Interview Tips At Beaumont Tiles we want you to be able to bring your best self to an interview. That’s why we have curated these tips for interviews. It will help you to understand what we would like to see on the day, so you can be confident that you’ve done everything possible to set yourself up for success.
IN PERSON INTERVIEWS An in-person interview is a great opportunity to meet the Hiring Manager in their workplace, which will likely be your workplace too if you are successful in winning the role. This type of interview usually lasts between 30-90 minutes, depending on the type of role you have applied for. Our Tips for an in-person interview include:
Prepare well Allow yourself plenty of time to prepare for the interview. Research the company so you can demonstrate a genuine interest in working there. Research the people who will be interviewing you. Find out their name and position in the company. Research the position you have applied for. Read the Position Description and note down elements you have experience in, and any elements you are unsure about. Read your Resume and Cover Letter so you can remember what you have already said about yourself. Check what’s on your public social media pages, to ensure this is sending an appropriate message to your future employer.
Look the part Allow yourself plenty of time to present yourself well. Ensure you are wearing clean and ironed clothing that fits you well (not too big or small), and is appropriate for the position. For example, do not wear a suit to an interview for a Warehouse position; or wear shorts and a t-short to an interview for a Senior Leadership position. Ensure your skin, hair, and nails are clean, and your breath is fresh.
Be yourself In an interview we want to get to know you, the real you. Show us a bit of your personality, and share with us the reason you want to join our team. Don’t try to tell us what you think we want to hear.
Confidence, not arrogance Feeling nervous? That’s ok, it’s perfectly natural. We will do our best to put you at ease. If you get flustered, take a deep breath and start again. Trust that we have selected you for this interview because we see something in you that we like. So hold your head up high, smile, and let us see some confidence. Seek feedback from your trusted friends or family members beforehand to ‘test’ if you can sometime come across as arrogant. If so, try to dial it back and show us some humility.
STAR When you are asked questions that are looking for you to share an example of a time when you have done XYZ; we recommend using the STAR Method to structure your response. This will help you to keep your story concise and stay on track. S = the Situation. T = the Task you (not the team) were responsible for A = the Action/s you took, and
R = the Result of your actions
Ask a question or two A great way you can show an interviewer that you are interested in the role you have applied for is by asking a question or two at the end of the interview. Ensure your questions are related to the role or the company. Some examples include: How would you describe the team culture or dynamics? What do you enjoy most about working at Beaumont Tiles? What are the next steps that will happen after this interview? Remember to pay attention to the information your Interviewer is sharing during the interview. They may have already answered one or more of your prepared questions!
VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS A virtual interview can be held using technology to help connect you and the Interviewer/s visually. It might be using a platform where you record your responses to each individual interview question. It might be using a Zoom, Teams, or Messenger app. Like an in-person interview, this s type of interview usually lasts between 30-90 minutes, depending on the type of role you have applied for. Everything listed in the section above about preparing for an in-person interview also apply here. There are however, a few additional points that will help to set you up for success.
Test your technology Before the virtual interview, we will let you know what the technology is, so you can prepare and text the technology. Most of these platforms will work on a computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone, either using a downloaded app or your web browser. Allow time to do a test-run of the technology, even if you’ve used it before. Test your camera, so you know what the Interviewer/s can see. Test your microphone, so the Interviewer/s can hear you clearly, and Test your speaker/s, so you can hear the Interviewer/s clearly. Search online for some hints and tips on how to navigate the platform, so you are familiar with how it works. Knowing in advance that all of the technology works, will really help to put your mind at ease.
Set up your space Think about where you will be for the virtual interview. Will you be at home, in your current workplace, or somewhere else? Ensure the space you use is quiet and free from distractions. As we will be using a camera, think about your background. What does this space say about you? Is it neat and tidy, and free from inappropriate or offensive material? For additional privacy you may want to consider using a blurred or virtual background. If you are not familiar with this technology, you might be pleased to know that it is not a requirement from us.
Make ‘eye contact’ with the camera Take some time to consider the positioning of your camera. Too low or too high and you may appear oddly disproportionate. Ideally, your camera should be placed just above eye level. This helps your posture, as well as your eye-line. Remember that the camera angle is the view that your Interviewer/s are seeing. Look at the camera at least every now and again, so they can see you face and your eyes.
We hope these Interview Tips are a useful resource for you in the days leading up to your interview. Good luck!