Category: Job Seeking

How can you know that you’ve made the right decision after the job interview: cognitive biases

Posted on by Katarina Jeremic

Nowadays, we are constantly exposed to various streams of information and expected to quickly adjust and respond to it. Being faced with such a challenging task, our cognitive system is often pressured to make shortcuts, without even consulting us. For example, you’ve probably had a colleague that just seemed a bit off at first glance and you could never grow to like them, although you never knew exactly why. Or maybe, you’ve interviewed a candidate and pretty early on realized no further conversation is necessary – the candidate is so much like you and your colleagues and would fit in the team perfectly. Or perhaps, you were being interviewed and the interviewer seemed incompetent right away, although when you now stop and think about it, they did their job fairly.

Surely, there are many examples, both in our personal and professional lives, when we made quick decisions and were certain in our judgment, although we couldn’t properly pinpoint where this certainty comes from. These situations occur due to a well-studied phenomenon – cognitive biases.

A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking, which occurs while we’re interpreting information and can lead us to faulty judgment. It is normal, and sometimes quite economical, to experience cognitive biases since they speed up our decision-making process and save our energy. 

However, there is one area where biased thinking can have severe consequences: the selection process.

In this blog, we’ll try to summarize the most common biases that can occur in the selection process, both from the interviewer’s and from the candidate’s perspective, and try to give you some tips on how to avoid them. Even if you are not a hiring professional or considering entering a selection process soon, this list can still help you identify some of the biases you may hold since they may appear in any aspect of your life.

Let’s review the interviewer’s biases first:

1.Halo effect

Perhaps the most famous cognitive bias, often mentioned in various contexts, the Halo effect, occurs when the first impression influences the rest of the communication. For example, if the candidate answers some of the first questions particularly well, in a way that the interviewer finds fitting, the interviewer is likely to overlook some ’’red flags’’ later on or to interpret them in the light of the first, positive impression.

Similarly, if the first impression is negative, the interviewer may become nit-picky and interpret the rest of the conversation in this light. The interviewer may even go as far as to interpret genuine answers, which they would typically appreciate, as a dishonest attempt to appear as a desirable employee. First impressions are often very difficult to disprove!

2. Affinity bias

Everyone (including Hiring professionals, no matter how experienced they are) tends to gravitate toward people with similar backgrounds, interests, values, and outlooks on life. This tendency is labeled as Affinity bias. For example, a Hiring Manager may have a ‘’gut feeling’’ about a candidate who went to the same University and had a similar career start as they did. 

To some extent, Affinity bias may be useful in hiring – we are likely to function well with people who are similar to us. However, apart from the obvious moral and discriminatory issue, this bias may lead to several practical consequences. Just because the candidate is similar to the interviewer in some aspects, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will fit in the role as successfully as the interviewer did. Similarly, the interviewer may overlook candidates that would be more fitting or qualified, ie. pass over the more deserving ones. In addition, creating a uniform team of like-minded individuals can ‘’block’’ the team long term, preventing the influx of new and different ideas. It is in the clash of views that most innovations are made.

3. Anchoring bias

Anchoring occurs when an arbitrary benchmark is used as a reference point in future evaluations. For example, if you first see sneakers that cost $1,000, the next ones you encounter that cost $ 500 may seem cheap, even though you’d find the second pair too expensive if you didn’t see the more expensive ones first. Buying $ 500 sneakers may even feel like saving, after being struck by the initial price.

Anchoring bias is long studied in the field of behavioral finance since it plays an important role in sales and salary negotiations. If the candidate enters the negotiation with high demands, they may appear more valuable than the candidate with similar qualifications and skill sets with lower demands. On top of that, once the negotiation starts and the demands are a bit adjusted, the negotiator from the company side may feel like they got ’’lucky’’ to obtain such a candidate at such a salary range, overlooking the fact that the agreed range is still higher than it was initially planned. Of course, it is sometimes necessary to readjust the range to obtain truly valuable employees, but it is also important to keep the anchoring bias in mind and differentiate between deserving individuals and confident negotiators. Similarly, before the negotiation, there may have been another negotiation process with a candidate that demanded ’’ too much’’, making the current candidate’s expectations (even though they may as well exceed the range) seem more reasonable.

