Giving feedback to the interviewers

Oldernotwiser

How much preparation do you do for interviews? It sounds as if even the most run of the mill questions take you by surprise.

As far as having the interviewers disagree with you , it can be a fine line between expressing your own opinions and trying to find out what answers they actually want!

dickydonkin

Soubrette wrote: »

Thanks dpassmore, perhaps you (or ONW) could tell me how you would have answered that particular question? Especially as not 10 minutes before the panel had been joking that if the quiet interviewer had won the lottery the successful candidate would be expected to step into her shoes temporarily, obviously no problem if any of them had a better offer

I will look at that website but I do look at websites, someone on the MSE emailed me a useful resource for interview techniques which I also use before every interview.

I am improving but I think as you and ONW have pointed out, there are things I need to learn.

Aaaaarrrgghh put me on the spot why don't you?:eek:
I appreciate that it is so easy sitting in my living room and having the time with no pressure to answer such a question. I am sure there is a definitive answer out there - but here goes.

Q. What would you do if a better offer came up?

First - I would ask to define 'better' - as that would determine the answer. Does it mean more money? less hours? more holidays? etc. This response also gives YOU the chance to ASK a question - which I believe is essential in any interview.

I would highlight that I would scrutinise the offer as a matter of courtesy to the company offering the job, however, if more money was the answer to 'better', I would certainly emphasise that I am more interested in the company and role I am being interviewed for, rather than seeking enhanced remuneration elsewhere.

I would emphasise how good the company is that is conducting the interview and that they are a good employer with a favourable reputation which far outweighs any other benefits - such information should be obtained from the company's website and highlighted during the interview.

Now whether the above answer is truthful is another matter.

OK all of you HR people - my head is now below the parapet. Would that answer result in a 'Dear John' response or a more favourable second interview????

Soubrette

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

How much preparation do you do for interviews? It sounds as if even the most run of the mill questions take you by surprise.

As far as having the interviewers disagree with you , it can be a fine line between expressing your own opinions and trying to find out what answers they actually want!

I haven't had a huge amount of interviews in my life - about 15ish and I've had 5 job offers out of them - I often seem to come about 2 or 3rd (according to feedback so I don't pin much on that ) in the interviews I'm unsuccessful at. Actually that doesn't seem a bad success rate when I think about it but I often feel I could have done better at the interview stage. Some people seem to have a knack for interviews that I don't and their success rate seems much higher than 30% (these are run of the mill admin jobs with a high application rate).

I think that is the crux of the matter - questions taking me by surprise, what are you bad at, easy as it is a common question. What would you do if a better offer came up - hard because it was unexpected and surely anyone would take a better off (better to me did not imply more money, I'll know better next time ).

Preparationwise I spend about 8 hours - 4 hours researching the company online (only 2 this time as they only had a basic website and little online presence and then a look at the industry in general) and about 4 hours looking through my interview notes, I try to do it over the 2 days before the interview so I don't get overloaded, although this time I had to do it all in one day due to unforseen circumstances.

dpassmore - thanks for your input, it really is much appreciated. I'd give you a job

dickydonkin

dpassmore - thanks for your input, it really is much appreciated. I'd give you a job

When do I start?

PARIS_5000

Soubrette wrote: »

I haven't had a huge amount of interviews in my life - about 15ish and I've had 5 job offers out of them - I often seem to come about 2 or 3rd (according to feedback so I don't pin much on that ) in the interviews I'm unsuccessful at. Actually that doesn't seem a bad success rate when I think about it but I often feel I could have done better at the interview stage. Some people seem to have a knack for interviews that I don't and their success rate seems much higher than 30% (these are run of the mill admin jobs with a high application rate).

I think that is the crux of the matter - questions taking me by surprise, what are you bad at, easy as it is a common question. What would you do if a better offer came up - hard because it was unexpected and surely anyone would take a better off (better to me did not imply more money, I'll know better next time ).

I think that this is was just a bad experience so do waste anymore time thinking about it.

The more interviews you go to then the more exp[erience you will have.


T
Preparationwise I spend about 8 hours - 4 hours researching the company online (only 2 this time as they only had a basic website and little online presence and then a look at the industry in general) and about 4 hours looking through my interview notes, I try to do it over the 2 days before the interview so I don't get overloaded, although this time I had to do it all in one day due to unforseen circumstances.

dpassmore - thanks for your input, it really is much appreciated. I'd give you a job

I had a good interview few months ago and when I ask for feedback they said that I interviewed very well. However they did not select me for a second interview because they wanted more experience which did not make sense because they saw my CV before they ask me to come for a interview so not all feedback is helpful.

