After a long recruitment porcess involving exams, questionnaires a preliminary interview and other assorted tidbits, the good folks at Procter & Gamble have decided to give me a panel-style interview. There was a vacancy before and I wasn’t given the oportunity to go to this interview. A new vacancy has come up and I have my interview on friday. I’m scared poopless. The big problem is that there’s two vacancies and at least seven people competing for the job. I’m the second interviewee, but I really wnat the job. Does anyone have any tips for this interview? Anything to make me stand out in a good way?
I’d appreciate any help my fellow dopers can give me.
I think the key is to demonstrate your enthusiasm, and ask lots and lots of questions. Have a couple prepared, but make sure you’re alert enough to follow up on statements that are made by the interviewer.
If you’re not too nervous, try to be humorous too - smile and, make eye contact (but not too much).
Thanks jjim, I’ll try not to be too nervous, but it’s going to be really hard. For some reason I went into the process thinking what could I lose? and ended up wanting the job badly. I guess part of it is the competitive element in it, the other hopefuls for the job are impressive and that somehow excites me.
if they ask questions such as “could you describe a situation where…” or “how would you deal with…” try and use examples if at all possible.
Don’t forget that the Interviewers are, at the end of the day, just as keen to fill the job as you are to get it. So in a funny, twisted, kind of way, they are on your side since they are just as keen for you to come across as a viable candidate as you are!
You need to make sure you stand out above all other candidates. To that end, I recommend a large and colourful hat.
Seriously, try and see it from their point of view. As one who has been on the other side of the intreviewing table, they just want to know about you, and whether you’ll fit in. They don’t expect you know everything about the company and the job, just to demonstrate a willingness to learn. Keenness is good, but not to the point of being creepy.
If you are nervous (and no shame there), and you fluff your lines, or get muddled, break the “spell” of the interview by explaining to the panel that you (as you said) “really want the job”, and you want to make a good impression on them, and you’re quite nervous because of that. They’ll appreciate your honesty.
So, be open, honest and keen. But not too much. And, much as I admire jjimm 's infinite wisdom, be aware that humour can be very hit-and-miss, especially in an interview situation (I throw out any CVs with attempts at humour - there’s a time and a place, and applying for a job isn’t it). So I’d suggest you err on the side of caution, and not tell the one about the vicar and the ferret.
Remember - they just want to find out more about you. And you want to find out more about them. It’s a two-way process - and you’ll stand out by taking an interest.
most of my division spent Children In Need Day dressed as school kids (as usual) :rolleyes: .
It wasn’t until the day before that they realised they’d scheduled a load of interviews for the same day. Queue lots of frantic ringing round to get them all rescheduled…
Thank you garius I’ll try and use examples, although they sometimes ask difficult questions (I’ve been through another interview in the preliminary stages), mostly because they’re the same questions only rephrased, and you need to give different examples… I’ll try to think of some beforehand.
Pierre72, I really liked your suggestion of being upfront with my nervousness. I’m usually well-spoken and articulate, but when my adrenaline get’s pumping I get hyper and jumble words together. It’s all made worse by the fact they make you wait a long time before they show you in.
Speaking as an interviewer, remember that in that time before they show you in, they are actually discussing all the stuff they hated about the last applicant.
This is vitally important that you realize what this does to you.
Far FAR too many people go into negotiations with their minds set that they must get what they’re after. (and make no mistake…an interview is a negotiation) This leads them to show, however unconsciously, desperation and weakness. Any skilled interviewer will pick up on this (I know I have on many occasions) and it will color their perception of you.
Really, I see this in interviews, home buying, car buying, whatever. People go in saying to themselves “I want this and must have it” and handicap themselves from the start.
So be confident in your abilities (remember, if you’re giving off ‘desperate’ waves they’ll pick up that you think you don’t deserve the gig) and self-possessed. Joke, sure, where it’s appropriate and make them laugh.
The important thing is to show that you want the job, you can do the job, but that you don’t need the job. Make them think that it’s mutually beneficial for both parties that you be hired. Don’t let them put you in that ‘we’re doing you a favor by hiring you’ position. That allows the power games to be ALL out of your favor. I like the people who interview ME to think they’re the luckiest people on earth to have me considering working for them.
So again
Confidence
Self-possession
No sense of ‘need’ just ‘want’.
And do your research. Make sure you know as much about what that division of P&G does as you can and make sure you mention it and how you can apply your skills to it.
Oh, and don’t mention the satanic stuff. They won’t laugh.
Thanks to you too Jonathan, especially on the satanic stuff, I’ll mention my collection torture tools instead. I’m actually pretty cool under pressure when it comes to the balls to the walls time. It’s the before that really gets me reeling. I’d already recieved the advice that interviews are negotiations but haven’t applied it, I’ll be sure to do so. It really is a case of want and not need, as I don’t need the money (it pays badly anyway), mostly I want the experience. I’m in my last year at college, about to get my degree in Mechanical Engineering and I feel that adding a year’s worth of job experience at P&G will help me out.
I feel like I’m getting a fairly well rounded pool of ideas, I’ll try to get them together later in the day. THIS is why I love de SDMB…
Hahahahahahahaha… I missed that article… I’ll just be careful to wear a dark suit and dark shirt to hide the bloodstains in case I have to do a human sacrifice. (I prefer de virgin sacrifices, by the way)
I doubt that people down here (I’m in Mexico) people are even remotely aware of that story. Interestingly, I always liked the moon logo, it was one of my favorite company logos. Makes one wonder…
What I found out after I spoke to an interviewer from a very well-established firm was that, during interviews, they are fond of giving you a scenario and then ask you how you would handle it. This is a way for them to assess your maturity, as well as how quickly you can think on your feet. Alternatively, they may try to floor you by asking you a particularly ‘hard’ or embarassing question, and watch your reaction to that. What my friend went through during one interview went something like this:
Interviewers: Well… We see that you graduated without honours, but only with a pass with merit. So, what have you been doing all three years in university?
Yeah…sounds pretty meano right? But what they actually want to see is the maturity you show when you try to answer them.
Well, but interviewers are not that heartless all the time. I know of interviewers who will sorta give some leeway in the first 10-15 minutes of the interview, when they know that the candidate is still feeling nervous and has not yet settled down. Usually, they try to help you a little by asking you some basic information about yourself (like what sport you played in school, etc), stuff that you do not really need to think very much to answer. This is to help you, as you gather yourself together and regain your confidence. Hope this comes as some consolation.
Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, I’d ask my colleagues or manager (as appropriate) for advice.” Or, “I cannot give you a quick answer but I’d start on these lines… because …” You’re not Superman. Both responses show this: the former shows that you recognise that you’re part of a team; the latter shows that you are aware of the time constraints of the interview and gives them an opening to probe you.
