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.
Still doing all this on your own? Get our support now.
Nickolas Vokolos
02:59 21 Jun 24
I have to say I am very happy with the outcome and the way the initial interview was undertaken, and the way that Kate worked though the process keeping me informed on the way. Kate has been great to deal with and have appreciated her insights and feedback. So overall very happy with the outcome and I have fed this back to the executive recruiter as well.
Bryan Swanson
01:40 21 Jun 24
It was lovely meeting you last week and after our conversation, I was confident that I have found the right team to support and lead my business towards a brighter future.
Josh Andersen
03:56 07 Apr 24
I wanted to drop a quick note to say thank you for your support...I thought you'd like to know I was successful in my application and am now the new Vice President of our Australian division. I am absolutely delighted, have been to Japan twice already and am loving the new opportunities that this role is presenting me with. Thanks once again for the professionalism and support you showed me.
Stewart Fischer
09:34 14 Nov 23
I wanted to drop a quick note to say thank you for your support...I thought you'd like to know I was successful in my application and am now the new Vice President of (----) Group Australia. I am absolutely delighted, have been to Japan twice already and am loving the new opportunities that this role is presenting me with. Thanks once again for the professionalism and support you showed me.
James Elphingstone
02:21 09 Nov 23
I’ve always got jobs through my networks and internal promotions. I’ve never had to prepare a resume and selection criteria statement before. The team helped me develop a high quality, great looking cover letter. My LinkedIn looks great and I'm getting invited to interviews.
Charles
13:03 27 Oct 23
I can't say enough good things about Executive Agents. From the moment I got in touch, they offered incredible service. I worked with Kate and Nick on my resume and had two mock interview training sessions. Their support was instrumental in landing the position I wanted. The mock interviews were a game-changer, and I can't recommend them enough. Thanks, Kate & Nick!
Starc
07:22 16 Oct 23
I reached out to them, they promptly responded to my inquiry and helped me fast-track my resume and cover letter for a position that I initially thought was out of my league. Anna, the expert I had the pleasure of working with, was an absolute delight.
Quynhanh Phan
07:22 16 Oct 23
I Recently had the pleasure of working with Executive Agents and I can't express enough how incredible my experience was. Right from the moment I reached out to them, their service was outstanding. Kate and Nick were the dynamic duo behind my resume and mock interview training, and I have to say, their expertise was truly instrumental in helping me secure the job I had my heart set on. The mock interview session they conducted were nothing short of a game-changer. i came out of them feeling more confident and prepared than ever before. I wholeheartedly recommend Executive Agents, and a big thanks to Kate and Nick for thier invaluable assistance!
izhar MaZaRi
11:58 14 Oct 23
Working with Tracy and the Executive Agents team to create my management consultant resume was a fantastic experience. Their professionalism, industry knowledge, and exceptional service were impressive from start to finish. I'm grateful for the resume they crafted, which I believe will open doors to new opportunities. Highly satisfied!
Natalie Long
23:58 13 Sep 23
Executive Agents offer an incredible service right from the first contact. I engaged with them for resume development, and followed through with two mock interview training sessions. My experience with Executive Agents resulted in me being successful for the position I was applying for. I really could not have obtained this position without their coaching and support. I particularly found the mock interview sessions incredibly helpful and imperative to putting my best foot forward. I would hands down recommend them to anyone - especially Kate & Nick. Thank you!!!
Alice Rae
02:48 07 Jul 23
Wonderful detailed team that have helped me so much to update me CV and Linked In to present my self in the best possible way.Would highly recommend.
John MacLean
04:27 29 Jun 23
Fantastic service. Very prompt, professional, and you can tell they take great pride in their work. I'd definitely use their services again.
Thomas Foo
11:12 23 May 23
I recently had the pleasure of working with Tracy and the team at Executive Agents to have my management consultant resume prepared, and I couldn't be more impressed with the exceptional service they provided. From start to finish, they displayed professionalism, expertise, and a deep understanding of the industry. I am extremely grateful for their support in crafting a resume that will undoubtedly open doors to new opportunities.
Ann Verdolini
01:05 16 May 23
From start to finish, the team at Executive Agents was dedicated to ensuring that my resume accurately reflected my skills and experience, and positioned me as a top candidate for the jobs I was interested in. Their personalized approach, exceptional writing quality and outstanding results make them a truly top-notch service.
Chris Serfontein
10:52 20 Mar 23
Very happy with the services received from Executive Agents. All required services was done within the promised timelines witch helped me land my dream job. I highly recommend using Nicholas and his team to give you the edge over other candidates!
Helen Ward
11:55 16 Feb 23
Executive agents were professional with their expert process and the outcome exceeded my expectations and gave me confidence to pursue worthwhile and rewarding work that ulilizes my strengths and enables me to reach my career and life goals. The branding experience and process was a significant aspect of the process. In a nutshell I am gifting this service to my daughter and husband in the future. This might be the best review, when you want loved ones to have access to the remarkable assistance you have had in securing work you love. Thankyou
Michael Ward
22:35 09 Nov 22
My experience with Executive Agents has been exceptional. They are very responsive and the standard of the cover letters and CV updates and have given me the best opportunity to secure the roles I have applied for. I highly recommend Executive Agents and will continue to use their services for future roles I apply.
Fiona O'Donnell
09:00 02 Oct 22
Executive agents was fantastic. They responded to my inquiry within minutes and fast tracked my resume and cover letter for a position that I thought was likely out of my reach. Anna was great to work with and was able to help me find examples within my experience. She produced a highly professional cover letter and I was offered an interview. I was so happy to get to interview stage and thanks to what was written for me I felt confident. I was offered the role the next day and am so glad I decided to work with professionals. Thanks EA
