Typical interview structure

Candidates should be polite, friendly and smile; make eye contact; listen carefully to questions; answer each question for up to 2 minutes; speak distinctly, self-confidently and calmly; briefly summarise their strengths; and compare their experience with the requirements of the position they are applying for.

Interview structures vary, but there are some common characteristics. The atmosphere is usually formal. The interviewers introduce themselves, and will then invite you to present yourself, your education, previous work experi­ence, any special skills and competences, your interests and why you applied for the job.

Employers usually ask questions about your CV, previous work experience and their expec­tations. The interview lasts about 1/2 hour.

Save your own questions for the end of the interview, keep them brief and avoid going into too much detail.

Employers pay specific attention to the appli­cant's ability to meet the qualifications demanded.

The meeting ends with information about what the next steps will be. In general, the atmos­phere is friendly and straightforward, and the applicant's attitude is expected to match this. Remember to make good eye contact.

The interview will mostly cover professional topics. The most common questions include your strengths and weaknesses, as well as where you hope to be in 3 to 5 years' time. There are no trick questions. Topics might also involve non-professional items such as pets/ children/sport and other interests as addi­tional material, or as small talk at the end of the interview.

Expect questions about duties, job conditions, future colleagues, bonuses, salary and gen­eral information about your previous job, your duties there and your reason for leaving.

The employer usually interviews between 3 and 10 candidates. They may make their deci­sion after one interview, or conduct further interviews or aptitude tests.

Greetings are followed by an introduction about the job and the company by the employer. Introduce yourself clearly and look everyone in the eye. Before questions begin, you are normally expected to say something about yourself - why you applied for the job and why you think you should be chosen. At the end of the meeting, you have the opportunity to ask any questions that were not answered.

Interviews are generally relaxed. However, do not be surprised if there are silences, as the interviewers may be taking notes.

During the interview, stay calm and speak clearly. Set out what you have achieved, but try not to be over-confident. It is important that you show interest in the position by being active, listening carefully and asking for clari­fication if you do not understand what the employer means. However, do not interrupt the interviewer. Above all, be honest and do not crit­icise former employers.

If you are asked to take a psychological or apti­tude test, you can take it as a good sign, as it means that you are among the best candi­dates. You cannot really prepare for the tests; the best thing is to get a good night's sleep and to be honest. Do not try to pretend to be some­one you are not.

It is important for the employer to find out about your professional background and capa­bilities. However, they also want to know about your personality; your strengths and weak­nesses; and how your previous employer would describe you. You may also need to describe how you react to stress and deadlines or how you cope with difficult situations.

If you are asked whether you are over-qual­ified for the job, you might answer that it is quite possible that this is the case at the moment, but that you are sure that after you have become integrated in the company, the employer will no doubt find a job or task that is a more suitable match for your qualifications.

An interview usually takes 1/2 hour, although some companies do several interviews or tests (e.g. one professional, one personal, etc.). Inter­view structure varies, but the atmosphere is almost always formal (even if it is friendly). You should be slightly reserved unless you see the employer adopt a more relaxed atti­tude. The content of the interviews is usually job-oriented, but there is an increasing ten­dency to cover personality, skills and attitude, intelligence and general behaviour. You should always try to sell yourself explaining your moti­vation and why they should choose you, with­out of course being too pushy. Often the CV is referred to during the interview, and candidates are almost always asked why they left their previous job and to name their five best and worst characteristics.

Interviews usually take 30 minutes to an hour. There is no specific structure. The best thing to do is to present yourself as honestly as possi­ble and not to 'oversell' or 'undersell' your skills. Be polite and try to be calm.

Employers want to discover who you are during the interview. Do not be surprised if they ask questions about your personal life. Non-pro­fessional items usually take up a small part of the interview and are used simply to make the atmosphere more relaxed. The employer should already know basic things about your experience from your CV. Use this opportunity to speak in greater depth about your skills and why you are the best candidate. Also, try to convince them that you will contribute some­thing that will enhance the quality of their com­pany and that you are willing to work hard to do this.

