Q. Planning my Journey

You will need to know the following –  

Ensure you have the full address and postcode (this is also useful if you are using a SatNav System) and directions to the interview location. You must also take with you the name and job title of the interviewer including their contact details.

Always plan to arrive at least 20 minutes before your allocated interview time to compose yourself. Book train tickets & check timetables in advance and always book or take an earlier train/tube/bus. Always allow extra time for unforeseen circumstances.

Clarify if you will have a parking space or if you will need to pay for parking. If you do need to pay, ensure you have enough change to pay for it.

Q. How should I prepare for the interview?

You will need to read the job specification alongside your CV and compare your it for points of strength and weakness. Think of what questions you may be asked and practise your answers. For example, if the job specification asks for Java as a desirable skill and you have not used Java, you will need to highlight how much experience you have of the other essential skills and perhaps emphasise similar tools/products. Additionally you could refer to any training you may have completed.

Ensure you know what format the interview will follow. Prepare for technical tests or competency based questions – you can never do too much interview preparation.

You should always look at the companies' website and find out what the company has been doing in the market recently. Search for the company on Google to view recent articles and industry updates.

Read the company values and mission statement on their website. If a client has values such as "Provide excellent customer service" or "Taking Personal Responsibility", you can assume that there will be questions around this in your interview. You will therefore need to have an example in mind to prove that your values are similar. They will be looking for examples that are relevant to them, so if you can tie these in with examples of projects that you have worked on that may relate to the clients current project.

Look through your CV and recall projects that you have completed that are similar to the job specification / client's project. This means drawing on examples that you can talk about in the interview, but please ensure that these are projects / tasks that you personally have worked on. Do not mislead the client by describing projects that you weren't significantly involved in.

Q. What should I take with me?

Always take your identification (ideally a passport or birth certificate) and all relevant visa documentation to the interview. Also take your certificates to verify your qualifications and training. If you are using the Omnium Innovate CV service you will have already uploaded these documents onto your CV.

Q. What should I wear to an interview?

Always ensure that you wear smart business attire even if the everyday role does not require it. The first impression is essential.

Q. What is a competency based interview?

Behavioural or competency based interviews are a style of interviewing used so that a candidate can best show how they would demonstrate certain behaviours/skills in the workplace; by answering questions about how you have reacted to and dealt with previous work place situations.

The idea being that by looking at past experience a potential employer can predict future behaviour. A competency is something that can be measured and is now commonly used, not only interviews but in appraisals and training.

You will be asked to give an example of a situation or task that led you to take a certain course of action. Probing questions will then be used to determine the course of action you took and what changes were created by those actions and the effects of those actions on others (which is key to remember when discussing your answer).

When answering, remember that the interviewer wants to know what YOU as an individual delivered and achieved so avoid over-using examples of 'we'.

For example, for a Project Manager position an organisation may be seeking to focus on the following types of competencies; planning and organising, communication, strategic thinking.

When answering competency style questions it is best to adopt the STAR model, which will allow you to structure your answer in a logical and concise manner.

Situation – Describe the situation/problem you were faced with (try and keep your examples recent)
Task – what did you have to do?
Action – what action did you take and why. Were there any challenges/obstacles and how did you overcome them?
Results – highlight the outcome

Q. How to prepare for a competency-based interview?

First of all reread your CV
The best way to identify what competencies the organisation is likely to require is to review the job description and discuss this further with your Consultant who will be able to advise you.
For each core competency try to think of specific examples of when you have evidenced those behaviours but do not prepare specific answers prior to your interview as this is likely to mean that you provide answers that do not fully answer the question. You may find it helpful to run through some competency examples with your Consultant or perhaps with a friend prior to your interview.

Common competencies
To help you we have listed below some of the most common competencies that companies look for. Please note that these definitions may not be identical to those of a prospective employer and are just to give you an idea of what to expect.

