Interviewing for locum jobs is an important part of the process. Whether you have years of interview experience behind you, or you’re going through these steps for the first time, it’s worth making sure that you’re on form when it comes to those precious few minutes. Getting interviews right involves a few simple steps:
1. Be prepared
This means a number of things, from making sure you’ve planned a route that will get you there on time, to researching your interviewees. Make sure you have a good understanding of the organisation that you’re interviewing with, what its core values are and what its mission statement is. Impress your interviewers with knowledge of any instances in which the organisation has recently appeared in the news and any recent developments that directly affect it. It’s also worth researching current market salaries, what the high and low levels are for salary for the position you’re applying for and what factors might affect this – with this information you can effectively negotiate the salary you want when the topic is raised.
2. Know your CV inside out
You will be asked questions about your locum CV – that’s the predictable element of every interview. If you can talk about anything related to your skills and experience then you are off to a great start. Make sure you know that document from back to front and remove any embellishments that you wouldn’t be able to justify in an interview.
3. Respond well
This means directly answering questions with useful information and keeping your responses concise and appropriate. Maintain eye contact, listen to what is being said to you and ask questions or take notes so that you appear engaged the entire time.
4. Expect (and prepare for) different types of questions
There will be questions designed to get some insight on your patterns of behaviour, such as how you’ve handled difficult situations in the past or what you would do if presented with a tough choice in the future. There are also questions that will be designed to get to the point of why you’ve chosen this particular organisation so make sure you’re ready to offer specific explanations that aren’t generic.
5. Finish the interview properly
Don’t just let that last sentence hang in the air, have a few intelligent questions prepared to ask your interviewers that will demonstrate your knowledge and aptitude – and will also help you to get information that you need. This might also be a good time to negotiate that salary. Finish the interview by thanking those who have interviewed you for their time and offer a firm handshake. If you want to demonstrate interest after the interview then send the recruiter or staffing manager a thank you message or wait a day or so and then follow up – although it’s important to avoid appearing pushy or desperate, being keen is one of the ways you can set yourself apart from the competition.