Any questions from you regarding the nature of the job are appreciated, but it is better to wait until you know for sure that you have got the job before asking about the salary, unless the employer brings it up first.

At the end of an interview, the employer usu­ally tells you when you can expect to hear from them again. If they do not, the odds are that they are not interested. If the employer has not contacted you within the period you were told, the best thing is to simply contact them and ask for feedback.

The interview usually starts by talking about the candidate's previous work experience. The atmosphere is formal. It is up to the interviewer/ employer to make the atmosphere more relaxed.

The employer pays attention not only to the way you speak and act, but also whether your appearance and dress are suitable for the vacancy. You should also give a good explana­tion of your motivation.

An interview takes 1 to 2 hours. Tests or assess­ments may take another few hours.

There are structured (fixed questions - easy to compare the candidates), semi-struc­tured and non-structured interviews. Semi-structured interviews are used most. A possible structure could be: introduc­tion; presentation of the company; questions to the applicant (job, education, interests, extra courses, skills, team spirit, etc.); hobbies and non-professional occupations; personal goals; contract negotiations; summary; and next steps.

The atmosphere will be cooperative, open and frank. The ratio between non-professional and professional questions will be half-half. It is important to prove your motivation. The employer wants to know as much as possi­ble about a candidate's motivation, knowledge and skills, but also their personality.

No, but you can expect questions such as: What did you do before? Tell us something about yourself (here you have a good chance to pres­ent yourself and offer important information to the prospective employer to stimulate their interest in you). Why do you want to work for us? Why did you leave your previous job? How do you see your responsibilities in our com­pany? What can you offer us? What are your strengths and weaknesses, and your interests outside work? What are your future ambitions?

Demonstrate enthusiasm. Make it clear that you want the job. Show that you are prepared. Include evidence that you have found out more about the company in your answers, but do not make it too obvious. Ask questions afterwards.

Be prepared to answer the question about what salary you expect. Possible answers could include: 'I think I should not receive less than the employee who occupied the position pre­viously,' or 'Since your company is known to be prestigious, I am sure I will be paid according to current rates.' Applicants are advised to make a brief survey of salary levels in the chosen field prior to any salary negotiations.

There is no typical interview structure; it depends on the job and firm (size and sector of activity).

That said, it is quite possible that the per­son who is in charge of the interview will ask you some tricky questions, especially about the reasons why you left other jobs or former employers. Make sure you prepare in advance to answer such questions. You can always try out the answers with your family or friends. They should tell you honestly if your answers are convincing.

As a rule, if you are asked about a bad expe­rience, always try to make the best out of it. Never be negative about former employers or colleagues. Counter the bad experience by giving several examples of things that worked out well.

To make a good impression on your potential future employer, remember to show a positive attitude, keep your head up and make eye con­tact with the person in charge of the interview.

The interview is usually very friendly and candi­dates are made to feel at home. Interviews are usually one-to-one. If the job is not specialised, there will be only one interview, but for a spe­cialised occupation that requires experience, shortlisting is the order of the day, followed by one or two additional interviews. You may be expected to make a presentation in this case.

Keep to the point of the discussion/questions and do not invent ski lls that you do not possess. Show that you are willing to learn. Eye contact is important, as is body language.

You can ask questions, although these are best kept to a minimum and must be relevant. Ask­ing for a job description or about working con­ditions might be advisable. If there is a second interview, it is better not to discuss pay at this stage.

The more you know about the company, the better. This shows that you have taken an inter­est in getting to know the company, its past performance and future plans. Your enthusi­asm may even enhance your chance of being selected. The most common question an appli­cant is expected to be able to answer is about the core function of the company. Another is whether the company is a subsidiary of another company or whether it exports its products and to what countries, if this is the case.

One tricky question an employer might ask is what pay you expect. There are various ways of answering this, especially if you have done your research and have sufficient experience.

