Looking for a new position in order to progress your career is a very serious proposition. You must give great thought as to what sort of role you wish to pursue, and how making such a move is going to move your career forwards. It is essential that you prepare yourself properly for the process. You must think through the process, from how you are going to make time to attend initial interviews through to how you are going to approach handing in your notice to your manager, once a suitable job offer has been secured.

1. Why might I consider looking for a new position?

There are many different reasons why you might feel that making a career move is the right thing to do. What you must make sure you do is find a role that will move your career forward. You do not want to be making a move simply for the sake of it, so you must question how you can improve on your current situation with your present employer. Factors that typically may lead to your making a move include a desire for more responsibility, a desire to sell more technical products or to sell within a more critical environment, to find a role that provides greater potential for bigger bonus payments, or to find a company with a structure that will allow your existing skills to flourish but also provide the opportunity to learn new skills. The list really is endless, but you must make sure that you have a goal in mind so that you can approach your job search with focus and aim towards a clearly defined goal. Clear thought at this early stage will ensure that you are not wasting time attending interviews for positions that cannot offer what you are looking for.

2. I have been with my company for a couple of years and it is time to make the next step – what do I do now?

The Consultants at Advance Recruitment will help you through this thought process and through experience will be able to clarify questions that you may have and suggest other options/ideas that you may not have considered. Following this initial conversation, your Consultant will be able to launch a job search that is completely tailored to your requirements and through the contacts within companies that have been nurtured and established over a number of years, will be able to set up interviews with precisely the sort of companies that you have identified as being the sort of employer you would like to work for.

3. I'm an experienced rep looking for a move into management – how do I approach this move?

Looking for a first step into management is never an easy one to make. After all, you can't yet say that you have a lot of managerial experience to offer a prospective employer. However, a number of companies, when looking to recruit a manager, will interview candidates who aspire to the role and can demonstrate leadership potential.

The way to demonstrate your potential for this sort of role is to ensure that your cv mentions periods where you may have stood in for you current manager, of how you may have mentored other representatives, of how you have gained experience in drawing up business plans and how you then executed them. In short, think of the skills that you have utilised in your current role that can be perceived as demonstrating the ability to work and act as a manager, and ensure that they are prominent on your cv. By doing this, you can ensure that when an opportunity does arise, you are in a strong position to take advantage.

4. How do I prepare for an interview?

Preparation is the first essential step towards a successful interview. It is essential that you:-

• Know the exact place and time of your interview, the interviewer's title and full name with the correct pronunciation.
• Do some research on the Company interviewing you. It would be helpful to know how old the Company is, what products they specialize in, where their plants/offices/stores are located, what growth that company can boast and what the potential for future growth is.
• Prepare questions to ask during the interview - an interview should be a two way flow of information. The employer will try to determine through questioning if you have the qualifications and experience necessary to do the job. You must determine through questioning whether the Company will give you the opportunity for the growth and development you seek.
• Some probing questions that you might ask.....
  • A detailed description of the position?
  • Reason the position is available?
  • Anticipated indoctrination and training programme?
  • Advanced training programmes available for those who demonstrate outstanding ability.
  • Company growth plans?
  • The next step in the recruitment process?
• Employers expect candidates to look professional. First impressions count so ensure that you wear a formal business suit.

5. How do I ensure I make a positive impact at interview?

You are being interviewed because the employer wants to fill a vacancy with a strong candidate and the purpose of the interview is to identify that candidate, not to trip you up or embarrass you. Through the interaction that will take place during the interview, the employer will be searching out your strong and weak points, evaluating you on your qualifications, skills and intellectual qualities and the employer will probably probe deeply to determine your attitudes, aptitudes, stability, motivation and maturity.

There are a number of things that you can do to create a positive impact at interview…

• Do plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
• If the employer presents you with an application form to complete, do fill it out neatly and completely. Do not relax and rely on your application or resume to do your selling for you. Most employers will want you to speak for yourself.
• Do greet the employer by their surname if you are sure of the pronunciation. If you are not, ask them to repeat their name. Give the appearance of energy as you walk. Smile!! Shake their hand firmly. Be genuinely pleased to meet the interviewer.
• Do wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright in your chair and look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile!!
• Do not smoke even if the employer smokes and offers you a cigarette. Do not chew gum/eat.
• Do look a prospective employer in the eye when you talk to him/her.
• Do follow the employer's leads, but try to get the employer to describe the position and duties to you as early in the interview as possible, so that you can relate your background skills and accomplishments to the position.
• Don't answer questions with a simple ‘yes' or ‘no'. Provide explanations and reasoning wherever possible. Provide details about yourself which relate to the position.
• Do make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a factual, logical and sincere manner. Stress achievements.
• Do not lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and as ‘to the point' as possible.
• Do not ever make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers.
• Do not over complicate your answers.
• Do not enquire about salary, holidays, bonuses, etc. during the initial interview. If the interviewer asks what salary you want, indicate what you have earned but that you are more interested in the opportunity than specific salary amount at present.
• Do always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job! Never close the door on an opportunity. It is better to be in a position where you can choose from a number of positions, rather than only one.

