Hi there! Today I’ll share some insights and tips on how you can nail your interviews in the modern era of recruitment. Out of all the future trends in recruitment, this post is my personal favourite! Having interviewed and assessed hundreds of people and after setting up RecRight video recruitment processes in both Scandinavian and Spanish companies it’s exciting to see how the methods are evolving and then turn the tables bringing the best tips and insights for you to utilize in getting your dream job.
So, here we go. In my previous post, I introduced The Job Applicant’s Guide to Future Trends of Recruitment 2018, based on LinkedIn’s 4 top trends of recruitment that you as a job applicant should know about:
- Diversity
- New interviewing tools
- Data
- Artificial intelligence
Now let’s move into the second trend – the increasing usage of new interviewing tools and assessment methods. According to LinkedIn’s Survey, these five techniques have come on the scene to improve the old model:
- Online soft skills assessments measure traits like teamwork and curiosity and give a more holistic picture of candidates earlier in the process.
- In job auditions, companies pay candidates to do real work so that they can observe skills in action. They provide an excellent way to both show them what you got and on the other hand get a glimpse of what it really could be like working in that job.
- In casual interviews, you might be invited to a meal or even having a walk with the interviewer. It offers you a great chance to demonstrate your personality and ways of working but also allows you to get to know your potential new colleagues or boss and see whether you would like to be working in that job.
- With virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), companies immerse candidates in simulated 3-D environments to test their skills in a standardized way. Companies are also using VR to attract and engage more job applicants.
- Video interviews can be recorded or live and help by tapping a broader talent pool in far less time.
5 Career tips related to new methods of interviews
1. Assessments are a great way to get to know yourself and your strengths. They usually have a built-in system that reveals to the recruiter in case you have tried to manipulate the questions trying to give a better impression of yourself so just relax and give honest answers. In case the tool doesn’t provide any results for you right away, you can always ask them from the recruiter or the company who provided the assessment.
2. Be aware of job auditions that take a significant amount of time from you and where the company is not willing to compensate for it. You might want to consider if you would like to work for a company that exploits their future employees like that and misuses job auditions as a free replacement for contractual probation time.
Based on my experience, with a 1-day assessment and auditions, a recruiter should already get good enough information about your capabilities and ways of working.
3. Do your homework before the casual interview. As a relaxed situation as it may be, remember you are still being evaluated all the time. Investigate the company, latest news of the industry, your interviewers in advance and prepare questions and common topics to discuss. Offer help and be prepared to improvise in surprising situations to show your capabilities.
4. You don’t need expensive goggles to join a virtual reality simulation. For getting started with just a few euros, you can transform your smartphone into VR goggles by simply ordering a DIY cardboard glasses kit and downloading a corresponding application to your phone.
Try to find out as much information as possible about the job or simulation in advance and test your gear and settings before diving in.
5. Be prepared for the increasing amount of video. They are here to stay and come in many forms: as recordable prescreening questions before the actual interview or even replacing the traditional CV as an application method. Many people are nervous about them, but just as anything also video interviews can be practised in advance. I will be posting more about this topic later.
Meanwhile, if you have any doubts or questions, let’s have a virtual coffee or a chat! I would be glad to hear your thoughts and get to know how I could help you get towards your dream job. Just let me know when would be a suitable time for you and make a booking from here.
In my next post, I’ll be digging into the third trend of the future: DATA. Sounds boring? Might be. But without mastering it, you would be missing all the FUN!
Have a lovely week!
Virpi, Your Personal Career Trainer
PS. Have you already signed up to my mailing list? I have prepared this awesome toolkit that includes practical tips and exercises that will literally get you 5 steps closer to your dream job. All yours for free!
Sources: The 4 Trends Changing How You Hire in 2018 and Beyond/ LinkedIn