4. Attentional bias

Attentional bias overlaps with the Halo effect in the sense that it entails a narrow attentional focus. However, while in Halo effect our attention is focused on the first piece of information we receive from the candidate, in attentional bias, any type of information can become our focus. Certain interviewers exhibit positive attentional bias, focusing only on the pieces of information that they find appealing about the candidate, overlooking all the potential cues on negative aspects. The reverse is also likely, some interviewers focus solely on aspects they find negative about the candidate, ignoring all the cues why such a candidate may be a good fit for the role.

As we’ve previously said, the interviewers are not the only ones falling into traps of these biases. Hence, we’ve also listed two of the most common biases that can influence a candidate’s behavior in selection:

1. Self-serving bias

A self-serving bias is a type of bias that enhances a positive perception of one’s personality and actions. When affected by this bias, individuals tend to describe their achievements as products of their efforts and abilities, while they describe their failures as products of situational factors. For example, a candidate may describe his team’s success as a product of his efforts, while he describes failures in terms of faulty organizational structure or nonproductive colleagues. Of course, from the interviewer’s perspective, it is hard to evaluate whether the candidate truly was a ‘’pearl thrown to swine’’ or just not up to the task level. 

2. Availability bias

This bias refers to our tendency to base our decisions on the information that most easily comes to mind (often the most recent, or most memorable). For example, people often overestimate the number of terrorist attacks or plane crashes that happen yearly – because of the intensity of such events, they are easily recalled from memory and people feel like there must be many more examples. The likelihood of a car crash or drowning in your tub is much higher than the likelihood of a plane crash or terrorist attack, yet, people are afraid of planes and terrorists and not of bubble baths and cars. Shocking events are more memorable and therefore easier to recall, but that doesn’t make them more likely to occur in the future again.

The selection process is not free of this bias – a candidate may have a bad previous experience with interviewers ( eg. an interviewer that didn’t understand the position fully, was too assertive, rude… ) and may enter the new process with a ’’prophecy’’ that the interviewer will be uninformed or interrogative – because they all must be. Previous negative and memorable experiences with interviewers can truly start a cycle of miscommunication between the current interviewer and the candidate. Just because it is easy to recall an uninformed or interrogative interviewer, doesn’t mean that they all are.

After listing these selection biases, objectivity and effective communication during the interviewing process may seem almost impossible to achieve. However, in reality, there are always things you can do as an HR professional to prevent yourself from falling victim to these biases.

1. Include multiple people in the selection process – but truly

Although most selection processes include several professionals, there are still processes that heavily depend on one person’s decision. Make your hiring team members feel comfortable to share their genuine opinions – it shouldn’t be a collective effort just on paper. Although the experience reduces the effect of biases, everyone can still ’slip’ from time to time and form biased opinions. Therefore, it is important to compare the opinions of different team members and to form alternative interpretations of candidates’ behavior and answers.

2. Structure your interview

During the preparation stage, agree with your team on relevant questions that you should ask each candidate. Certain professionals hold fully structured interviews to avoid all biases, while others believe this approach to be too mechanical and prefer having the flexibility to elaborate on topics that emerge spontaneously during the conversation and to chit-chat a bit so they can relax the atmosphere. Whatever your preference is, it is good for interviews to be at least semi-structured. Don’t skip any of the key questions with any of the candidates so the comparison can be as fair and as objective as possible.

3. Acknowledge the biases

To avoid and confront just about anything, you must first acknowledge its existence. It is useful to carefully reflect on your decision-making process or maybe discuss your experience with other hiring professionals. This is particularly important when it seems that you have reached the conclusion quite quickly or when the conclusions seem too extreme – hasty, extreme decisions are often products of biased thinking. In time, you’ll realize which biases you are more prone to, and soon you’ll be able to identify them with much less effort.

 

Staying objective and making ’’the right’’ decisions when it comes to hiring is an extremely complex task. The interviewer often has to juggle the expectations of numerous stakeholders, sometimes overlooking that the ’’trickiest’’ stakeholder can be our own cognition. We hope that this short list can help you in future processes and that it will pop into your mind the next time you get ’’the gut feeling’’ about the candidate.

My experience: Demonstration of power during the job interview

Posted on by Milica Berić

A situation that I recently experienced myself in the process of looking for a job, and which I had heard about before from personal experience from various sources, from the stories of friends and acquaintances, and about which I read as the topic of weekly columns, psychological manuals, and various blogs, inspired me to write this blog.

It is about the phenomenon of demonstration of power, i.e. the presented values ​​of the company during the interviewing of job candidates, and finally, about the lack of positive direct communication. Can you guess what I’m talking about?

