The Interview

A lot goes on in the interview room which greatly affect the outcome of the whole exercise.

As a candidate, these are some of the tips that could assist you:

Walk into the interview room confidently, greet the panel audibly and ask if you could kindly have a sit. Don’t just sit, it’s not your house. At this point, the head of the panel will probably introduce the rest of the panel then proceed with the questions.

‘Tell us more about yourself..’ is a question you will most definitely will come across. This is an opportunity to sell yourself to the panel. Speak about your educational and professional backgrounds. Any achievements you have made so far and most importantly, emphasize to the panel why you are the most suitable candidate for the position.

Most candidates however waste this opportunity and instead go on and on about irrelevancies. Note that the rest of the question and answer session will move towards the direction you have created for the panel.

Maintain a proper eye contact with the panel, do not look down. If you are a shy person like me, look above their eyebrows. Make sure you smile when talking. Being too serious is a bit boring. Bring some humor to the process of you can, but let this be limited.

‘What is your expected salary? Whenever you pause for too long to respond to this question or say ‘any amount you will offer’, you are most definitely not serious. Everyone knows what they are worth, or at least what you hope the job should pay you. So say it, and let your answer be in Kshs. Anything else is irrelevant. Of course the company has a budget and you are afraid to over/under quote. However, a company that really wants to hire you will call you for negotiations, so be bold and state that amount.

After the interview is complete, thank the panel for their time. Don’t forget to ask them when to expect further communication on the outcome.