How to Approach an Online Job Interview

More and more people are working completely remotely now, so if you are looking for a new job, you might well be required to interview for it online. This means you will be meeting your interviewers virtually rather than going into their office space and meeting them directly. In many ways this is similar – you need to make a good impression, connect with the interviewer, and show your best side during the interview. It can be trickier though, as it is less natural than meeting someone face to face.

The best approach is to forget the digital element to your job interview and work on establishing that human connection, despite it not being in person. Prepare in the same way, ask the same questions and ensure that you build up a good dialogue. Talk about your achievements and emphasise your successes while also taking the time to get to know your interviewer. This will make you seem like a knowledgeable and personable candidate.

Landing a Job Interview

Job interviews are very important and some people are naturally good at them. Landing an interview is a skill in itself, though, and it is very important that you know how to appeal to the interviewers on paper, so you can get yourself in front of them for a proper interview.

Look into the company and personalise your job application, first and foremost. This will make you stand out straight away and will show that you care about the role and take a genuine interest in it. It is important you tailor your CV as well and don’t just send a generic one out to each employer. Next, look into the skills that are required and make sure these are reflected in your application. Employers will all look for different things, and they will want to know that you have what it takes to do the job before they invite you in to interview.

Keeping your Recruitment Costs Down

So you want to use a recruitment company, but you don’t think you can afford it. Recruitment is perfectly possible to afford, as long as you are savvy about the services you choose and the recruitment consultants you work with. There is also the option of only taking up certain services with a recruiter, so this is also an option if you want to save yourself some money during the process.

The first thing to think about is what you actually need. Do you really require a recruitment consultant to do everything for you, or can you just ask them to help you with the advertising? Many companies prefer to pick their own candidates to interview and keep track of the recruitment process themselves. This allows you to be a candidate’s first point of contact, and will help you keep a lid on recruitment spending, whilst also drawing in good candidates and getting value for money.

How to Hire Graduates

Graduates make excellent employees. They are educated, disciplined and intelligent, making them an asset to your organisation. Lots of businesses now choose to exclusively hire graduates, so if you are amongst them, then you need to have a plan to help attract the top talent.

Make sure graduates know about your opportunities in the first places. Advertise jobs on popular job boards and websites, and make sure you sell your positions to the graduate market. It is important you outline your minimum entry requirements, but it is also important you make it clear what you are going to offer to graduates who join your business. Explain why you are a good business to work for, and outline the benefits.

You need to offer good career progression as well, as graduates will be interested in furthering their careers. Make sure you outline how you will support their development in the workplace, and give examples of how they can progress.

Should you Try to Negotiate a Higher Wage?

Wages – it is never an easy subject to talk about, especially before you begin a job! You never know whether you will be overstepping the mark if you try to negotiate a wage, and whether or not it will be detrimental to you being offered the job.

If the salary you are looking for is a long way above the amount the company is offering, it is probably best not to try to negotiate a higher wage. However, it might also be worth considering whether you should, in fact, apply for the job in the first place, because you could well be over qualified.

If you are looking for a slightly higher wage, it is often worth asking if the company will be willing to pay it. This shows confidence, and shows that you know your worth in the market. If applying via a recruiter, you could first ask them for their opinion on the wage.