Namely, based on a good recommendation, my well-written CV ended up on the “big and important” director’s desk of a successful company, to be read and considered (I hoped), so that I might be invited to an interview. Fortunately for me, I was invited, and very quickly.

I was very pleased that such an opportunity presented itself to me because I considered that “big and important” also means capable, innovative, inspiring, and everything that logically goes with that. Armed with a positive attitude, freshness, and “good energy”, I appeared ten minutes early in the center of that well-known company and was asked to wait until the Director’s Personal Assistant came to pick me up.

And while I’m sitting on the sofa and renewing what will be my “key points” in the conversation, I see a younger woman, dressed for business, approaching me, and I smile because I realize that this is the person I’m waiting for, but at the same time, I notice how her facial expression doesn’t change as she walks towards me, that she is very strict and “cemented” on that face. Now the young lady is in front of me, but she doesn’t say good day or anything like that, nor did she smile at me, but with an unchanged stern expression asks me if I’m That and That? I confirm that I am, “Good day, how are you”, I say, and I only get the instruction “Follow me”. And I follow her. The first “touch point”. We all know how important the first impression is, and how, among other things, it is an important transmitter of the company’s value and an indicator of the climate that prevails in it. My thoughts stimulated by such a first interaction are naturally diverted from the positive, my expectations change as I walk through the corridor, and now I estimate that the price here is some rigid strictness, “great importance”, and kindness and immediacy probably do not share a priority place on “know-how” lists. OK.

The personal assistant opens the door to the Director’s office, and now the two of us are standing in the office near the door. The director’s desk is opposite us, so he would be looking right at us, actually me, if he would like to look!

Although the opening of the door was heard, and it was more than evident that someone entered the office, the Director does not raise his head but continued to look at the papers, it seems, and this continues now… I am confused, not only because he did not look at us but also greeted us, but also by the fact his assistant is not saying anything (in my head I should say something like Director, So and So arrived as agreed, or at least Good day). The assistant is standing next to me, and the Director still doesn’t look up. My thoughts impose an idea: he’s important, he’s testing me, or he’s really busy. I do not know. But that’s how I say Good day first! And I stretch my lips into a smile (measured, of course). Even though it’s Good Day, it turned out to be somewhat sound considering the given situation.

The second “touch point” leaves me with a variety of impressions. The director is now busy and I am irrelevant at this moment and now is not the right moment for me and that’s all… there is a very “important” man in front of me (who will use this opportunity to demonstrate his importance and to test a potential “follower” in a certain way), as well as the impression that the Director has no problem rejecting prosaic etiquette.

Good day! And a measured smile. The director raises his head, confirms my presence, greets me, and tells me to sit down, while his assistant is still standing and does not speak, and leaves after the instructions he receives, among other things, to bring me water. I greet her and thank her. I think she also said hello to me at that moment.

The conversation with the Director lasted only a few minutes. He asked me one question about what I did at my previous job because it was a well-known and well-known company in the region. He referred me to an interview with the HR director of the company and I left his office as fastest as I could. Just when the water was coming.

In this instance, the situation improved a little for me, because the HR director was a nice older lady who has probably been working for the company for a long time, quite formal, admittedly, at times it seems as if she is “doing what is necessary”, but who, on the other hand, with spent a whole hour and a bit with me, although at the beginning she emphasized that our conversation would last 30 minutes, and with whom I had the impression that I had talked. When I was leaving, the HR director escorted me to the exit and I thanked her, “It was nice talking to you”, which she did not say back, but politely said goodbye. We will be in touch.

This experience got me thinking. The director certainly wanted to get to know me (because he needs to find someone or to “follow up” on a recommendation), to get some impression, and that is quite desirable and expected. I once read somewhere that when you need to demonstrate the importance, you should not speak for more than two minutes. And it suddenly dawned on me on the way back. Of course, there are many other ways to demonstrate power or to speedily “test” one’s character (although this was perhaps too speedy for even the most judgmental mage).

My conclusion from this experience is that in such situations, you should stick to your own views and principles, and not allow someone else’s approach to confuse us or cause us discomfort. Give yourself space to assess the situation, make an effort to tolerate the uncomfortable silence and “non-reaction”, and finally make an effort to “fight it out” for yourself.