6. How do I deal with competency based interviews?

A recent survey has revealed that 76% of companies now use competency based interviews. Competencies have become the language of performance – the outcome is as important as the manner / behaviour in which they are carried out.

Competencies are a set of behaviours that an organization deems necessary for successful business performance (eg results driven, commercial acumen).

For each competency there may be a number of specific examples or indicators of behaviour grouped in accordance with business needs.

Competency based interviews focus on past events in a candidate's life and are designed to focus on “critical incidents” to demonstrate the behaviours (eg tell me about a time when you were unable to meet a customer's deadline – what did you do)? Past experience is taken as a key indicator to future success.

Interviewers are looking for specific, solid evidence that the candidate demonstrates the particular competency being assessed. Usually, a score is given to each competency being examined, with the total score serving as a measure of objectivity.

General tips:

• Do give specific examples
• Don't give general examples
• It is vital that you are prepared and have considered key core competencies and suitable examples before your interview
• You can use examples from your private life as well as from your professional activities
• Examples of key competencies:-
• Achievement focused
• Communication
• Planning and organization
• Initiative
• Teamwork

Examples of questions used to assess competencies:

Achievement focused – this competency is key to excellence in sales and relates to a candidate's motivation and capacity to achieve or exceed targets. Faced with an adverse situation, do your strive for success or do you quit? Do you have the strength of character and determination to always see a solution?

Talk me through a time when you have had to work towards a challenging, ambitious objective.

Has there ever been a time when you have had to work harder and longer to ensure that a time deadline was met?

When was the last time that you were called upon to do more than would normally be expected of you?

What do you like least about your current role?

What do you feel is the greatest challenge in your current role?

Please bear in mind that these are only examples and specific competencies and associated questions will vary from company to company.

7. How do I bring the interview to a close?

• If you are interested in the position, ask for it, or ask for a second interview if the situation demands. If you feel the job is worth your efforts and you want to receive an offer, be a strong sales person and say something like:-
  “Mr Employer I am very impressed with what I have seen here today, your Company, it's products and the people I have met. I am confident I could do an excellent job in the position you have described to me. How soon will I be able to start?”.
  The interviewer will be impressed with your enthusiasm. If the employer makes the offer, then accept it.
• Don't be too discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The employer will probably want to communicate with his office first, or interview more candidates, before making a decision.
• If you get the impression that the interview is not going to well and that you have already been rejected, don't let your discouragement show. Once in a while an employer who is genuinely interested in your potential may seem to discourage you in order to test your reaction.
• Thank the employer for his time and his consideration of you. If you have answered the two questions uppermost in the employers mind, (ie. why are you interested in this company and what you can offer?) then you have done all you can.
• If you are interested enough in the position and you want an offer, straight after the interview email to the employer a letter expressing your thanks for the interview and your interest in the company. Restate briefly why you think you can make an exceptionally strong contribution to the role. Lastly and most importantly, call your consultant immediately after each interview and tell them what happened. He/she will want to talk to you before the employer calls back. If you are interested in the position, the consultant will help you to get it.

8. Do I need a brag file? What goes into a brag file?

A4 Folder with Perspex leaves:

• 1st Section
  - Your C.V.
• 2nd Section
  - Education Certificates
• 3rd Section
  - Sales Figures
  - Well Done Letters
  - References from past employers and customers
• 4th Section
  - Five reasons why they should employ you. (Typed)
• 5th Section
  - Research on the company/competitors
• 6th Section
  - List questions you want to ask. (Typed)

9. How do I receive a job offer?

Under normal circumstances a job offer from the company will be relayed via your Consultant at Advance Recruitment. The Consultant will be in a position to offer advice and guidance on securing references and will follow the process through to ensure that a contract is received.

 

10. What is the best way to hand in my notice?

Firstly, wait for the offer to come through in writing. You must then approach your manager to tell him/her the news. Be prepared for them to be disappointed but be clear in your reasons why you have accepted an offer elsewhere. Be professional, polite but firm. You never know when you may cross paths with your manager in the future, so always try and leave on a good note.