Interview Tips

Your opportunity to prove you’re different from the rest

Interviews can be nerve wracking, but they don’t have to be. With proper research and preparation you can rest assured that you will perform at your best.

You need to fully research the company and role and ask yourself the following questions prior to interview; what skills and knowledge are the interviewers likely to be looking for? How do you measure up? How does this job fit into your career plan?

All military personnel live by the 7 P’s and the saying “Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Pretty Poor Performance”. Interviews are no different.

Typical areas that will be probed:

• Skills and abilities
• Teamwork
• Future goals and aspirations
• Past experience – work & extra-curricular including results and achievements

Always Remember to:

• Research who you are meeting and greet them by name
• Look the part – it is better to be over-dressed than under-dressed
• Be positive and be aware of your body language including eye contact – 55% of communication is visual
• Answer in the first person – use I not we
• Answer the questions in an ordered, succinct manner – do not ramble
• Give tangible examples to all questions asked
• Demonstrate up to date knowledge (sector developments, legislation, policies, etc.)
• Demonstrate knowledge of the business – past, present and future
• Practice the STAR methodology (see below)

Avoid:

• Being late – plan your journey with extra time built in for any problems
• Being unprepared – no planning and no preparation
• Unconvincing/unprepared answers without credible examples – it is easier to spot a blagger
• Unstructured, long-winded responses – Interviews will be bored and miss the actual answer

Competency Interviews

In Amey we like to use competency based questions alongside technical. This allows us to gain a valuable insight into your preferred style of working and helps to predict your behaviours in future situations.

Interviewers will ask questions that require you to demonstrate that you have a particular skill or a key competency that we are looking for. A typical competency based interview will last for one hour and most competency interviews will be standardised with all applicants being asked identical questions.

Example of a Competency Question

"Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale."

“STAR” Methodology

It is advisable to use the “STAR” method when answering competency questions. This helps to structure the answer correctly and makes sure that all the salient points are covered.

• Situation – set the context for your example
• Task – what was required of you
• Activity – what you actually did
• Result – how well the situation played out – don’t worry if it did not go to plan, talk about what you learnt and what you would do differently next time, no one is perfect.

Create a bank of examples/answers in this format in advance for a number of scenarios so you do not struggle on the day and can make it appear as seamless as possible.

Above all else, enjoy the experience. We want to see you and your true personality not an interview robot. Without doubt you will learn something from every interview you attend which will only make you better as time goes on.