Labour Buzz: How to be well prepared when going for a job interview

Sonja Vorster

Finding a job in today’s difficult economic times is not easy and companies are becoming more and more selective in choosing the correct candidate. Job interviews are stressful for anyone even to the employer as a lot depends on choosing the correct candidate for the correct position.

Employment laws are a minefield and a responsible company spends a lot of time training workers to fit into a particular company culture and to get the utmost out of the newly appointed employee. Therefore more attention is given when looking at prospective employees.

Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV) is very important and it needs to be short but informative and not colourful. Invest in your CV. Your CV is the first impression. Study various formats of drafting a CV on the internet. BAD grammar and spelling is a big no-no.

If you can afford it obtain the services of a professional company that specialises in drafting CV’s. One very important aspect ALL job-seekers must remember when applying for a position is to keep in mind that companies are doing extensive research on applicants, especially when it involves senior positions. Social media platforms, criminal and credit records are researched. Never ever be dishonest about your qualifications or misrepresent yourself in your CV or on the application form.

You may be hired but the minute it is discovered that you lied or misrepresented yourself in any way, the Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court upheld consistently that this constitutes gross dishonesty, which warrants dismissal and renders continued employment intolerable.
The majority ‘high-profile’ positions will use the services of employment agency.

ALSO READ: LABOUR BUZZ: Employment trust relationship

If you choose the market yourself through an agency, the agency will normally assist you and draw up your profile for the companies using their services. Companies in this game for many years are for example Kelly Girls, Park House Bell Professional Agency and many more. If you have to pay any money upfront to an agency, be warned, it is a scam!

A professional service will never require money from you as an applicant; the employer is the client and pays for the service.
If you are invited for a job interview, you have made an impression on the recruitment agency and employer already. You will have to do your best to outperform the other candidates that are also being interviewed. The best advice is to prepare the best you can for a job interview, so that you feel self-confident and calm when you go into the interview session.

Prepare for the interview by making sure of the time, date and place of the interview. Obtain as much information as you can about the company, to help you ask the right questions. Develop questions for yourself that may be asked during the job interview. Practice these questions with a friend or relative.

On the big day of the interview, never be late. Dress in clean, neat conservative clothes. Look people in the eyes when you greet them and give a firm handshake. During the interview make pleasant eye contact with the interviewer, (do not stare). Don’t sit down before you are asked to do so.

READ THIS: LABOUR BUZZ: Are you registered for UIF?

Be polite, confident about yourself and enthusiastic about the work. If you don’t understand a question, ask for an explanation. Answer questions honestly and to the best of your ability. Explain clearly why you have good skills and experience for the job
Do not smoke BEFORE the interview as you will smell or chew gum during the interview or sniff!

Be prepared, do a search on the internet for questions that may be asked by an interviewer. Some interview questions can be tricky.

Here are a few questions you might be asked during the interview:
What was most rewarding/least rewarding in your last job?
What were your responsibilities in your previous job? What major problems and challenges did you face in your previous job and how did you overcome them?
What was your biggest accomplishment/biggest failure in your previous job?
Why did you leave your previous job?
What do you expect from a supervisor?
Why are you interested to work for this company? If you know your boss is 100 percent wrong about something, how would you handle it?
Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how did you handle it?
What motivates you?
Tell us of an incident where you were involved in conflict at work. How did you handle the conflict?

Questions you might like to ask:
What does the job entail?
What will be expected of me?
What will my promotion prospects be?
What benefits does the company offer in respect of bursaries to study further part-time, pension, medical aid and leave?
What is the working hours, expected salary and does the company do performance appraisals that could assist in my growth in the position? When may I expect to hear your decision on my application?

READ THIS: LABOUR BUZZ –What is the minimum you can be paid?

Seeking employment is the same as having a job already. Plan your day, start your research and never ever be defeated.
Mark Twain once said: “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too can become great.”

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