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The Lipton Fleming Ultimate Interview Guide

The document provides guidance on preparing for and succeeding in job interviews. It discusses common interview types, appropriate dress, research and preparation steps, practices to adopt during an interview such as eye contact and listening, common interview questions, and what employers want to know. The guide emphasizes arriving on time, dressing appropriately, thoroughly researching the company, having examples to highlight one's relevant skills and experience, actively listening to the interviewer, and focusing answers on the needs of the employer.

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Lipton Fleming
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59 views

The Lipton Fleming Ultimate Interview Guide

The document provides guidance on preparing for and succeeding in job interviews. It discusses common interview types, appropriate dress, research and preparation steps, practices to adopt during an interview such as eye contact and listening, common interview questions, and what employers want to know. The guide emphasizes arriving on time, dressing appropriately, thoroughly researching the company, having examples to highlight one's relevant skills and experience, actively listening to the interviewer, and focusing answers on the needs of the employer.

Uploaded by

Lipton Fleming
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Lipton Fleming Ultimate Interview Guide

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

Contents

Types of interview

How to dress

What to prepare for the interview

Practices to adopt in an interview

The Basic Interview Questions

What Employers want to know

Contact details

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

Types of interview
Tip for onsite interviews: Plan your route and allow for traffic, train delays, weather problems, tube cancellations etc. First impressions are the most powerful and punctuality is very important. Where possible arrive 10-15 minutes before your interview and use this time to compose yourself and go over any interview preparation.

Telephone interviews From the moment you apply for a role, you should be prepared. Recruiters and companies will often call you to assess your qualifications and competencies. A great tip is to keep a list with you of the positions you have applied for and the agency/company they are with. Also have a list of key strengths relating to each role to which you can refer during the telephone interview process. Going through the job spec and giving examples of when you have delivered on certain measurables is a great way to show your worth. Group interviews Some employers like to interview several candidates at once to observe behaviour, interaction, assertiveness communication skills and general ability to work in a team. You will be given scenarios or discussion points to work through as a group. Make sure you participate, discuss and engage with the group, ensuring you are noticed (for the right reasons) by the interviewer. Being the loudest isnt always the best thing to be. One-On-One Interviews This is the norm for most interviews. It is a chance for you to talk through the role, the company, your CV, your skills and how they relate in greater depth. This is your chance to make an impression, so make sure you have prepared and are ready to make the impression a great one. Think about why you want the job and what you would bring to the role. A panel This is usually conducted with two or more interviewers. Be sure to maintain eye contact with each person on an equal basis and engage with interviewers ensuring you build a rapport and make an impression on each of them.

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

How to dress
How you dress forms part of a potential employers first impression of you. The potential employer is going to make an initial judgment on you based on what you look like and what you are wearing. Therefore it is most important to find out what attire is suitable. So what is the appropriate dress code for an interview? The general rule would state the candidate dressed in a suit and tie is going to make a much better impression than the candidate dressed in smart jeans and a shirt. this is now actually almost invalid. Within the media landscape in some digital/creative roles, if you attend an interview in a suit you may be considered Stuffy or just not the right cultural fit. Where as in a commercial media role you will be expected to attend in a smart suit and tie. Whats the way to get around not knowing? Ask. It is as simple as that, if you are using a recruitment consultant you can ask them, if you are going through hiring managers or direct with managers / CEOs it is still perfectly acceptable to ask. It is better to know for sure than to guess and possibly guess wrong. (It is better to be overdressed than under)

Interview Attire Quick Tips Before you even think about going to your interview, make sure you have appropriate interview attire, everything fits correctly and everything is clean. If your clothes are dry clean only, take them to the cleaners after an interview, so they are ready to go for next time. Prepare your clothes the night before. Polish your shoes. If you happen to be extremely cutting edge with your image think about toning it down to appeal to a more mass market. EG Lip/Tongue/Facial Piercings are best left out for the purpose of the interview. Moderation is key.

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

What to prepare for the interview


Know what you bring to the table What skills and abilities do you have? What value can your skills and experiences bring to this role? How will you fit in culturally? Especially if interviewing abroad. Compile a S.W.O.T analysis with regard to this new role; your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Research, research, research. Obtain a copy of the job description. Use the employers websites, social media, industry press/websites and Google to gather information on them. Company background, offices/locations, products or services, organisational structure, expansion plans and head count. Competitors. Make sure you view the employers news page on their website. Look at the market and make sure you can identify future trends, key people, what people are doing in similar roles. Prepare a list of appropriate questions that reflect your research.

