Helpful tips to ensure a successful interview

1. Preparation for the interview

Study the customer’s requirement profile closely and ask your SATZ adviser once more concerning the project details. You should not only understand the position in detail, but also your role within the project. Pay close attention to the specifically required skills and personal qualifications.

Research the company and inform yourself of the customer in preparation for your interview (via Internet / Press)

Your SATZ advisor will provide you with all the necessary information in advance via Email:

• Exact name of the customer contact and their position
• Location description for the interview
• Should a telephone interview be planned, the telephone number of the customer
• Date and time of the interview

2. Just before the interview

Make sure you are dressed in business attire – if in doubt ‘overdressed’ is better than ‘underdressed’.

Turn your mobile phone off.

Where appropriate, your SATZ advisor will meet you approx. 15 – 20 minutes before the interview at the entrance of the customer’s office, in case any ‘last-minute’ questions need to be answered.

Your SATZ advisor will provide you with a copy of your SATZ profile (see CV tips), which the customer will also have to hand.


3. Interview procedure

Listen intently to the questions put to you and think carefully about your answer.

Answer the questions as precisely and directly as possible!

Demonstrate to the customer how important your Know-How could be for them.

If you did not fully comprehend a question, ask them to repeat the question once more.

If you are asked about specific qualifications, please also refer to examples in which you used the required qualifications on previous projects to strengthen your response. Please avoid any potentially negative examples! Stay positive and do not enter into confrontational dialogue with the customer!


Preparation for the interview

During the interview pay attention to the feedback from the customer: How could you interpret their tone and body language, for example?
Do they look interested? – carry on!
Do they look bored? – am I answering the questions properly? Do I fulfil the criteria?
Do they look impatient? – am I talking too much, about irrelevant things?

An interview should be an interactive experience, therefore take the initiative to ask relevant and important questions! This will show the customer your interest in the project!

Prepare 1 – 2 questions for the end the interview on! Most interviews end on the note: Do you have any further questions?

To sum up: Primarily the interviewer wants to be sure that you have the required qualifications for their particular project! Convince them of your suitability!

Try to enjoy the interview and remain hospitable and friendly to the customer – they could be the person, with whom you end up working on the project with!


4. What to avoid at all costs:

You are late for the arranged appointment.

You don’t know who you have the interview with and/or who you should contact upon your arrival at the company.

You did not research the company.

You show minimal interest of the customer/ the company/ the project.

You pose no questions at all to the customer.

You answer questions with short and bold responses, such as ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.


5. End of the interview

Your SATZ advisor will take care of everything after the interview and will inform you of the next steps to take.

Please allow the SATZ advisor to carry out negotiations and process the next steps after the interview; the customer could become irritated if they are contacted by multiple parties.