In such business environments, it is probably a pyramid-structured company whose values ​​do not prioritize positivity, openness, initiative, criticality, and flexibility. My “good energy”, freshness, and kindness, were not accepted, nor were they probably interpreted as if I was a good “fit” for this company, and various questions opened up in my head, such as these: Is it positive in such systems immediacy a threat to one’s greatness or is it too expensive, difficult and unnecessary? Does it level or reduce the importance and seriousness? Does it represent disrespect for authority? Can authority be kind and accepting? Even now, I could list many more questions in this regard, but I believe that you understand what I am trying to say, and above all, I understand it myself. Anyhow, choose the work environments you want to work in carefully. Not every company is for everyone, regardless of reputation and external impression.

Job interview – what should be learned by the end of an interview?

Posted on by Eta Sateles

During job search and the selection process, it is often the case that candidates are left confused after an interview because of unresolved concerns, or they realise there are questions they should have asked, but they forgot. Also, there are often questions like “what should and what shouldn’t be asked on an interview” that make the whole situation even more complicated.

In order to simplify the whole story, we will say the following – there are no questions that you should not ask, maybe just those that are not the best ones for the first round of interviews. But let’s look at the important ones that you need to ask, and which are perfectly okay to ask.

More details about the company

This is a question that is generally asked by interviewers to see if you have researched in more details about the company, and it can also show your motivation for the company or position. However, sometimes you may not find many details on a website of a company itself that may be of interest to you or that may be important to you. In such a situation, it is perfectly okay to ask for company details (company size, team structure, location, company culture, etc.)

Tasks and the team

Your future responsibilities are mainly described in a job ad that was posted, and we strongly advise you to read it in detail as your interviewer will surely ask you further about your potential responsibilities and how you understand them. On the other hand, if an ad was not detailed enough, you may have some concerns about the job itself. In these situations, it is quite fair to ask for an additional explanation so that you have all the information you need, and also to know if that job is really what interests you.

Also, information about your future team (if any) can be of great importance to you. What will be your future team, whether it consists of juniors or seniors, and how your cooperation with them will look like.

Working hours

This is one of the questions that candidates often forget to ask, and it can significantly influence further motivation. Be sure to check your working hours, and whether you work on weekends. Also, having shifts or on-call duties in certain positions can be crucial when deciding on a job.

Next steps

Most of the selection processes consist of several different rounds, and the first step is mostly talking to HR. After that, the process may vary, and the next interview may be with a hiring manager, or with top management, a director, etc. Also, be prepared to do different tests during the process: case study, aptitude test, knowledge test, presentations, etc. In this case, it is essential to be informed about what the test is about, what is its importance during the process, whether it is an elimination step, and what the test will look like.

Salary

This is often the thing that interests candidates the most and the one they ask the most about. However, in most situations, it is unfortunately not possible to find out the salary at the very beginning of the process. The interlocutor will mostly ask you in the first round what are your financial expectations and what financial package you would be happy with. While they may not be able to tell you the exact salary at the time, you can always ask them if your expectations fit into the company’s financial budget for the position, as well as pointing out that you are ready to discuss it in more detail in the following rounds.

These are just some of the most common concerns that candidates face. However, this does not mean that all other issues are not welcome or undesirable.

Remember that you will be doing a specific job on a day-to-day basis, at the company you have selected with the team you should fit into, so anything that can help you better understand what is waiting for you – feel free to ask.

Questions that employers must not ask during a job interview

Posted on by Eta Sateles

There are some topics that should not be discussed during the job interview. Topics such as religion, sexual orientation, nationality, race, political beliefs and other very personal topics should not be the subject of interest of your prospective employer. The reason for this is to protect candidates from discrimination.

Discrimination is unequal treatment of a person because of their personal attribute, which results in inequality in their exercise of rights. Due to personal views and beliefs of an interviewer, candidates may be discriminated based on information that is not related to their knowledge and abilities for the job.

In addition to the topics previously mentioned, issues related to housing and family status are not welcome on the job interview because they are not relevant to the selection process.

Also, questions about marital status, children and pregnancy are not a suitable topic for job interviews.

Another topic that is very sensitive and that your prospective employer should not be aware of is your current salary. Your salary is a matter that should be kept confidential and solely between you and your employer. During a job interview, instead of sharing your current earnings information, talk about your expected salary.

However, before you conclude that a question has been asked with an intention to discriminate you on a personal basis, try to make sure of the interviewer’s intent. It can sometimes be that a person on the other side of a table is inexperienced or even unaware of the discriminatory nature of the questions they ask. People involved in the selection of employees should be aware of the processes and procedures of the selection process, but unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Also, what can be a discriminatory issue for one job may not be for another profession. For example, a question of whether you are a smoker or not is not as relevant for the job of a programmer as it is for the babysitting job.

