Face to face interviews

Face-to-face interviews

At Critical Project Resourcing, we have noticed an increase in interviews occurring online, especially via software like Teams or Zoom.  Therefore, it may have been some time since you had a face-to-face interview, especially given the recent Covid years!

We wanted to provide a few tips to help make the process of an in person interview as successful as possible, from the obvious to the subtle we hope.

We have been recruiting in the Critical Infrastructure and Government job market for nearly 20 years and have seen a huge change in the technology used to find jobs and recruit employees.  What hasn’t changed however, is the value of meeting each other in person.

Here are a few tips to bear in mind if you are asked to do an in-person interview. 

• Plan your route in advance and aim to arrive at the interview location 10-15 minutes early. Punctuality shows respect for the interviewer's time and gives you a chance to compose yourself before the interview. Take time to see the local area and consider the routes to work.
• Learn as much as you can about the company, its culture, values, products/services, and recent news. This knowledge will demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm during the interview. Remember to check the company website as well as their social media channels, as these are often much more up to date. 
• Thoroughly review the job description and identify the key skills and qualifications they are seeking. Prepare examples from your past experiences that highlight how you would match the role. Consider how responsibilities and duties may have evolved over recent years, especially considering the advent of Hybrid working.
• Think about the questions you may be asked and practice your responses. Focus on articulating your strengths, accomplishments, and how you can contribute to the company.
• Dress appropriately for the industry and company culture. It's generally better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed. With more hybrid working, and less formal meetings, it is perhaps prudent to ensure that you dress formerly for a face-to-face interview.
• Remember your non-verbal ques throughout the interview as these can convey confidence - make eye contact, smile, and offer a firm handshake when greeting the interviewer. Consider your posture throughout the interview, this is an easy one to forget!
• Consider the physical environment and your command of space around you. We are increasingly used to video meetings, where we have a smaller range of motion, and thus are quite static.  In a face-to-face interview you will need to consider your entire physical presentation.
• If you are being interviewed for a job with multiple attendees, you will need to remember to address multiple people beyond flicking your eyes to a different part of the monitor.
• Engage in a conversation rather than just providing rehearsed answers. If you're unsure about a question, ask for clarification. We connect to each other as people, not just lists of skills, so ensure you let your personality shine through.
• Remember to showcase your achievements, this is something we all find difficult, but your interviewer won’t know unless you tell them. Back up your claims with specific examples of how you've made a positive impact in your previous roles.
• Prepare a list of questions about the company, the role, and its expectations. This shows your interest in the company but will also help you decide if this company is the best fit for you – the interview works both ways.

We hope you’ve found these tips helpful.  At Critical Project Resourcing we act as a Recruitment Business and a Recruitment Agency, finding jobs for people in the Critical Infrastructure Markets and Government sectors. These roles vary from engineering, surveying, highways, rail, and local authority / public sector positions. 

Our website offers a wide variety of current jobs Jobs in Infrastructure and Transportation Recruitment, where you can also sign up to our job alerts Create a job alert .   

Our team is available to offer advice and tips on searching for a new job or recruiting candidates. 

Our telephone number is 01732 455 300 or e-mail info@cpresourcing.co.uk.