Powerfully Preparing for the Job Interview
Here at Executive Agents we see a number of really exceptional clients fall-down at the interview stage. They may have all the qualifications and experience in the world, but if they cannot interview well, they might as well kiss the job of their dreams goodbye. Here are some powerful and effective things to consider when preparing for your next interview.
COME OVER-PREPARED.
You can never arrive at an interview too prepared. Research everything, come with enough background information to be able to generate independent thought and be prepared to show that in the interview. Do you know the career history of your interviewer? All these things can really give you the edge over the other candidates. Speak to Executive Agents for help becoming over-prepared!
RESEARCH THE COMPANY.
Did the profits of the hiring company go up or down last financial year? What were the key points of the last quarterly result announcements? How will the new emissions trading scheme announced by the government impact the business? Speak to Executive Agents for detailed insight on the hiring company.
RESEARCH THE INTERVIEWER.
Who’s interviewing you? Where did they start their career? What are they responsible for now? What are their key skills? Knowing these things can help you set up for the interview really powerfully. Speak to Executive Agents for help researching your interviewer.
COME WITH IDEAS.
Love their new red widget? What if you could buy it with the blue widget and appeal to an even larger market? They don’t have to like the ideas, actually, you don’t even need to like the ideas. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking, creativity and an interest in the company. Speak to Executive Agents to obtain the information and inspiration necessary to develop unique and valuable ideas.
GIVE ONE TO TWO MINUTE RESPONSES.
Don’t waffle on! This bores the interviewer and curtails the number of questions they can ask you! Communication is the key to successful interviewing. Being succinct and to the point is a valuable skill in today’s busy workplace so not only will your interviewer be able to cover everything they want, they will also see another facet of your value proposition.
BE SPECIFIC AND ILLUSTRATE RESPONSES WITH EXAMPLES.
Support statements about yourself with specific examples. These will provide legitimacy to your claims. Without them, the interviewer may not accept them as valid. See it as an opportunity to embellish your long list of achievements.
BE FRIENDLY, BUILD RAPPORT AND CONNECT.
Your interviewer already knows what degrees you have and what your technical skills are: they’ve read your CV. Face-to-face interviews are a time to build the ‘human’ case for hiring you. This is an opportunity to build rapport and connection with the interviewer. Flirt, charm and use your wit to win them over!
CLEARLY STATE YOUR INTEREST.
The team here at Executive Agents is regularly surprised by the number of interviews where the interviewer comes out with a concern that the candidate is not even interested in the role. Remember to reiterate towards the end of interview that you are very interested in the role and why.
The dedicated team at Executive Agents is there to help you in all these areas.
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The whole branding process was fantastic and genuinely thought-provoking. The initial session was far more than a simple CV discussion, it was a deep dive into my career that helped me see the value of my own achievements in a new light. The team is incredibly skilled at asking the right questions and, more importantly, at listening. I was amazed at how well they captured my voice and my career. The final documents - CV and the candidate statement - were simply outstanding. They made me look great, and I am now moving forward with my application with a renewed sense of confidence. For any senior leader who needs help telling their own story, I cannot recommend this agency highly enough, the service and the result were exceptional!
I first worked with Executive Agents back in 2021 and they were instrumental in helping me secure an excellent role that ultimately led to my promotion to the C-suite. Their understanding of the executive market and ability to match candidates with the right opportunities is outstanding.
I recently engaged them again for a CV update and I'm thoroughly impressed with the outcome. They have a keen eye for presenting executive experience in a compelling way that really showcases your value proposition. The team is professional, responsive, and clearly knows what works in today's competitive market.
If you're looking for recruitment specialists who genuinely understand executive-level placements and can help advance your career, I highly recommend Executive Agents. They've been a key part of my professional journey and I wouldn't hesitate to work with them again.
Was really struggling with my resume for ages. Kept putting off job applications because I knew it wasn’t good enough but didn’t know how to fix it. Tried using AI to help write it which seemed like a good idea at the time but honestly wasn’t confident it was actually any good.
Eventually found Executive Agents online and decided to give them a go. Really glad I did! They knew exactly what was wrong with what I had and how to make it better. The person I worked with was lovely and explained everything properly without making me feel dumb.
My new resume looks so much more professional now and has all the right information that employers are looking for apparently. Already got a couple of interviews lined up which is more than I had before!
Should have done this months ago instead of stressing about it. If your resume isn’t working for you definitely recommend these guys. Made the whole process much easier and now I actually feel confident sending it out.
The team knew the Melbourne market well and gave practical advice on what recruiters actually look for. Instead of just generic tips, they tailored everything to my specific situation and the roles I was going after.
Been getting more interview calls since working with them. Worth the investment if you’re struggling to get noticed by employers.
Would highly recommend.
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