Does anyone else suck at interviews

I'm lucky that I am really good at getting interviews. But then I have a really tragic success rate at interview. It's particularly true for positions where they go in for the 'competency' type questions (tell me about a time when...) rather than just talking about the job.

Anyway I have an interview next week for pretty much my dream role and I'm bricking it. It's definitely going to be a full-on competency type interview and even though the job is basically what I'm already doing in my current job, but more varied and better paid, and I know I can do it, I feel like I'm going to fall down because I can't explain when I led a team to a successful outcome/overcame adversity/some other vague question. Or just fall down because I'm so nervous.

I'm trying to tell myself what will be will be, sometimes your dream role is not all its cracked up to be, etc, but I'm really keen on this job! Anyone got got any tips on how to ace those competency type "I'm a leader/team player/innovator" interviews?

Reply 1

Tortious

16

Original post by moutonfou

I'm lucky that I am really good at getting interviews. But then I have a really tragic success rate at interview. It's particularly true for positions where they go in for the 'competency' type questions (tell me about a time when...) rather than just talking about the job.

Anyway I have an interview next week for pretty much my dream role and I'm bricking it. It's definitely going to be a full-on competency type interview and even though the job is basically what I'm already doing in my current job, but more varied and better paid, and I know I can do it, I feel like I'm going to fall down because I can't explain when I led a team to a successful outcome/overcame adversity/some other vague question. Or just fall down because I'm so nervous.

I'm trying to tell myself what will be will be, sometimes your dream role is not all its cracked up to be, etc, but I'm really keen on this job! Anyone got got any tips on how to ace those competency type "I'm a leader/team player/innovator" interviews?

I'm a little too tired (and ill!) for a full response, but the "STAR" approach (here) is the best structure to adopt. Also, try not to re-use examples for different questions. :smile:

Reply 2

russellsteapot

16

It's worth remembering that it's not uncommon for 200 people to apply for one position these days. It stands to reason that almost everyone will have a poor success rate, and becoming demoralised about it will further affect your performance. I've interviewed people in the past and there'll often be 15 people all exceeding the requirements, and we've had to pick the best based on little more than a guess.

Have you asked for feedback from interviewers? Obviously if your answers are poor, then it's worth a wholesale change in how you answer the questions (e.g. if you don't use something like the STAR method mentioned above), but it's easy to become demoralised by assuming your answers are bad (and sometimes change a good answer) when you're simply being unlucky that another applicant has 10 years more experience.

I think the main thing to take into an interview is confidence in what you're saying, and self-belief. Sounds both obvious and easier said than done, but as long as you believe that the examples you give, and reasons why you dealt with certain situations in a certain manner do show competence, you'll come across a lot better than if you're not sure whether your answer is 'good enough'. Why are you good at your current job? Build your answers around that (try not to over-prepare, but the obvious questions can be prepared-for in advance).

Reply 3

grumbeale

9

I haven't been to an interview for 4-5 years, as most of my jobs have come without one.

However, that being said, my interview history has been fairly successful. I can't say that I've been to many interviews face to face, maybe 5-6, and I've got 4 jobs out of them, in the last ten years.

I have a telephone interview today, my first 'proper' interview in just under 5 years. I'll see how that goes.

The secret is confidence and 'being yourself' and lying a little bit when you need to.

Reply 4

bluebluepurple

12

Try and use the star technique, before your interview make sure you come up with examples when you worked in a team, make sure you prepare well, and what ever you say never say anything negative to an interviewer!

Reply 5

grumbeale

9

Original post by grumbeale

I haven't been to an interview for 4-5 years, as most of my jobs have come without one.

However, that being said, my interview history has been fairly successful. I can't say that I've been to many interviews face to face, maybe 5-6, and I've got 4 jobs out of them, in the last ten years.

I have a telephone interview today, my first 'proper' interview in just under 5 years. I'll see how that goes.

The secret is confidence and 'being yourself' and lying a little bit when you need to.

Update: I'm through to a full interview. I was honest, and fairly confident. Had to pass on a couple of questions.

Reply 6

ForgetMe

21

Yep, I suck very much at the interviews and when I can't answer into a question, I'm becoming nervous and then start to waffle :sad:

Even STAR technique seems to be difficult for me :sad:

Original post by moutonfou

I'm lucky that I am really good at getting interviews. But then I have a really tragic success rate at interview. It's particularly true for positions where they go in for the 'competency' type questions (tell me about a time when...) rather than just talking about the job.

Anyway I have an interview next week for pretty much my dream role and I'm bricking it. It's definitely going to be a full-on competency type interview and even though the job is basically what I'm already doing in my current job, but more varied and better paid, and I know I can do it, I feel like I'm going to fall down because I can't explain when I led a team to a successful outcome/overcame adversity/some other vague question. Or just fall down because I'm so nervous.

I'm trying to tell myself what will be will be, sometimes your dream role is not all its cracked up to be, etc, but I'm really keen on this job! Anyone got got any tips on how to ace those competency type "I'm a leader/team player/innovator" interviews?

Although I don't recommend learning them and parroting them by rote, it does no harm to draft out and learn a few STAR responses to standard questions. So a couple to use for leadership, persuading people, making hard decisions, solving a problem, getting a team to follow your plan etc. Make sure you think how one example might answer two questions - as said above, you don't want to use the same example twice if possible, but sometimes there is a tweak in the question, ie they ask about leadership, but while at Uni, and you have a Uni example about getting the team follow your plan - that can easily be spun as leadership.

You should be able to get a pretty good idea about what skills they are going to ask about - they will be the skills they are asking for in the job advert. If the job advert says nothing, or has 20 different skills, then it is perfectly acceptable to phone up the organisation ask them a few straightforward questions like 'can you tell me what your team's current projects are?' or 'are there any big changes in the office planned for the next year ?'. At more senior levels (ie the level your team manager for this new job might be) phoning up and asking two or three questions that show you want to learn more about the job is absolutely expected. What you mustn't do is ask questions about yourself, how you might fit, what you could do to improve your application etc, you just ask for more information about the job.

You can also get the interview off to a stronger start because the first question is almost always some version of 'Why do you want this job' and an equally appropriate answer is nearly always some version of 'all my skills, experience and or interests are a good fit'. So you should be able to nail the first question pretty convincingly.

On the nerves - try and remember that if you get to interview, the panel in front of you have looked through probably 100+ applications and have selected you. They like what they saw on paper and so they have a positive approach to you as you enter the room. If they didn't think you could do the job, or didn't want to work with you they wouldn't have selected you for interview. It's not as if employers aren't spoilt for options at the moment.

As someone who interviews people for jobs quite regularly, I can assure you that I've never met one that wasn't entirely positive about an candidate as they walk in the room. And there isn't much that's more excrutiating that a good candidate on paper, screwing it up with nerves. However, common or garden nerves are actually easily ignored. The silences you hear as a candidate and the gabbling etc aren't nearly as obvious to those on the other side of the desk.

Does anyone else suck at interviews

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