General Data Protection Regulation (also known as GDPR) prohibits collection and processing of personal data that is not relevant for the business of the company, in this case, the selection process – so be careful not to give too personal statements in the pre-selection questionnaires.

If you find that there is no discriminatory intent behind the question or that the question is asked inadvertently, politely give a brief answer and navigate the topic toward your previous work achievements and other accomplishments that qualify you for the job.

If, however, you happen to be unjustifiably asked a question that does not relate to your work experience and skills, try to subtly point out to the recruiter that some other things are more relevant for the job itself. Remember that you are also in a position to choose, so be free to judge whether you want to work in such a work environment based on the questions and the entire interviewing experience.

Inform yourself about the company you are applying for before you go to a job interview

Posted on by Eta Sateles

Many candidates are not aware that an introductory question “What do you know about our company?” is actually trickier than a lot of others that are suspected to be. It is no secret that employers are flattered when candidates are interested in working at their company. However, this is not the only reason why an answer to this question is important for your adequate representation during an interview. Candidates who briefly describe the business of a company as a response to this question, mention an approximate number of employees and countries in which the company operates, and ideally some specificity about the company itself (awards they received, impressions of their users or articles in which the company is mentioned) will make a good impression even before they start talking about themselves and their work experience. Through this answer, a candidate shows the ability to analyse a large amount of information, conciseness in presentation, responsibility in preparation for an interview, and above all, motivation for a specific role and a particular company.

Describe the ideal company you would like to work in

Before you start looking for a job, think about what kind of company would you like to work for. Striving for perfection is not so practical, but defining a desirable work environment in which you would enjoy working can be helpful while choosing a suitable job ad you want to apply for.

Consider the following:

  • Which area of ​​business are you most interested in?
  • Do you prefer to work in a smaller or larger team?
  • What are your personal values?
  • Do you prefer procedures or freedom at work?
  • What are other criteria personally important to you while assessing and selecting an employer of choice?

No matter how much you need this job, it is superfluous to invest your time in a job application and then an interview meeting at a company with a location that does not suit you or in a company that requires from you to work in a shift that is not suitable for you. While researching, you might get a sense of a company’s work environment so you could decide if it seems appropriate and stimulating for you.

Collect as much information as possible before applying

Inform yourself about:

  • what they do, what industry they operate in and what services or products they provide;
  • their clients – whether they are business or private users;
  • headquarters and countries in which they have offices;
  • their brand – whether it is more corporate, formal or cheerful, informal as it can say a lot about their communication style or dress code of the company;
  • awards and/or certificates the company has, etc.

You should do this not only to make a good impression and present yourself as a fit but for your own sake. The selection process is a two-way street, and as employers learn about you through your CV, you should also be informed about relevant details about the company, even before you submit your application.

Where can I find information about a company?

The most formal assessment can be done through the website of the Business Registers Agency, where you can find all the important information about the company, but in the first place, it will help you confirm its validity.

Knowing somebody who already works at that company is an excellent source of information, but you have to be lucky for this one. Be sure to ask your acquaintances and friends if they know anyone who works at that company. You will be surprised how small this world is and how easily you can get in direct contact with a person who works at that company and who can give you first-hand information, but keep in mind that the employee’s impression is still very personal and that it may not be entirely objective.

There are several channels on the Internet through which you can get the information you want:

  • Job posting portals – Portals such as Glassdoor provide insight into the impressions of current employees as well as those who have left the company. Unfortunately, people who are dissatisfied leave comments on the internet more often than those who are satisfied, so consider that when evaluating. Indeed, it is good to know what employees resent to their management before engaging in collaboration.
  • Company Website – After reading in detail about the company’s activities and services or products, invest additional time to read “About Us” or “Our Team” pages, where you can learn more about employees. The ideal situation is when the company publicly mentions their values ​​and causes that support because it will be easier for you to discover if they are a match to your personal values.
  • Social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) – On social networks, companies often write in a slightly more informal manner about their day-to-day activities and events, so you can gain significant insight into the culture, the way they communicate and the atmosphere.

While it is one of the most important factors, salary should by no means be the only reason why you are motivated to work in a company. Short term, a higher salary can be a major incentive, but later on, it always turns out that if you are doing a job that is not fulfilling, in an environment that is unpleasant or is not encouraging you to progress, so it is not a good choice in the long run.

