Top Ten Qualities Interviewers look for

You’ve heard the expression forewarned is forearmed, well as construction recruitment specialists we have put together this simple Top Ten list to help you be the very best that you can be during your next interview.

By understanding these simple points, you will be able to make the best of yourself in any interview, regardless of the level or position, and ensure that you deliver the very qualities that interviewers are looking for.

Top Ten Qualities Interviewers look for

1 Professionalism

First impressions are always lasting so whether the first time an interviewer or employer meets you is via your social media profile, over the phone or in person, make sure that you represent yourself effectively as a professional individual. This simply means being polite, smartly dressed and unflappable. Confidence is key here and although the interviewer will be expecting some degree of nerves, they will want to hear calm and collected responses to their questions. This is where being prepared beforehand can really make a difference.

2 Reliability

Be on time, in fact be 15 minutes early, but not too early. Getting stuck in traffic or lost en-route are not good excuses as you need to be able to anticipate this sort of thing happening. If you are late for interview this simply says to the interviewer that you will be late for work if you were to get the job.

3 Qualifications

Never be tempted to stretch the truth on your CV. It is vital, especially within the construction industry, that you are up-to-date will all relevant certifications and required qualifications. If you are at all unsure if you are adequately qualified for the role you are interested in then speak to your recruitment consultant who will be able to advise further.

4 Experience

Your interviewer will most likely ask for several examples of where you have been able to demonstrate various skills in previous employment. Take the time before the interview to make a note of particular instances where you have made a difference, delivered over and above, improved a system etc. so that you can easily recall these if asked.

5 Preparedness

 

Nothing is worse than sitting in an interview and drawing a complete blank when asked a question. Do your research. Learn about the company, the role, their latest projects, get to know them via their social media channels and if possible ask at least one question that shows you are interested in the future of the company and their plans such as; ‘I see from the MD’s latest Pulse article on LinkedIn that you intend to triple turnover in the next 5 years, what will be the key driver for this?’. This demonstrates that you care about the opportunity and will in turn apply a level of care to your new role.

6 Friendliness

A very big part of any interview is to see whether the face fits. It is unlikely that you would have made it this far if they didn’t think you were experienced or qualified enough for the job. Being a team-player and being able to communicate strategy effectively is an important role so it’s important to demonstrate that you will fit in with existing team members to enable business to run smoothly.

7 Adaptability

A favourite tactic of many interviewers is to get you to cite an example of where something has gone wrong for you at work. This isn’t a veiled attempt to check that you are perfect and get everything right first time, it is to give the interviewer some idea of how you respond to adversity and whether you can learn from and indeed turn around a bad situation, a vital skill in most occupations. Treat this question as a necessary evil and be honest about how you approached something that didn’t quite go to plan.

8 Honesty

 

 

Prior to most interviews, interviewers and employers will undergo background research on you as well. It is therefore important to be 100% honest with your recruitment consultant, on your CV and during interview. Stretching the truth will simply result in a waste of people’s time and in all likelihood you getting found out before interview stage and therefore not selected. Coming across as honest in interview will have a far more favourable effect than attempting to oversell a particular skill that you don’t really have.

9 Commitment

 

Employers want to know that you will take pride in delivering your projects whether they are short or long term. Having a solid career background to demonstrate this is essential and will usually be qualified by your referees.

10 Flexibility

 

In any industry things change, it is important that your interviewer sees that you are able to meet a broad range of needs of your potential employer. This means being able to demonstrate ways that you have perhaps taken on greater responsibility in the past, put forward a solution to a problem, been able to work longer or shorter hours if required or maybe travel to help out on a different project than your original assignment. Within the construction industry for example, one of the best ways to demonstrate flexibility is to take on temporary contracts, these themselves can often open the door to some fantastic career opportunities.

Remember that whatever questions are thrown at you during interview, they are merely a way to give you the opportunity to demonstrate the qualities listed above. Take a look at the top 5 interview questions to see some popular examples.

By doing your research beforehand and preparing accordingly before the interview, you will be able to improve your interview performance and deliver the most desirable answers, giving you the best chance of landing the job. Remember that there is rarely such a thing as a wrong answer in an interview as long as you can justify your response and explain your reasoning.

At PSR Solutions we specialise in ensuring that our Candidate Experience is second to none and this means providing support before, after and during our recruitment process. We take pride in our highly consultative approach and have had positive feedback about the added value that we bring to the overall recruitment process.

We currently have over 1000 jobs in construction across building, infrastructure, rail, M&E and fit-out, upload your CV today or contact us for an initial chat about taking your career in construction to the next level.

PSR Solutions are market leaders in recruitment for the construction industry in the UK and Dubai 2016. They can assist with filling your vacancy or finding short and long term contracts for candidates of all levels. We have over 10 years’ experience in the industry and are a Recruiter Hot 100 company with Investors in People status.

Please contact us to take your career in construction to the next level.

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