Drive for results
This competency is trying to assess personal motivation and how you approach challenges. Example Questions:

• What achievement are you most proud of?
• Give me an example of a time when you have had to achieve a specific result
• What opportunities have you identified and used to achieve success?
• Tell me about a time when you have 'made things happen' for yourself/your team?

Communication
This competency is looking for the ability to communicate effectively and to influence others to act and/or commit support to one's own goals or objectives. Many roles are looking to establish that you understand the need to adapt your communication methods depending on the situation and individuals that you are facing.

Communication methods for example can include: 1-2-1 discussions (formal and informal), group presentations, telephone, email etc. Different 'audiences' may include peers, subordinates, senior management, customers, suppliers.

Example Questions:
• Can you please give a specific example of when you have had to influence a colleague to you way of thinking?
• Tell me about a particularly difficult issue you had to communicate.

Planning and Organizing
This is looking to assess if and how you plan activities and/or projects. It is relevant for all levels of roles, not just managerial positions. Often it may be looking to see how you fit your plans into the project plan, for example.

Example Questions:
• Describe a time when you have had to plan a large piece of work
• How would you approach ensuring that you delivered results in your role.
• It's a busy day with conflicting priorities and deadlines, what do you do?

Customer Focus
Individuals who display this competency understand and believe in the importance of customer focus. They listen to and understand the needs of external and internal customers. They meet and exceed customer needs to ensure satisfaction.

Example Question:
• Can you give us an example of when you have dealt with an upset or angry customer in the past?

Influencing or Persuading Others
You may have strong verbal skills but can you influence another person to change their thinking or take some action – perhaps a colleague follows your advice or a client decides to buy a service or product. At management level have you the skills to persuade and involve rather than coerce and punish? Are you ethical in your dealings with people?

Example Questions:
• Tell me about a time when you were able to change someone's viewpoint significantly?
• Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something that you disagreed with?

Interpersonal and Team Skills
The desire to build and maintain relationships in and beyond the workplace is critical. Many workplaces function on the basis of project teams. Those who are highly collaborative and co-operative are most likely to thrive in this type of environment.

Example Questions:
• What skills and personal qualities have you contributed to the teams you have been part of?
• Tell me about the most difficult person you have worked with.

Problem Solving and Decision Making
How do you come to a decision? What information do you utilize and how do you break that down and filter it to ensure your decisions are sound and valid? Are you able to make decisions or do you rely too heavily on others.

Example Questions:
• Tell me about a difficult decision that you have made.
• Tell me about an unpopular decision you have made.

Q. Examples of Questions you may be asked during the interview

Why do you want this position?
Stress the positive aspects which first attracted you to the role and highlight the skills that you have that will enable you to fullfill the position.

What qualities do you think will be required for this position?
The job specification will help you, but you should also think of the other qualities that may be required. These may include leadership ability, supervisory skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving, analytical skills, etc.

Why did you choose a career in …?
Be positive about your reasons. If you have changed careers make a logical reason as to why you did so. Ensure you are able to walk the interviewer through your career path in a clear and concise way.

What do you think of the last company you worked for?
You should only ever stress the positive aspects of your previous / current employer.

Are you considering any other positions at the moment?
If you are say so, but keep your response brief and assure them that you have not made any formal decisions. If you do not have any other applications running, it's reasonable to say that you have only recently started your search for a new role.

What did you think of your manager/supervisor?
No matter what the relationship actually was, always say something positive. For example; Say that he/she was the sort of person you could learn from, or you communicated well, or you worked well together to deliver some excellent projects on time.

Q. Examples of questions you may want to ask

It's a good idea to list some questions you wish to ask before your go into your interview to act as a reminder. Some examples are:-

• What does this company value the most and how do you think my work for you will add to these values?
• What would you like me to achieve in the short and medium term?
• What was the last successful project your team completed?
• Could you describe the attributes of your best team member?
• What's the makeup of the team as far as experience?
• Are there any concerns you have about my ability to perform this job that I could discuss again now to ensure you are certain I can perform?
• What are the timescales of this selection process?