Take an opportunity to create an image of the company as a future employer in advance, and if you like their culture and values, you will inevitably show a genuine desire on the interview and thus gain the sympathy of the employer and place yourself among the top candidates.

The etiquette of finding a job

Posted on by Eta Sateles

Graduating from university is often one of the most beautiful moments in young people’s lives, and it also marks the beginning of a new chapter that can carry many doubts and ambiguities with it that are rarely talked about.

Searching for a job can be an exhausting process that often requires a lot of time, investment and persistence. During this process, we are generally not taught what it means to look for a job properly and how to do it. We are simply expected to find a job.

In the following lines, we will cover in more detail the common mistakes that can occur during this process with an idea to make it easier.

Not answering the phone

In the HR world, it is not uncommon for applicants to apply for a job advertisement and never answer the phone afterwards. When you apply for a job in any way (job search portal, e-mail, LinkedIn, etc.) you can expect that if you meet the requirements of the job ad, there is a possibility that you will be invited for an interview. Of course, you will not be expected to be available 24/7, but it would be advisable that if you have a missed call on your phone, to return that call, as it may be that this step brings you closer to finding a job. Alternatively, you can always send a message saying that you were not able to respond at that time and when you will be available again.

Interview/test delay

The rule that a 15-minute academic delay is just fine may not be the best option to apply while looking for a job. It is important to know that the interviewer has set aside a specific time to interview you (30-60 minutes mostly) and that there are often scheduled several more interviews and meetings after you. This means that if you are late you will be in a situation where the interviewer will not have enough time to devote to you, and you may not be able to present yourself in the best possible way. Therefore, make sure you also include the time you need to get to the location where an interview will take place in preparation for an interview. Also, consider potential roadworks, bus route changes, or changes in weather (rain, snow, etc.) that may affect the time required to arrive for an interview.

In case you are late, make sure you call the person you have an interview with, in order to inform them about the approximate time of your arrival.

Failure to fulfil an agreement

If you agree on the interview to do something (e.g. send an updated CV, supporting documentation, portfolio, etc.) it is very important that you comply with that. In this way, an interviewer can plan the further course of the selection process and arrange additional steps with a hiring manager or other colleagues participating in the process. Also, by fulfilling what you have promised, you reinforce the positive impression you have made on the interview and influence trust-building with an interviewer.

Not showing up on the interview

With being late, this is one of the more common situations that recruiters face. By not attending an interview, you can easily be characterized as an irresponsible person, and if you apply on another job ad again, it is likely that you will never be invited again.

What candidates often forget is that they are evaluated by interviewers from the very beginning, from the first telephone conversation until the moment the final candidate has been chosen. Accordingly, do not forget that it is crucial to leave a good impression until the very end, and also that these are the small steps to build a good reputation in the labour market.

Lunch or Coffee Interview – A Quick Guide

Posted on by Eta Sateles

Congratulations! Being invited to lunch means that you have reached the finals of the selection process. If a potential employer decided to invite you to lunch, it means that you have made an excellent impression so far and that they are seriously considering offering you a position within the team.

This is not an uncommon thing that employers decide to invite finalists to a more informal meeting – over a coffee or meal, especially when their team is small, or the position is high. A less formal and strict meeting is good for both sides as it allows them to discuss topics they probably would not discuss during a standard interview, and thus be able to get to know each other better on a personal level and to evaluate if their cooperation would be beneficial. Interests and hobbies are often topics of this kind of interview, and it makes it is easier to create a more accurate picture of the person sitting across the table based on their attitudes and non-verbal communication.

Since valuable opportunities like informal meeting before establishing the cooperation rarely occur in one’s career, it is normal for you to have jitters. As anxiety can contribute to things going the wrong way during such meetings, here are some tips to help you:

Preparation

As for any other kind of job interview – good preparation is half the success. That is why it is imperative to set aside enough time before this meeting to get informed and make this step in selection process easier for yourself – for many this kind of meeting can be much more stressful than a regular office meeting, as it represents stepping outside the comfort zone.

Study the job ad and remember the key points regarding your responsibilities as well as your qualifications so that you could mention that in the conversation and draw attention to yourself as a good choice.

Be up to date with innovations from your profession, read daily news so that you can start a conversation and avoid awkward silence. However, remember that you are in a business meeting, and some topics such as religion or politics are not appropriate.

You can find a good conversation topic on your interviewer’s LinkedIn profile, so if you are notified in advance of the person that will join you, visit their profile and find common interests.

