At Triple A Solutions, we conduct around 100 first interviews every month. You name it, our Talent & Happiness Team has seen it: from conspiracy theories to candidates with bare feet. Fortunately, the vast majority of introductions go well. Our recruiters share a few tips from their daily practice that they consider important during an interview.
Applying from your sofa
The past two years have brought many new challenges. For instance, many job interviews now take place digitally. This means you can stay right on your sofa during the video call if you want to. Naturally, that’s a much more relaxed setting than visiting a potential employer’s office. It seems like job interviews are becoming less formal—but is that really the case?
An equal dialogue
Job interviews are certainly no longer the stiff affairs they once were. They are now seen more as a dialogue where two equal parties want to find out if they want to work together. A bit like a first date. This allows for the occasional joke or some off-topic conversation. At Triple A Solutions, we primarily want to get to know you as a person through this dialogue: What drives you, what do you expect, and where do you want to go?
Be yourself!
It’s best to just show who you really are during such a conversation. After all, that’s the quickest way to find out if we’re a good match! Perhaps that’s exactly why it sometimes seems difficult in practice to find the right attitude; especially in this new post-COVID environment, where the lines between personal and professional often blur.
Our own Talent & Happiness Team is therefore sharing some suggestions based on their daily conversations with candidates. These are real-life tips!
Cindy’s tips
“Wait a moment before smoking or answering that text”
- Do you smoke in your own home? That’s your choice and perfectly fine! However, it’s best to wait until after your digital interview to light that cigarette or to vape. We associate smoking with taking a break, which doesn’t fit the setting of a job interview.
- Not every work experience goes as planned, and we understand that. However, try not to speak too negatively or exclusively about your previous employer. We value transparency, so it’s fine to be honest. But remember to also mention what you *do* expect from your (new) employer!
- Put your phone aside during an interview and preferably set it to silent. This way, you won’t be tempted to check your new messages in the middle of the conversation.
Gwendy’s tips
“We don’t need to see your bare feet”
- Preferably sit at a desk or table during a video call. This immediately gives you the right posture and makes you come across as professional. If you lounge on the sofa or—we’re not making this up!—sit cross-legged on the floor with bare feet pointing at the camera, it doesn’t make a good impression.
- Again: make sure there are no distractions* for a while so you can focus entirely on your interviewer and remain engaged.
*These could be devices, pets, children, or spouses 🙂
Ruth’s tips
“Prepare yourself, and think beyond just the salary package”
- Prepare by reading up on the role and the company before the interview. We understand that you can sometimes lose track among all the different offers. Taking half an hour before the interview to refresh your memory on why you’re meeting can make a big difference.
- Good preparation also allows you to prepare some specific questions. This shows us that you are genuinely interested and intrinsically motivated!
- And one extra thing: when asking questions, avoid focusing solely on the salary package 😉
Stéphanie’s tips
“Use your own words”
- You can divide your preparation into three parts: The job – The company – You. It’s a good idea to write down what you want to say or ask for each of these sections, so you don’t have to start thinking about it during the interview.
- Even if you prepare in writing, use your own words. We don’t expect formal language that doesn’t suit you at all. We’d much rather hear it straight from you!
Do you feel ready for a chat with us? Cindy, Gwen, Ruth, and Stéphanie are looking forward to it!
