Your Top 5 Checklist

1. Company Research

This is pivotal. Research the role and company to demonstrate your interest.

- Thoroughly read their website. Find out about the company, its history, facts and figures, teams, type of clients,
divisions and roles that they work
- Read the job spec fully. Understand all elements of the role and where it fits in the business
- Make a note of any questions that arise from your research. They will come in handy later…
- Extra Mile tip. Don’t stop at the website. Google the business. Is there anything else out there of interest? Try and
find out a little about your interviewer on LinkedIn.com

2. Industry Research

Research the recruitment industry. What is it about it that appeals to you?

https://www.recruiter.com/i/should-you-start-a-career-in-recruiting/
http://www.grb.uk.com/graduate-jobs-in-recruitment
http://www.agendarec2recrecruitment.co.uk/index.php/blog/2-candidate-tips/64-are-you-looking-to-start-a-
career-in-recruitment-

- Extra Mile Tip. If you know the market the company is considering you for, why not look into it a little? Are there
any hot topics which you should know about?

3. Get the Basics Right

- Be on time. Plan your journey. Arrive in plenty of time. Find the office, get a coffee and relax
- Set a good first impression. Recruitment is all about meeting people. A solid handshake, confident demeanour
and good eye contact are key. Build rapport and ask questions as you head to your interview.
- Dress to impress. Recruitment is a very corporate environment. Wear a suit, conservative colours for ties and
shirts. Polish your shoes, get a haircut! Remove visible piercings. Don’t wear anything revealing.
- Switch OFF your mobile and keep it in your pocket for the whole time. Being on silent is not enough!
- Know your CV, your gaps and reasons for leaving jobs and answer around these professionally. Make sure you
know your personal facts and figures (grades dates etc). This is especially important if you have sales experience.
What were your targets? What was your performance? How did you perform against your peers?
- Think about body language.
- Don’t lie, chew gum, ramble, swear, be negative. More here http://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-
blog/2015/may/28/how-to-avoid-the-top-five-most-common-job-interview-mistakes

4. Prepare for Typical Questions

These include…

- Tell me a bit about you

- How does the recruitment industry work?
- Why does a career in recruitment appeal to you?
- What have you done to secure a position in recruitment?
- What is your understanding of this role?
- What skills do you think a good recruiter needs to have?
- What skills do you have that will help you succeed in recruitment?
- What experience do you have that is relevant to a recruitment role?
- If you did start a career in recruitment, what do you think the biggest challenges would be?
- What are your unique selling points?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- What targets did you have in your last role and how did you perform against them?
- What can you tell us about our company?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- What are your strengths/weaknesses?
- What motivates you?
- How would your last manager describe you?

-Talk me through how you might set up a new desk in recruitment

(http://www.theglobalrecruiter.com/news/blog/how-to-set-up-your-own-recruitment-desk-michael-snow-
business-development-manager-capita-it-resourcing/) Useful article on this question.

- How would you to win new business?

- What do you want to earn in the next year/three years/five years? (be honest, realistic but ambitious)

Competency Questions

When have you demonstrated the skills required for recruitment? How can you sell yourself? Self-Analysis prior to the
interview will help you. Think about the kind of skills a recruiter might look for and how you can demonstrate them. A
typical question will start with “Give me an example of time when you have shown exceptional…” Typical skills and
qualities you may be asked about include:

 Drive
 Resilience
 Persistence
 Initiative
 Target orientated
 Influencing skills
 Money motivation
 Communication
 Tenacity
 Overcoming challenges
 Multi-tasking

Practice giving thorough answers through using the STAR technique:

http://careerweb.leeds.ac.uk/info/21/interviews/216/star_method
http://careers.theguardian.com/careers-blog/star-technique-competency-based-interview

5. Ask Great Questions

Questions demonstrate your enthusiasm. It’s a good idea to write down a list of questions in a pad/folder for you to
refer to at the end of the interview. Some great examples:

- What do you like most about working here?

- How does the commission structure work here?
- If I came in and was successful, what could I be earning in three years?
- What training do you offer?
- How could I progress in the company?

Ask around any gaps from your company research

- What are the company’s plans for future growth?

 - Which team is your most successful and why?

Thank the interviewer for their time and remember to close for the next stage

- If I was to be successful, are there any areas that you think I could work on?
- How have I performed against other candidates and if I was successful, what would the next stage be?
- When could I expect to hear from you and what would the next stage be?