By Tracy Leung, Manager – Sales, Marketing & Retail, Links International Hong Kong
As we all know, first impressions count, and nowhere is this more true than during the recruitment process when you are interviewing for a new job. When you meet your recruitment consultant for the first time, a good interview can leave a lasting first impression on your recruitment consultant, thus making it easier for them to communicate about or sell you to their clients. Below are some points to note:
Grooming & Attire
- When going to any interview, make sure you look clean and tidy, particularly during summertime. It may not be necessary to dress very formally, but definitely do not wear a cap or gothic make up, and don’t wear a tight mini-dress.
- We all know it gets hot and sticky in Hong Kong during summer, so it’s best to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time, so that you have enough time to cool down and tidy yourself up before the interview.
Smile and have a confident handshake
- You can easily create a relaxed environment from the start of your interview with your recruitment consultant by smiling when you meet them, followed by a confident handshake (without crushing their hand!).
15 second ice-breaker
- Show that you are proactive by asking a simple ice-breaker question such as, ‘How’s your day going?’ 10 out of 10 candidates fail to do this.
Story-telling skills
- To be able to tell a good story is a very important skillset to show how you present and organise your job experience. Think about:
- Structure
- Tone and manner
- Details (team size, your role, responsibilities, reporting line, reasons for leaving etc.)
- Significant projects (what the projects were, your involvement, process, result, etc.)
- Gestures (for example: use gestures to give an invisible organisation chart to your recruiter when you present the team structure)
Talk about something that is not on your CV
- This could be challenges that you have faced and how you solved them, or any examples that can show your work personality. Explain them clearly.
Tell us your expectations and what is important to you
- Other than your professional experience, we are actually more interested to know about your expectations regarding your next role and what are you actually looking for. This can be company culture, your career aspiration, your needs, and so on. Be direct and specific.
Be honest and transparent, don’t try too hard and most of all – be CONSISTENT
- Since we conduct our job according to the information you give us, in order for us to try our best to assist you in your job search, it is very important that you are completely honest with us and remain consistent in what your overall goals and requirements are.
Links International specialises in recruitment across a broad range of sectors across Asia. Let us help you find your ideal job and reach your potential – get in touch now to discuss more!