Once the applicant has been successful and invited to a job interview, s/he has to be aware of the fact that exactly this job interview will determine whether s/he gets the job or somebody else.

Getting a job does not only depend on your specialized knowledge, but rather on your soft skills and ability to become a member of an already existing team. So why is the job interview the most important step in the selection of new employees? In the job interview the HR manager can

• get a face-to-face impression of the applicant.

• clarify details as far as education and former jobs are concerned.

• evaluate the applicant’s qualifications. 

• adjust the applicant’s wishes and interests and his/her opportunities in the company.

• present the company and the different possibilities for the applicants. 

• arrange further steps.

Steps in the Job Interview

Opening

No interviewer wants to do you any harm. Normally, they only want to find out more about you, so s/he will try to create a positive and pleasant atmosphere to reduce your nervousness.

In these minutes of “warming up“ the interviewer will present him-/herself and his/her position in the company and tell you about what the interview will look like.

Applicant presents him-/herself

The second phase is very important in a job interview. Now you have the possibility to talk about yourself, main fields of interest, former jobs and abilities. Applicants tend to lose their thread, speak too quickly or remain silent. This can be very exhausting for the interviewer and additionally, signalizes insecurity.

So take a deep breath and speak with a clear voice. If you prepared yourself well, you will surely remember a lot of things you can tell.

Questions asked by the interviewer

Afterwards the HR manager will ask you something about the one or the other aspect of your CV/resumé, which needs to be clarified (e.g. if there is a gap or if you have not finished a particular type of course). In addition to that, s/he might ask you to give some examples of how you experienced a particular stage in your education.

Very often they also ask you to imagine a specific situation and to spontaneously find a solution. In some cases your specialized knowledge might be tested, but do not be afraid! Suchs tests are not carried out very frequently.

Presentation of the job

The interviewer will surely tell you something about the job in question. It is very likely that the interviewer will bring up this topic, because after all s/he wants to find the appropriate candidate for the vacancy. However, if s/he does not do so, then feel free to ask yourself, because – you as well – want to find the appropriate company.

At this point, you also have the possibility to ask questions, so make use of it. It is very important for you to have enough information about the job and additionally, you signalize and show your interest in the vacancy and the company. Again, it is very useful to think about this stage beforehand, because you can take part in the conversation much more actively when you know what you want to ask.

Ending the job interview

A job interview usually lasts between 30 to 60 minutes. Towards the end of the interview questions about salary, entry dates and further procedures will be answered. In order not to have to wait desperately, ask when you are going to receive an answer. Close your interview with a little bit of small talk.

You do not have to be at all afraid of your first job interview. If you are well-prepared, it will be really easy. Consider every invitation to a job interview as a chance to demonstrate your abilities and to market yourself.

So — “think positive“!