On average, the interview takes 1 to 1.5 hours.

The interviewer presents him- or herself and the company, before inviting you to tell him/her who you are. They will then tell you more about the job, before asking questions about your CV. They may also ask about your private life.

Questions about your qualities, skills and com­petences follow. After this, you can ask about topics that have not been addressed or for things to be clarified.

The interviewer closes the interview by explain­ing further steps in the procedure.

Tricky questions include: Do you have an idea of what the position involves? Compare this post with similar ones in other companies. Why should we choose you instead of some­one else? Can you explain this gap in your CV?

There is legislation to protect against discrimi­nation. Questions about race or skin colour, reli­gion (although a question like 'Do the hours of work fit in with your religion?' is permissi­ble), nationality, birthplace, pregnancy, health or family plans are not permitted.

Many Dutch companies have adopted a code of good conduct in recruitment as laid down by the Dutch union for personnel manage­ment and organisation development (NVP). If you feel that a company that is signed up to the code did not treat you well, you can make a complaint. You can also apply to the commis­sion for equal treatment if you think your rights to equal treatment were violated.

Usually the meeting takes 45 minutes to an hour. If there are tests, it can take 2 to 3 hours. In general, each interview has a specific structure.

• Introduction: the first part of the interview is informative. The person conducting the inter­view informs the applicant about the condi­tions of the meeting, the job, range of duties, etc. and tries to build a good atmosphere.

• Exploration of work experience: in this stage, the recruiter will ask factual questions to gain information. These will focus on per­sonal data, work experience, education, pro­fession, etc.

• Interpretation of facts: this stage consists of an interpretation of facts collected dur­ing the second stage. The interviewer asks applicants about how they feel their edu­cational and work experience relates to the job in question. This helps to reveal a can­didate's motivation, attitudes and the value they attach to the job.

• Personal opinions, thoughts, points of view: during this stage, candidates give their personal opinion and show the way they think in relation to work decisions made (the employer or person who conducts the inter­view asks questions about the motives for personal decisions).

• Summing up: in this stage, candidates can ask questions on topics that have not been covered. The interviewers should give infor­mation about the subsequent stages of the recruitment process.

Prepare for tricky questions, such as the following.

• What will you be doing in 5 years' time?

• How would you solve a conflict at work?

• What do you do in your spare time?

• What are your salary expectations?

There is no typical structure, although you might expect questions on:

• personal background (where you were born, where you studied, family, etc.);

• your CV: your educational/professional back­ground, professional experience and other activities/hobbies;

• your motivation with regards to the company and the job; and

• your personal and social skills (open questions on yourself your attitudes, your qualities, your weaknesses).

At the second stage, the interviewer will give you more information on the company and the role. At this point, you may ask about auton­omy and responsibility levels, travelling require­ments, working hours, expected wage, etc.

At the end, the employer will usually say when you will be informed of their decision. You should then thank them for the opportunity to meet.

Recruitment interviews using video-conferenc­ing and Skype are not very common, but are likely to be increasingly used for the first selec­tion with international candidates.

Once the recruiter has decided they want to meet you in person, the interview can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours. All aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication are important. The recruiter will observe your positive and negative communication skills and analyse them in order to form their assessment.

Most employers use semi-structured inter­views. The structure may be as follows at the first meeting:

• small talk to put you at ease;

• presentation by the recruiter and the applicant;

• questions about your experience, skills and knowledge; verification of information in the CV;

• the recruiter informs you about the require­ments and main duties of the job and about the company in general: which sectors it operates in, its achievements, etc.;

• the recruiter checks that you have under­stood all the aspects discussed;

• your questions, for example: What is the work schedule? What salary are you offering? Is there a lunch break?

You are advised to prepare questions before the meeting, but be flexible and try to think of oth­ers that may crop up during the interview.

The atmosphere should be open, relaxed and communicative. Make sure you adopt a profes­sional attitude and that you explain your moti­vation for the job.

