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Great, your application has worked. Now you must demonstrate face to face that your enthusiasm and passion for what you want to do show through.

Congratulations! If you are reading this section chances are you have been asked to come to an interview. This means that your application is working and that someone is interested in employing you. Here we will cover some ideas and tips to help you through this stage of the recruitment process. Even if successful this time around the chances are this is something you will have to go through at various times in your career.

The purpose of the interview

The interview is not a "one way street". Three parties are concerned with the interview. The interviewer, the employer whom is being represented by the interviewer, and you.

The employer generally has a problem that needs fixing or a task that needs doing and wants the best person for the position within a pre-determined salary range, and wants to maintain a positive image.

The interviewer wants to assess your ability to handle all aspects of the position and to fit in with the organization, to further his/her career and to represent the company favourably.

You want to further your career, to present yourself in the most favourable manner, and to assess the company and the position.

Everything that happens in an interview relates to the interviewer attempting to find out three things:

  • Can
    Do you have the skills, capabilities to perform the job that requires doing. Generally if you have got to interview they have already made a bit of a judgement that they believe you can.
  • Will
    Are you motivated and willing to do the job at hand. It is all very well being capable but are you ready.

  • Fit
    Do you understand our culture, will you fit in to it, will you get on with the rest of the team that they are going to put you into.

So, the process is designed to determine what the advantage would be of hiring you over someone else and do you have more to offer than anyone else does.

We have split this section into three areas and want you to imagine that today you have been invited to attend an interview one week from now. Go through each stage, found down the left handside of the page,as if you were about to experience them.