Make sure you are informed of the meeting location so you could plan your departure time and avoid being late. Also, if you have an opportunity, flip through the menu in advance so you can order quickly and thoughtfully.

Choosing Food and Drink

As the primary goal of this meeting is to get to know the other party more closely, and enjoying the food and drink comes sideways, do not drag out too much when ordering. Be careful, because if it takes you too long to make an order, you can give an impression of a slow decision-maker, so it is a good idea to think ahead.

Do not go to a meeting too hungry, as an empty stomach can make you feel even more nervous, but do not go to the meeting completely satiated so that you be respectful to the invitee.

‘Play safe’ – order foods that you can easily eat (spaghetti with red sauce and similar dishes can be a bit tricky), and for drinks, it is only appropriate to order a non-alcoholic refreshment, while you should politely refuse alcohol even if the other party offers you.

Etiquette

Do not forget your manners. Be kind to the staff, take care of your eating habits and make sure that you stay neat. If you arrive early, check with the other party if they have booked a table where you could settle, otherwise wait outside the entrance until the other party arrives. Although the atmosphere is more relaxed during a meal or drink, keep an eye out – too casual clothes and heavy makeup can have a negative effect on the overall impression you give. Of course, at the end of the interview, be sure to thank the other party for their time and meal/drink.

Check, please!

It is kind of you to offer to pay the bill, and this can certainly help to reinforce a positive opinion of you. However, be assured that in most situations your prospective employer will have this cost in mind in advance since they have invited you.

Talk about the things you are passionate about, show a genuine desire for the position and the company and listen well to your interviewer. Take the opportunity to evaluate whether you would like to work together and enjoy the meeting, as this is most likely the last step after which you may receive the offer you have longed for.

Practical tips for a scheduled job interview

Posted on by Eta Sateles

After receiving an invitation for a job interview, it is essential to prepare yourself for that and think in advance about different little things that can colour the whole interview experience. An interview itself can cause anxiety, nervousness, so make an effort to ease yourself and prevent anxiety about things that you can influence. Pay attention to details like this, especially if you are a beginner for whom these are the first steps in a professional career.

Coming to an interview

Information about the location and timing of an interview will generally be obtained during the first telephone call. Although most recruiters send the address with the correct information immediately after the call, if not, write down the address and number so that you do not get into the situation of not knowing where you need to appear. Make sure you remember the name of a person you are talking to so that you can give the person who welcomes you accurate information about it, as well as the position you applied for.

If you are unfamiliar with this part of the city, be sure to take a few minutes to investigate where the correct street is and the number on the map. Google maps is a very useful service that can help you find the correct addresses.

Make sure you get there 10 to 15 minutes earlier to get more relaxed and mentally prepared for the conversation that will follow. Also, this extra time can be beneficial in situations where you fail to find a location for the first time and then you will be very grateful to yourself for starting early. Be sure to consider both traffic and the fact that there may be traffic jam in the city if it is raining or if there are road works diverting traffic to the surrounding streets.

How to dress?

It is recommended that you come for an interview properly dressed, so-called “Business casual” dress code unless the situation and company require otherwise. Avoid over-the-top and loose things like sweatshirts and hoodies, and also, big neckline, shorts, short skirts/dresses, are not recommended. Sneakers and slippers or open-toed sandals are shoes that should be avoided when dressing for a job interview. The list of things that you should avoid that day includes striking jewelry and heavy perfumes.

Fighting the stage fright

Insomnia before an interview or stage fright and nervousness are often an integral part of a job interview, especially if you are a beginner to whom this is one of the first interviews. Therefore, it is important to prepare yourself and do mental preparation. If you generally have anxiety about important events, visualizing a positive outcome can be of great help to you in such situations. Try to think in detail about the whole interview situation, the questions the interviewer will ask you, as well as your answers. Focus on a positive outcome and give each question a detailed answer that best describes you as a person as well as your experience. There are a couple of other psychological techniques that can help you combat anxiety, and you can read more about them here.

Although the competition for the job is often high, thorough preparation for an interview can save you unnecessary annoyance and increase your chances of getting a job. Searching for a job is a job in itself, and it can sometimes be very exhausting, arduous and difficult, but it is very important that you persist in the search and be motivated because in the end there might be a job that you dreamed of when you first opened a page with job ads.

