire you?" 🤔
    This question is, admittedly, extremely well put 👍.

    So what can you answer? What does the interviewer want to know from you? The HR manager is measured by whether they find and hire the ideal candidate. If not, this reflects badly on them, their competencies may be questioned.
    The best way to answer is the same way you answered the question: "Why should we decide on you?" It helps to name your own competencies that match the job profile. Provide information about your qualifications, your expertise, and practical experience relevant to the position. That "matches" exactly.

    You deliver convincing and factual arguments. What the HR manager does with that is their business. But as a rule, you defuse their question precisely by doing this. If it "matches," they are not making a mistake.

E. Possible goals of the interview from the HR department's perspective: 🎯

• Communicative skills: Do you express yourself clearly, factually, and understandably? Do you think logically? Are you open and sociable? Can you listen? 👂
• Teamwork ability: Do you fit into the existing team? Can you integrate? Do you take other people seriously? Can you assert yourself? 💪
• Personality: Do you have your own opinion? Do you have life experience? Are you self-confident? Do you know what you want? 🎯
• Potential: Are you capable of development? Can the necessary tasks be offered to you to tap into your potential or to promote you? 🚀
• Technical skills: Which competencies stand out for you? To what extent are these relevant to the position? 🌟
• Matching: How well does your applicant profile match the requirement profile of the position to be filled? What percentage is it congruent? (70% is good 👍)
• Leadership competencies: What leadership qualities do you bring to the role? How extensive is your leadership experience?
• Value system: What code of values do you have? How do you live by it daily? 🙏

F. "DOs and DON'Ts" in the job interview

What you should do: 👍

• ⏰ Be at least 10 minutes early. There is no excuse for being late for a job interview 🚫.

  If you are delayed for certain reasons (accident, public transport failure), inform your contact person at the company before the scheduled time and explain the delay.

• 🗣️ Clarify questions. Answer the questions asked as precisely as possible and, above all, first. Some applicants absolutely want to highlight something but forget the core of the question.

  Relate your skills and experience throughout the entire interview to the requirements of the respective position.

• 🌟 Mention your qualifications. Concentrate on your achievements that are most significant for the position.
• 🤔 Expect difficult questions. Be prepared to be asked not only about your strengths but also about your weaknesses. Prepare at home and do trial runs with your partner or friends.
• 😊 Be open and credible, even on points that may not have worked out so well once. What is important is what insights you gained from it and how you deal with this situation today. However, do not tell an example where you falter or lose control.
• 🙋 Ask questions. A job interview should be a mutual exchange (dialogue) of information and not a one-sided monologue.

  The listener will eventually tune out 😴, and you will achieve the exact opposite of what you intended.

• 👂 Listen (actively). Concentrate not only on the words of your counterpart but also on their tone of voice and body language.

  If you have understood how your counterpart thinks and on what they value 🙏, you can adapt your answers accordingly and build a better rapport.

• 👔 Dress appropriately. Your first impression should be professional. Nowadays, many things have become more casual. Men rarely wear a tie anymore. Adapt your dress code to that of the company and the function.

  However, the general rule is: better a bit more elegant than too casual. Exception: young start-up companies 🚀!

• 😊 Acknowledge a professional demeanor. Smile, maintain eye contact 👀, and pay attention to your posture.

  These are simple but important things that are easily forgotten during a job interview due to nervousness 😟.

What you should not do 👎

• Do not answer vague questions or questions you did not understand. Ask your counterpart to repeat or clarify the question.

  And sometimes admit that you don't know what is meant if you can't think of an answer. The rule is: Do not lie when it is not necessary.

• Do not interrupt your counterpart 🚫. Only if you listen will your interviewer(s) also show respect for your words 🙏.
• Do not be too familiar, even if it is your counterpart. A certain, respectful distance is an expression of professionalism ✨.

  Familiarity is only for people who have known each other for many years 🤝.

• Do not beat around the bush. Overly long answers can possibly indicate that you absolutely have to justify yourself or are undecided 🤔.

  Or even worse: not being focused and unable to get to the point 🎯.

• Again, do not lie without necessity. There are these exceptions to avoid embarrassment in certain situations 😅.

  Answer questions honestly if possible, unless you would then reveal something private, intimate, or embarrassing, or even a handicap. However, a coherent story is needed here.

• Do not be annoyed. Avoid derogatory remarks about your current or former supervisor or about your current or last employer.

  (This also applies if you are currently "going through hell." 🔥)

• Do not wear heavy perfume or cologne. Your counterpart does not necessarily have the same taste as you. A subtle appearance is better here. But you should smell good 😊.

G. Conclusion of the job interview🏁

Applicants for a position often tend to criticize themselves after a job interview.

By asking good questions and making a strong closing, you can eliminate doubts after an interview. If you feel that the conversation went well and you want to take the next step, express your interest.

Try the following approach, for example:

• "Now that I have learned more about your company, the position, and the tasks, I am convinced that I have exactly the skills you are looking for.
• Are there any facts or concerns that, in your opinion, speak against it?" 🤔
  

This is an effective closing question because it allows the HR manager to tell you openly what they think. If there are still concerns, you create an opportunity to eliminate them. Furthermore, you give yourself a last chance to dispel doubts, highlight your strengths, and end the interview positively 😊.

You should think about a few things during this concluding process: 🤔

• ✅ Make sure you have thoroughly answered the following questions during the job interview:
  • "Why are you interested in our company?"
  • "What can you offer us?"
  • "What is the benefit for us if we choose you?"

  
  

  Note 📝:

  • If you have prepared, you know from the details on the homepage what you like about the company or the products, or the position. Your core competencies that match the requirements are the decisive argument. That you bring or fulfill a large part of the requirements is the important equivalent value for the company.

  
  

• 🙏 Thank them for the invitation and for taking the time for you.

H. Follow-up 📧

Following up after your job interview can be important. However, companies react differently in times of constant time constraints, unless your feedback is explicitly requested.

You are welcome to reiterate your interest in the position in a short email. You should only ask additional questions afterwards if they are very important and were not discussed during the job interview.

You can proceed differently with a personnel consultant or recruiter. They are service providers. Call your personnel consultant directly after the conversation to evaluate the job interview and discuss your next steps. Personnel placement agencies or recruiters are also happy to give you general feedback on the conversations. They want their recommendations to proceed, so that they receive their commission for the suitable candidate who is hired.

Companies usually need about two to three weeks to inform you of their decision. This is a normal timeframe. After that, you should definitely follow up if the position is important to you.

I have also experienced phases of up to eight weeks (especially with public authorities and institutions). It becomes unprofessional if companies do not provide an interim update during this period.

Here you should consider whether you still want to pursue the position. It is about valuing your application. If the company shows indifference here, a corresponding corporate culture can be expected.

Feedback 💬

Do not expect too much honesty from the company in case of rejections. There have apparently been some legal disputes initiated by applicants, which is why companies are wary of honest, negative feedback.

This approach is not understandable with the best will in the world, but it must have been the case a few times. Thus, the reluctance of companies is regrettable, but one does not want to trigger a legal process.

From the perspective of the companies, this is understandable. So be constructive if you actually receive honest feedback. You can grow from it and know what you might do differently next time. It’s not shameful to receive a rejection ❌.

You know: There can only be one (candidate) who gets a job contract. And you don't know your competitors. Someone was not necessarily better, but they fit the requirement profile better.

This does not diminish your achievements in any way!

Crepi il lupo!