Congratulations on making it this far and securing an interview!

You now have 30-

60 minutes to impress and showcase all your relevant experience as well as your
wonderful personality. Here are some interview preparation tips to help you feel
prepared.

Types of Interview-based Questions

• Behavioural

The interviewer will ask you to describe how you handled various situations in your
previous role. The emphasis is on your experience and its relevance to the
position for which you are being considered. Prepare by identifying three to
five examples that show how you faced challenges and achieved positive
outcomes in your previous or current role. In each case, describe a specific task or
situation that is relevant to the role in question. Here are 55 of the most asked
Behavioural-based Questions.

• Situational

Similar to behavioural questions however the difference is these pose hypothetical

questions, rather than asking for specific examples of past performance. Questions
are based on the skills and personality traits that are required for the role. Use the
job description to identify key responsibilities because the questions are likely to
focus on these areas.

• Technical

The interviewer will want to understand your involvement in specific projects, the
technology you have used and prefer to use, as well as understand how your
technical background will translate to the technology used in this role at this
company. This can be covered as part of the interview as well as a technical test or
task post interview. Use the job description to identify the technology used at this
company and highlight any relevant experience.

Additional tips to feel prepared

• Research the company

Researching the company and the industry in which they operate shows initiative,
enthusiasm and a keen interest in the role. The fastest way to conduct research on
a company is online. Start off with the company’s website and then try expanding
your search to their social media pages including LinkedIn, Instagram or find any
articles written online about them. Additionally, check out some of the current
employees on LinkedIn, or reach out to someone who you know that works at or
has worked at the company to give you some insightful information:

Try to answer the following questions:

• What are the company’s core products and services? How is the company
perceived in the marketplace?
• Find out what you can about the company’s financial situation
• Try to think like a client of the company and identify potential
improvements. Research the company’s competitors and the industry as a
whole.

• Personal appearance/presentation

Making a good first impression starts as soon as you enter the room. Let’s make
sure it’s a positive one. Here are some things to consider:

• Body language speaks volumes in an interview. Studies have shown that

your body language communicates more to another person than what you
say or the tone of your voice, so to present well try to:
o Maintain a good posture, aim to look confident, interested and alert
by sitting upright and leaning slightly forward. Keep your hands
relaxed in your lap, using them to gesture appropriately as you speak
o Limit distractions by turning any notifications off and maintain eye
contact so the interviewer knows they have your full attention
o Often when we operate at the speed of our minds or are nervous, we
lose control of our body language. So speak thoughtfully (not too
fast and don’t forget to use expression).
o Mirroring is a well-known rapport building technique, which involves
matching your own body language to the interviewer’s body
language. Without being obvious, you can discreetly adapt your
posture, tone of voice and facial expressions to match the
interviewer’s.
o Be conscious of time and don’t ramble – be clear and concise with
your answers.

• Commonly asked questions in interviews

Prepare some answers to these questions which are found to be most commonly
asked in interview settings.
• What do you know about us or why do you want to work here? Once
you have researched the organisation, you will have no problems listing the
advantages of working for them.
• What kind of experience do you have for this role? Use the job
description to provide specific examples from your past that match what is
needed for the role.
• What did you dislike about your old role or why are you looking to
leave your current role? Be cautious in answering this question. By slating
your old role / boss / organisation you are sending out negative warning
signs to the interviewer. Keep answers short and positive e.g. ‘I really
enjoyed my last role but I’m now looking to expand my industry
experience.”
• Describe a difficult problem that you have had to deal with? This is a
chance to show off your approach to problems. Show that you employ a
logical thought process by outlining a step-by-step approach to problem
solving.
• Where have you shown initiative previously? Managers want to hire
someone who shows initiative and is a self-starter. It is best to think of
examples that are work related.
• How do you think you perform under pressure? A simple ‘yes’ does not
separate you from the crowd. Think of specifics from your past including
how you dealt with pressure and how you have managed this.
• What are your greatest accomplishments? A golden opportunity to sell
yourself. It is crucial that you have several well-prepared stories including
facts and figures. The interviewer needs to be able to visualise you not only
successfully completing that task but completing such tasks for their
organisation.
• What are your greatest strengths? Look to the list of competencies
above: Which of those are most relevant to the job in question? Have
examples prepared for the three that you think are most needed for the
role.
• What would you say are your weaknesses? A great way to begin your
response is what ‘what I’m working on at the moment is..’
• Why should I hire you? The interviewer will normally start the interview
with a preamble about the company, why the position has come into being,
and what they are looking for a candidate. It is advisable to write down what
qualities they are looking for. When it comes to answering this question,
incorporate those qualities in your reply.
• Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? A good response is to
throw a question back eg. ‘What opportunities are there within this
 company?.’ If possible and honest, blend this answer with your prepared
answer. Remember the role you are applying for is the main priority.
•

• Now is your chance to ask questions

The interview will normally close with the interviewer inviting you to ask some
questions. Having researched the company, you will be in a great position to
probe and find out if this is the role / company is for you. Remember, an interview
is just as much about you understand if it is the right next step for you. Some
questions you may want to ask are:

• What are some of the projects or plans the company are working
towards?
• How does this role fit within the team structure? Who does this role
report into?
• What kind of leadership/management style does my leader/manager
have?
• What kind of career progression is in place for this role?
• What support (if any) is given to undertake further training?
• How would you describe the culture here? What kind of team socials
do you have? What kind of person do you think would best fit in with
the team?
• Do you have WFH flexibility and what does this look like for someone
new joining the team?

Avoid asking about salary as this should only be discussed if you progress to
final stages, and your BLACKROC Recruiter will have salary negotiation
discussions on your behalf. However, if they do ask about salary, make sure to only
share the salary expectation that was discussed with your Recruiter when they
represented you. This will make sure it is in line with your expectations and what is
on offer for the role.

• Finish the interview, while maintaining a good impression

Thank the interviewer for their time. This is a great opportunity to call your
BLACKROC Recruiter to provide your interview feedback so they can make sure to
keep the process moving as efficiently as possible.

We hope this helps, and we will be here to support you along the way. For more
tips, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram as we often share tips to help you
succeed in your career.