8 pieces of advice for finding your first job

Posted on by Eta Sateles

Graduating from school represents the end of a fairly careless period for many people, and the process of finding a job or an internship can be very stressful. To make this process a bit easier, we provide tips that might be helpful when you are looking for job ads which you would like to apply for:

1. First, there are job portals where companies advertise vacant positions. Let us name some of them:

Globally:

Locally:

Searching by keywords, you can easily list positions that may be interesting to you but be sure to include synonyms and alternatively names of the positions you are interested in as well.

2. Another essential step is researching the market and making lists of companies that may be appealing to when it comes to gaining knowledge and building a career. For this step, you can visit a company’s LinkedIn page, where you can learn about their business, and through articles and posts, you can learn more about the company’s values and employees’ achievements. Also, this social network provides the option to search employees – so use this option to find out if you may already know someone how works at that company and who can share their experience first-hand. On each company profile on LinkedIn, on the left side of the page under the tab Jobs, you can look at all published job ads and apply in case you find some of them interesting.

3. In order to learn even more about the company you are interested in, visit their website. Most companies have a career page on their website – it is a section where vacant positions are published. In case there are no positions that you would be interested in applying, you can usually find an online form through which you can proactively send your CV.

4. If there is no option to submit your CV or in case no one from the HR reaches out to you, even to thank you for your interest, you can send your CV directly to a recruiter or someone from the HR department, via email which is published on their website. On LinkedIn, you can send an invitation for connection to someone from the HR team, and then send them a personalized message where you will mention your genuine interest for the company as this will increase your chances of success.

5. Connect with experts from the field and companies you are interested in through LinkedIn. LinkedIn also offers an option to share your CV publicly, and you can even invite your connections through a post to help you find a job.

6. Visiting a company in person seems a bit old-fashioned, but because it is unexpected nowadays, it can have a remarkable effect. If you are lucky enough, someone from the HR department will have a minute to meet you and talk to you about your goals. Making direct and personal contact will increase the chances of your CV not being lost and be invited for an interview if you make a positive first impression – remember, being proactive is always a plus!

7. Personal acquaintance and recommendation in many cases are very useful channels for finding a job, so do not forget to ask around – friends, relatives and colleagues. By talking to them, you can find out about companies that might be interesting to you, and even about positions that are not publicly advertised or might be planned.

8. Student organizations often offer internships for students or graduates, so inform yourself about all active organizations at your faculty or college and the programs they offer.

Job hunting process sometimes can be time-consuming and painstaking work, so besides these tips for job search for which we hope that will be useful for you and that will make this process easier for you, you can also find guidelines for writing a good CV, cover letter, and for different situations on the job interview on our blog.

If you would like to learn more about open positions with our clients or become part of our database, visit our Open positions page.

Fingers crossed!

Tests used during the selection process

Posted on by Eta Sateles

Tests used during the selection process often create a mystification and are often part of a process that candidates fear and whose purpose they do not understand best. In order to clarify the concerns, we have listed in the following lines some of the tests most commonly used during the selection process:

Aptitude and knowledge tests

These types of tests are used when it is important for a particular position that you possess some specific abilities (numerical, verbal, special) or knowledge (Excel test) and are most often of the elimination type.

It is important to know that you cannot prepare for aptitude tests because they show your ability to do something, and do not bother to spend hours and hours solving different, often irrelevant, online tests. At some point, they can help you prepare for what you can expect in the test itself but do not consider them too important.

You can prepare for the knowledge tests if you know exactly which knowledge will be tested (which is usually the case). Most often, it is the knowledge that you have acquired during college or your previous work experience (economics, English, mathematics, programming, networks, etc.).

Personality tests

Nowadays, the market is flooded with a wide variety of personality tests, and it often happens that many of them are not relevant at all, however, in this article we will not go into detail about the types of personality tests. What is essential to know is that you cannot prepare for these tests because they evaluate you as a person and therefore, there are no right or wrong answers you can give in the test. Also, be honest on the test and strive to provide answers that really match you as a person in order to make the results relevant. The idea behind these tests is for psychologists in HR sector to assess whether you are the right candidate for a particular job and whether as a person you would fit well into your existing team, work environment, etc.

Apart from the tests above, there are many other specific ones that can be used during the selection process (e.g. driving test). What is important to note is that all these tests are confidential, meaning that only the person reviewing the test (HR or a hiring manager) will have access to your results and will not share them with anyone else.

Also, make sure you come rested to the test, concentrated, and prepared to spend some time in the room solving certain tasks. Do not think too much about whether you have done the task well and how much someone will like it. Do your best, and we are crossing our fingers for you to find the right job that will suit you and motivate you to move forward and develop yourself! 😊