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How do you prepare ahead of an interview?

Research on the company and the person or people that I am meeting. It can be difficult to cover all the areas that I would like to because I am working full time as a consultant with large projects and deadlines. I must also balance that with family life as I have two young children.

I recently interviewed with three organisations consecutively and was rejected by the first organisation that I met with. They asked me what I knew about them? Why I wanted to join them? I had taken the time to research the company and their service offering, I also knew of them in the market. However, it seemed a bit strange as I had never met with them before, so I hadn’t made up my mind that I wanted to join them. I didn’t want to start our potential relationship by being dishonest, but they didn’t respect the answer that I had provided.

What things are you keen to understand about the role and company that you are interviewing for?

There are a few things. The first is around the culture and what the people and team are like. The other things that are important are opportunities for learning, career prospects and having a supportive structure.

What is the most bizarre question that you’ve been asked in an interview?

I was once asked to draw something that I was passionate about. My drawing wasn’t very good, and I thought that it might become an interesting subject to speak about with the interviewer. I don’t think he liked my art work as he took one look and moved on to the next question. Very awkward.

From the interviews that you have attended recently, what inspired you most?

I met with a senior manager who took the time to ask me about the things that were important to me. She positioned the role and company very well, taking the time to highlight some of the areas that I had mentioned. Also focussing on a couple of areas that the business needed to work on. I found this approach really refreshing, it led me to joining my current workplace!

What things have been off-putting or disconcerting at an interview?

Drawing pictures! Aside from that, the assumption that I wanted to join a business before meeting them. It seemed a bit arrogant – and they didn’t know about the other two opportunities that I was interviewing for with organisations of a similar stature!

If you could provide any advice or feedback, what would it be?

It is important for the interviewer and interviewee to feel that it is a good match; so, if I were to offer any advice, it would be to make sure that the interviewer is prepared to provide detail on the position as well the team and company and to make it an interesting process for both sides.