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ENS Interview Top Tips

Interviews can be a daunting experience, regardless of your level of seniority, experience or qualifications.  Not only can preparation make a great difference to your confidence, it is also proven to enhance your chances of being offered roles by up to 40%. Read through our interview top tips below to help with your preparation.

Before the interview

 Research:

Take time to research as much as possible about the organisation and the interviewer’s background.  Try to find out about the company’s history, products, recent changes, projects, culture, competitors, and clients.  Their website is likely to hold a lot of information but your ENS consultant should know a lot of relevant information too, so do take time to prepare with your consultant.

Plan:

Ensure you have all relevant details such as time, date and interview location, as well as the interviewer’s name.  Plan your journey and allow for potential delays. It’s a good idea to make sure you have the company’s telephone number with you in case of any emergencies.

Prepare:

Make a list of your strengths against the job description and the responsibilities of the role and read them out loud.  This will help you to start becoming ‘fluent’ in selling yourself and help with your confidence.

Write down the ‘typical’ interview questions, together with your answers and practice answering out loud.  Questions can include:

 -   Give me a brief overview of your career to date.

-   What do you know about our company?

-   What is your understanding about the role?

-   What are your strengths?

-   What are your weaknesses?

-   What do you feel you can bring to the role?

Make a list of 5 questions to ask, to show you have thought about the role, not how interested you are in the benefits!

Put together your interview ‘pack’.  This should include:

  • Copies of your CV (the version you sent the company) and any additional documentations, such as the cover letter that may have been sent, portfolio or other examples of your work
  • The job description/advertisement
  • Any research documents, such as printed pages of the company website
  • Copies of references / testimonials
  • Relevant educational / qualification certificates, if appropriate
  • The list of your strengths against the job description and the responsibilities of the role
  • Some examples of your top skills and attributes
  • Your prepared questions to ask if the opportunity arises

Dress Appropriately: Always wear more formal business dress.

During the interview 

Body language: 

Shake hands firmly with the interviewer(s) at the beginning and end of the interview; a friendly expression will indicate that you have a positive relationship led approach; maintain good eye contact (if you have more than one person interviewing you, look at the person asking the question when you reply but glance at the other interviewers from time to time).

Keep to the point - but be yourself:

Keep your answers succinct and don’t go off on a tangent.  Give yourself time to think and collect your thoughts, especially when asked a complicated question. If you don’t know, admit it – never lie.  Be yourself!  That’s who they want to see and in the end, it’s who you need to be if you are going to be happy in this role. 

Don’t think of the interviewer as a mind-reader:

Interviewers are often as nervous about the interview as you are!  Help them to make the right decision by ensuring they understand you, your skills and your attributes by offering some specific examples of these.  And tell the interviewer you are interested in the role.

After the interview

 Written thank you note:

Following the interview, on your behalf, we would like to forward a brief note to the organisation to express your interest.  Please call us to explain specifically why you are interested in the role and what you can bring to it.  We can then ensure that we represent you in the best way and this type of follow through is proven to enhance the likelihood of securing an offer.

GOOD LUCK!

 

 

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What people are saying about ENS

I would highly recommend the recruitment services offered by ENS RECRUITMENT, having recently used ENS I found an approachable friendly and professional service. I was matched with an exciting role within a progressive expanding insurance company. My overall experiences exceeded my expectations, and I have no qualms in either recommending or using ENS in the future.

Mohamed Nuur BA (Hons) Combined Business - Motor Claims Assessor

ENS has proven a great asset as a recruitment partner to me. They find excellent candidates and keeps me informed at all stages of the process. I want a dedicated personable service that focuses on quality candidates not quantity, ENS tick all the boxes and I would recommend them to anyone who wants a hassle free competent recruitment partner.

National Residential/Nursing Home Provider

My name is Mark and I recently applied for a job through your company.

I just wanted to give you a quick update on how I am getting on - and to be quite frank... I LOVE IT! Everyone here is so lovely and I am so pleased I gained this position and am very happy in my new role. I don't know if you have received any feedback from my new employer but I hope they are enjoying having me as much as I am enjoying being here!! Hopefully I will be here for many years to come.

CR

I would like to say thanks to all the hard work from ENS. I landed the role I've always wanted. ENS were always on the end of the phone with any questions I needed answering and helped me through the process from start to finish. I would recommend ENS. Thank you for all your hard work, which paid off with me getting the job.

Emma

Crown College has been a client of ENS Recruitment for a number of years and I can wholeheartedly endorse the quality and effectiveness of their service. The college users a number of agencies for recruiting temporary and permanent staff and I would without hesitation say ENS Recruitment provide the best service of any of these agencies. Their service is tailored to our needs and they actually listen to our requirements and filter candidates. In short ENS Recruitment are an excellent agency that I can thoroughly recommend them.

Managing Director – Crown College

Thanks for all your help and all the work you have given me, it has been great working for you, and I have recommended you to anyone looking for a new role. I can honestly say you and ENS have been the best recruitment company I have ever worked for.

Sue

I would just like to thank you for your endless support and encouragement. I have learnt a lot under your leadership and guidance here and would like to say a big thank you. I will definitely recommend you to anyone I know who is looking for work – you are a true inspiration and have given me faith in working with an agency again!

Sadie

I've been VERY impressed with the quality of candidates put before me via ENS. Both your candidates have been shortlisted and a final decision will be made very soon.

Danny

I would like to thank ENS for all their help and support in finding me this role. Whenever I have needed help or advice you were always on the other end of the phone or email. I have found all the staff at ENS to be polite, helpful and very quick at responding to any queries I have had. Wishing you all the best for the future and again thank you for everything.

CB

Just wanted to say a little thanks to you guys at ENS, I've never used an agency before and I am genuinely pleasantly surprised and impressed with just how personable, friendly and actually human you guys were. Oh, and of course for finding me the job at Friths. Good luck to you all there, and again a big thanks.

Jon Varney

I have been using ENS for many years and they always provide a very fast and reliable recruitment service for both my companies. They are always keen to help when we need temporary or permanent staff and provide the right type of candidate for the job. Without hesitation I would strongly recommended the services of ENS.

Managing Director - DVR Ltd

We have been working with ENS for a number of years as one of our company’s preferred providers. The team at ENS has always provided a practical, timely, efficient and professional service. They have an ongoing understanding of our requirements, providing first-rate agency cover and permanent candidates.

HR Advisor – Commercial Products/Logistics Company