What should you expect from a good Recruitment Agency Interview?
When you leave a recruitment agency registration interview (which should take about 45 minutes), you should feel confident that the recruiter has all the information necessary to find you your ideal job. You should know what the contact plan between you and your consultant is and what the next stages in the process are.
So what is an interview? Essentially it is a conversation with a purpose. A registration interview is the most common type that you will experience with an agency; it is designed to get as much information as possible in the shortest time.
How can you get what you need out of the interview?
Fill in all the forms correctly and prepare for the interview by thinking what makes you special and what your unique selling points are.
A good recruiter will have prepared for the interview by reviewing your CV, they will ask about gaps, dates and make sure that there is continuity of employment.
You should expect to answer questions about what you have done in your jobs, your skills, and any training that you have done. They need to know what you have enjoyed what you would like to do again in another job (don’t forget to tell them what you don’t want to do!)
If you don’t have a great deal of experience you can expect the focus to be on your academic career, why you chose your college/ university and why the course. If you have put down hobbies or interests expect a good interviewer to ask you about these in some depth. The recruiter is looking for something that will make you stand out from their other candidates and make you attractive to their clients.
The basic structure for all interviews is the same
The Introduction: This should put you at your ease and build up some rapport, you should feel confident about the person you are meeting with and trust them. The format of the interview should be explained, to you with timings the kind of information that the recruiter is seeking and why. You should be asked for your permission to take notes.
You should also be offered the opportunity to ask questions.
For each section of the interview there should be a structure. Ideally it should be a 30:70 talking: listening balance-you talking and the recruiter listening.
The recruiter chooses a topic, introduces the subject, asking you low- order non-threatening questions at the beginning. You should be encouraged to talk openly (they should ask open questions) but don’t expect them to take what you say at face value, a good recruiter will probe and gain clarification and more details about your experience. A very good recruiter will then summarise the information that you have told them to check that it is accurate.
The close of the interview should leave you with the knowledge of what is going to happen next, a contact plan (how often you are going to ring in, and when) and an action plan (what they are going to do for you).
If you have any questions you should be given the opportunity to ask them before you leave.
Andria Curran FREC Dip Rect practice is a Barrister and freelance trainer (legal and recruitment interviewing). Andria has worked in the recruitment industry for 12 years and is an approved REC ( Recruitment and Employment Confederation) interviewing examiner, tutor and project assessor. Andria is working in the City with Contact Recruitment, training and coaching their consultants in interviewing skills. She can be reached on 07793 816 708.
How can you get what you need out of the interview?
Fill in all the forms correctly and prepare for the interview by thinking what makes you special and what your unique selling points are.
A good recruiter will have prepared for the interview by reviewing your CV, they will ask about gaps, dates and make sure that there is continuity of employment.
You should expect to answer questions about what you have done in your jobs, your skills, and any training that you have done. They need to know what you have enjoyed what you would like to do again in another job (don’t forget to tell them what you don’t want to do!)
If you don’t have a great deal of experience you can expect the focus to be on your academic career, why you chose your college/ university and why the course. If you have put down hobbies or interests expect a good interviewer to ask you about these in some depth. The recruiter is looking for something that will make you stand out from their other candidates and make you attractive to their clients.
The basic structure for all interviews is the same
- introduction
- a structured approach to questioning
- summaries at the end of each section
- close (agreeing a plan going forward)
The Introduction: This should put you at your ease and build up some rapport, you should feel confident about the person you are meeting with and trust them. The format of the interview should be explained, to you with timings the kind of information that the recruiter is seeking and why. You should be asked for your permission to take notes.
You should also be offered the opportunity to ask questions.
For each section of the interview there should be a structure. Ideally it should be a 30:70 talking: listening balance-you talking and the recruiter listening.
The recruiter chooses a topic, introduces the subject, asking you low- order non-threatening questions at the beginning. You should be encouraged to talk openly (they should ask open questions) but don’t expect them to take what you say at face value, a good recruiter will probe and gain clarification and more details about your experience. A very good recruiter will then summarise the information that you have told them to check that it is accurate.
The close of the interview should leave you with the knowledge of what is going to happen next, a contact plan (how often you are going to ring in, and when) and an action plan (what they are going to do for you).
If you have any questions you should be given the opportunity to ask them before you leave.
Andria Curran FREC Dip Rect practice is a Barrister and freelance trainer (legal and recruitment interviewing). Andria has worked in the recruitment industry for 12 years and is an approved REC ( Recruitment and Employment Confederation) interviewing examiner, tutor and project assessor. Andria is working in the City with Contact Recruitment, training and coaching their consultants in interviewing skills. She can be reached on 07793 816 708.
