LPN to RN Online

Peter: What are the areas you point candidates to to make sure they’ve researched the company?

John: First things first, make sure they’re familiar with the website. Secondly, if you’re going for a job say at Noel Leemings, don’t ask silly questions such as what brands they stock or whether they have any other brands. You should know the simple answers to things like the number of stores they have. Another example would be if you’re going for a job at Cadbury, make sure you know all or most of their brands, certainly the New Zealand ones anyway. It’s things like that, and the company’s website is a good place to start. One other mistake candidates make is leaving on their cellphones, it’s even worse when they answer it.

Peter: Hold on, I’ve just got another call coming through - just kidding.

John: Exactly what I mean. People actually do it. That and not being prepared to answer Cv related questions. A common reply to those particular questions is “That’s in my CV”. There’s no use trying to be arrogant about it. You need to be ready to answer those questions such as “How long did you work in such-and-such company?” or “What was your involvment in that company?”. Answering with “That’s in my CV” does not help your chances at all.

Peter: It sounds like they just avoided the question, didn’t they?

John: Yes, or just being arrogant. Then there are candidates who make the mistake of not taking enough credit for their success, or taking too much credit. Just remember you’re there to promote yourself honestly.

Peter: But don’t you think there is a Kiwi mindset to not have such a personality trait?

John: Yes there is.

Peter: If there’s a medium point, a low point and a high point, you’ve got to be careful to be perceived as being too confident.

John: It’s really just about being honest. If you worked in sales and churned out some really great sales, then by all means say it, but you’ve just got to be prepared to back it up. Or if you were part of a team, then say you were part of a team, but if you achieved something really great individually, don’t forget to acknowledge yourself either. Interviewers often ask questions like “What are your strengths?” And are often met with answers like “Never thought about that”. Let’s assume this isn’t the first interview you’ve been to and let’s assume you get asked this question every time. It would really pay to think and answer this question in detail. It’s amazing when people pretend that they’ve never thought about the question, when of course, they get asked it almost every time.

Peter: There must be some standard interview questions, ones that are asked at most interviews.

John: Oh, yes, there are. What are your strengths; what are your weaknesses? They get asked in all sorts of different ways. What things do you think you need to work on? It’s another way of saying, ‘what are your weaknesses.’ There are a dozen ways of asking that question. Why you left companies. Be honest about why you left companies. That is another one. If you are made redundant, then say you were made redundant, or whatever. Those are probably the main ones.

Peter: Thanks John - I appreciate the detail you have provided us here.