Have a checklist to tick before you leave the house Confirm date, time and place of interview. Take a few copies of your CV; a list of references with their contact details and letters of recommendation if you have them. Are you dressed appropriately?

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

Practices to adopt in an interview


Handshake and Eye Contact When you first meet someone an impression is made within 3 seconds, based on how you look, what you say, your body language and your tone of voice, Always look people in the eye and have a firm handshake, not overbearing but confident and assured. Listen As the old saying goes you have 2 ears and 1 mouth - use them in that ratio. It is very important that at interviews you listen and take on all information that is being given to you. Also you need to be able to answer questions effectively, especially if they have a hidden meaning. Pause Make sure you allow time before you answer a question. You can always have a sip of water after a question to buy some time to put a logical answer together. Answer the question Make sure you answer questions fully and give examples of how you can relate this to prior scenarios. Also think whether there is a double meaning or hidden question they are trying to get you to answer. Dont babble Once you have finished speaking and answering questions, just stop. Dont babble without relevance. Be ready for anything The best way to do this is research; also make sure you get a good nights sleep so your mind is agile and able to answer anything.

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

Basic Interview Questions


1. Tell me about yourself Keep your answer to one or two minutes; don't ramble. Do not go back to childhood experiences; just give a brief outline of where you are from and where you want to be headed. Use your CV introduction as a starting base. Keep all statements positive. 2. What do you know about our company? Show that you have done your research. You should know what their products are, how big their company is, roughly what their annual revenue is, what reputation their company has within the industry and within the market. Know the company's history, image, goal, and philosophy. Project an informed interest which allows the interviewer to tell you some more detailed aspects about the company. 3. Why do you want to work for us? Don't talk about what you want; talk about their needs and what you can do for them. Explain that you wish to be part of their company: identify its strengths. Show you can make a definite contribution to specific company goals. 4. What would you do for us? What can you do for us that someone else can't? Talk about successful past experience where you have helped an employer solve a problem and make sure it relates to the job being offered. Stay positive and don't be seen to criticise other candidates. 5. Which aspects of our position do you find the most/least attractive? List three or more attractive factors and one (subtle) unattractive factor. Aspects to pick up on could include; office location, company reputation, the chance to work with esteemed colleagues, training opportunities, great offices etc.

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

6. Why should we hire you? Because of the knowledge, experience, abilities and skills you possess. Be very positive and confident in your reply, not vague. 7. What do you look for in a job? Relate your answer to the job for which you are applying e.g. "I enjoy a challenge and I believe this position would offer me that." An opportunity to use your skills, to perform and to be recognised. The opportunity to develop further skills. 8. Why are you leaving your present job? Be honest but ensure you are not negative about your previous company. 9. Describe what you feel to be the perfect working environment. Draw on the companys culture / management / values and highlight some of these which you find important. 10. How would you evaluate your present firm? Pull on the positives of the company before saying why this company could be even better for you.

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

What Employers want to know


How much do you want it? What makes this position so special to you? What are you looking for from your next role? What do you know about their company? Where else you are interviewing? Are you going to be a good cultural fit? Whether you prefer to work alone or with a team. Your team work skills and experience. People you like working with and people you dont. Where you feel most comfortable. Are you qualified for this position? What you bring to the table. What are your biggest strengths? What prior experience you have in this field. Why they should hire you, over everyone else. What makes you tick? What motivates you? Where do you see yourself five years from now? What is more important to you, the money, the job, the environment or something else? What did you like most about your last job? About your challenges. What have been your biggest challenges? What do you see as the biggest learning curve in this role?

Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

The Lipton Fleming | Ultimate Interview Guide

Contact Details
Traditional
Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd Northumberland House 155-157 Great Portland Street London W1W 6QP

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Search for Lipton Fleming on: Twitter Facebook Linkedin

W// http://www.liptonfleming.co.uk/ T// 020 7636 0303 E// [email protected]

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Lipton Fleming Appointments Ltd.


Northumberland House, 155-157 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 6QP.

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