Soubrette

PARIS_5000 wrote: »

I had a good interview few months ago and when I ask for feedback they said that I interviewed very well. However they did not select me for a second interview because they wanted more experience which did not make sense because they saw my CV before they ask me to come for a interview.

Perhaps they interviewed several people with varying experience and the one that was employed in the end had more experience with you? Although in the end experience was the deciding factor, maybe at the beginning of the process it was just one of many factors? I agree that it is annoying though.

All the interviews I've had have just been one interview then a job offer or rejection (like I say all run of the mill office/admin type jobs).

Mands

Soubrette wrote: »

I haven't had a huge amount of interviews in my life - about 15ish and I've had 5 job offers out of them

But you started by suggesting that you are rubbish at interviews. 5 jobs from 15 interviews is a pretty good return, I'd suggest. Before the next interview can you try and get yourself into the mindset that you've been successful at 1 in every 3 interviews in the past? A positive frame of mind will get you much further than mentally writing yourself off before you walk into the room.

Regarding the "what would you do if a better offer came along" question it seems like you are looking at it as if there are only two answers: the honest one where you say that you'd walk away, and the dishonest where you say that you'd stay.

Neither of those are going to get you to where you want to be, so answer a question slightly different to the one they asked. It steers you away from both of the options above and allows you to make an honest but positive statement about the job that you are interviewing for.

If a better offer came along? Well, better is a subjective thing; obviously I'd need to consider carefully the positives and negatives about both roles. The things about this position that really appeal to me are the team structure, the ongoing professional development, the paint colour in the offices ...

Pick and choose the things that are relevant and that you relate to and you can speak honestly about. You avoid the minefield that you've already identified and show that you've given thought to the role. It's not an easy thing to do on the fly so add it to your list of things that you consider before the interview: identify five good things (apart from the salary) about this job.

Mands

Soubrette

Mands, I'd thank you twice if I could - that is exactly the kind of tip I'm looking for.

That is exactly how I saw that question, there is an honest answer and a dishonest one - why would a company want someone who was dishonest (or at least less than truthful) as an employee?

I agree that I'm not perhaps as bad as I think I am at interviews but I'm in my early 40s and I want to move from the part time job that fits around the family to a more fulfilling full (or near) full time one in the next few years, this is a big step and I know that I have to improve my interview techniques (especially in these economic times) to be in with a chance of doing this.

The hours also attracted me to this job - "20-25 and perhaps more", but in the event turned out that that meant that they had no idea how many hours would be needed and the successful applicant was just supposed to accept what was offered perhaps even dropping hours next year, I had thought they might have ideas of the job expanding. Another less emotive reason that I didn't want to accept it.

Oldernotwiser

Soubrette wrote: »

I haven't had a huge amount of interviews in my life - about 15ish and I've had 5 job offers out of them - I often seem to come about 2 or 3rd (according to feedback so I don't pin much on that ) in the interviews I'm unsuccessful at. Actually that doesn't seem a bad success rate when I think about it but I often feel I could have done better at the interview stage. Some people seem to have a knack for interviews that I don't and their success rate seems much higher than 30% (these are run of the mill admin jobs with a high application rate).

If you've been offered 5 jobs from 15 interviews, you're doing excellently - the proportion is normally far lower than this.

I think that is the crux of the matter - questions taking me by surprise, what are you bad at, easy as it is a common question. What would you do if a better offer came up - hard because it was unexpected and surely anyone would take a better off (better to me did not imply more money, I'll know better next time ).

Preparationwise I spend about 8 hours - 4 hours researching the company online (only 2 this time as they only had a basic website and little online presence and then a look at the industry in general) and about 4 hours looking through my interview notes, I try to do it over the 2 days before the interview so I don't get overloaded, although this time I had to do it all in one day due to unforseen circumstances.

dpassmore - thanks for your input, it really is much appreciated. I'd give you a job

This post shows that the situation is very different from what you wrote at first. I think that you are doing pretty well and need to give yourself a pat on the back rather than a kick up the nether regions!

I bet you come back in a couple of days to say you've been offered it!

Soubrette

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

This post shows that the situation is very different from what you wrote at first. I think that you are doing pretty well and need to give yourself a pat on the back rather than a kick up the nether regions!

I bet you come back in a couple of days to say you've been offered it!

Aww thanks ONW - I must admit writing out the figures made me think perhaps I was a bit better than I'd thought but there is definitely room for (alot of) improvement.

I hope I don't get it though - I'd have to explain why I didn't want it anymore :eek:

Hopefully that 'goodenough' job is round the corner somewhere and I do love my current but part time job and am lucky enough that I can afford to be fussy.