In most cases, employers start by introducing the company and what they expect from the new employee. They will then ask applicants to set out their reasons for wanting the job and to describe their knowledge and skills. The employer can also ask applicants to take a test or fill out forms. At the end of the interview, the employer can give candidates the opportunity to ask questions.

No, it may be structured or unstructured, formal or informal, by a panel or with a group.

The interviewer will discuss your CV, focusing on training and academic work as much as on work experience. They may ask about your atti­tudes and personality. They will want to identify what you are like, how you behave in certain situations and how you fit in to a team.

tasks of the role. The HR representative will focus on personal and general skills and working conditions.

The candidate can then ask additional ques­tions before the interview concludes with prac­tical arrangements for the decision period and feedback. Make the most of the farewell to show that you are optimistic and expect good news.

Be aware that your non-verbal communica­tion gives information about you throughout the interview to confirm or belie what you are saying. Answer questions about errors or criti­cism sincerely. We all make mistakes. What is important is how you learnt from the situation. Always tell the story from a positive point of view and draw positive conclusions.

If faced with uncomfortable or provocative questions, try to remain calm. Difficult ques­tions are commonly used in the selection of senior executives, sales personnel or customer liaison staff

Usually you are asked to start the interview by introducing yourself (be brief); next you tell the employer why you have applied for the job and what you know about the company. Be relaxed but attentive.

Common questions include: Do you find it easy to learn new things? How do you react to crit­icism? Are you a problem-solver? How do you tackle a problem? What are you proud of? Can you tell me something really good that you have done? What do you expect to be doing in 5 years' time? What do you think a good colleague should be like? Describe a situa­tion where you made a mistake and what you learnt from it. How would your friends describe you? How would your manager describe you? How do you function in a group? What are your strong and weak points? How do you handle stressful situations? Why should we employ you?

During the first interview you can ask what an ordinary working day is like, when you will hear the result of the interview, when the job starts, if there is an introductory programme, etc. Do not talk about pay at the beginning of the application procedure. Wait until the employer raises the subject.

An interview has a very specific structure: the interviewer introduces himself/herself sets the time frame for the interview and its goals, and gives a brief presentation of the company and the job. They then ask candidates to pres­ent themselves and explain their motivation. After that come more detailed questions. At the end of the interview, applicants are asked to state their pay expectations and, if they are still interested in the job, a new meeting may be scheduled.

A minimum of two interviews is usual. Each takes 90 minutes on average (under an hour for less-skilled jobs).

If the interviewer is an HR professional, about half the questions will focus on your social and personal competencies. Use the opportunity to show your motivation for the job and try to highlight all your skills and strengths.

The candidate must show a real interest in the job, be frank and honest, and listen actively. They should ask at the first interview if taking notes is possible. They should also wait to be invited to ask their own questions.

The atmosphere is formal but friendly. The can­didate should be attentive, responsive and pos­itive about their application. He/she should try to relax and answer the questions confidently and as fully as possible.

The employer will be looking for examples that demonstrate the applicant's competencies to do the job. Punctuality, presentation and moti­vation are also important factors.

Usually only one round of interviews is carried out, sometimes with an accompanying test to gauge the applicant's technical abilities and problem-solving skills. The interview is usually 30-40 minutes maximum. Tests are 20-30 minutes. The applicant's presentation, pos­ture and attentiveness may not be scored, but they will create an impression and are there­fore important.

Because the emphasis is on competence and matching the job profile there is very little, if any, discussion on non-professional subjects. The motivation should be clear from the appli­cation form or from answers given to the inter­viewers' questions. You do not have to give details of your interests outside work unless you are using these as examples of your abil­ity to do a task in reply to one of the questions.

Common questions include asking the can­didate to give examples of when he/she has been in a particular situation and how he/she dealt with it. You may be asked to give exam­ples of a time when something has gone wrong and what you did to put it right or to describe your weaknesses. In this case, show that you are aware of how to deal with your weakness.