Interviews: Full Chapter Extract From My Book Political Careers: Chapter 7
We are going to give some tips and advice on the make or break part of the job-hunting process: Interviews.
Now, interviews are a strange thing. You can come out of one interview feeling like ‘the business’, and then the rejection email comes in. Other times you come out thinking that your interview performance was the interview definition of a ‘car-crash interview’ with Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, and you get offered the job. The next you rejected after barnstorming it.
They can be strange, unpredictable events.
What are interviews?
It is strange to think that an entire job application can come down to 30-40 minutes in front of one person. However, at some point, a decision needs to be made, and the interview is where it happens. Remember, CV’s and cover letters get your foot in the door, the discussion/meeting/interview gets the job (aka- you’ve successfully sold yourself).
Some people do not like thinking about interviews in this manner. However, those are the bare bones of it. During the job application process, you are selling yourself.
How to dress for an interview
Interviews have their own a dress code. Even if you are going to be working in a uniform all day at the interview, you are expected to turn up in your Sunday best. It is mad. However that is the world that we live in.
Make sure that you turn up in your business smart dress. Now for men that will mean being suited and booted, for women, this can be a lot trickier and far more nuanced as what constitutes business smart changes over time and in its interpretation. We can give no definitive list of the do's and don’ts - just make sure you dress to impress.
Tips on interviews at the ‘House’ and MP’s offices
I have interviewed for my job in politics at the House of Commons. I also had to get a sleeper train from Northern Hampshire all the way up to Aberdeen and then do my interview and then head back down south that evening, for more interviews the next day.
It was a real adventure the months of June and July that year. I got the job in Aberdeen after going back and forth across the country interviewing everywhere from Dorset to Sheffield to London to Oxford, in all manner of local party offices.
However, I have been to the House on a number of occasions, and to be fair it is an impressive building, but it is, at the end of the day, a workplace, albeit a workplace that is falling apart, in places is damp, is a fire risk, and allows you to drink 24/7. Some say this is an analogy of the state of British Politics. In Lord Salisbury’s time, people were probably saying this as well.
The House of Commons can be an intimidating place to interview. There are police, lots of police, and you might see some people off the telly, not famous people of course. Just the sort of people that induce you to shout at the telly.
The best way to get over the “intimidation” factor is either do lots of interviews or get an internship in the House so that you have become used to its comings and goings and particular character of this unique workplace.
When it comes to interviewing in MP’s constituency offices, I was always shocked at just how small, pocky and average we allow those who run our country's constituency offices to be. Do not be put off. Although the office might be a little pokey, strange, on occasion, it is still the place you are going to be working in.
Quickfire hints and tips for interviewing
Hints, Tips and Ideas about how to get interviews right or get interviews ‘left’ depending on an MP’s political persuasion (see I can make political jokes).
I was going to label this section “Sucking eggs and other things Joseph Henry lectures Grannies about.”. However, my editor advised that this kind of humour is best kept for those who read the copy and do not skip through the book.
Turn up on time: For heaven's sake, people, turn up on time. I cannot count the times on my fingers when people interviewing have been late. It does not give a good impression. Think about when you are late you are saying “my time is more important than yours” to the interviewer even if it could not be helped. Turning up late might not be a deal killer. However, it does mean the interview starts on the wrong foot.
Make sure you are balanced: This does not mean being balanced vis-a-vis BBC balance during a general election, this is about balancing out your interactions when you are dealing with multiple interviewers in one session. This can be something that is easier said than done. However, the main thing to do when you are being interviewed by numerous people is to focus on ensuring that you are balancing the questions and answers across the panel.
Build rapport: Building rapport is an integral part of any interview process. Something that is not talked about enough is how much the human factor comes into the interview process on a daily basis. People talk about interviews, education, skills, etc...
However, the brutal fact of the matter is that people hire people they like. It is one of those universal factors. So building rapport is essential as it helps to make sure that people are able to get along with you.
Take, for example, two interviewed candidates. If both have equal qualifications, skills, experience and all the other factors in play, the candidate who built up the most rapport with the candidates, who had the best affinity with the hiring manager, is likely to get the job.
Generally, these decisions are made at a gut level by people who then use answers from the interview, qualifications etc. to justify this decision.
Send a thank-you note: Your parents always told you to say thank you. Now show the world you have been brought up well. You can send a thank you note in two ways, via email or via letter. Both are equally valid, and both are helpful. When you submit a thank-you note, the main messages to communicate are your thanks for the chance to interview.
Also note that you enjoyed the experience and then note that you are open to answering any further questions that are required. Ensure you put your telephone and email address at the bottom.
Ask questions: All people like to talk about themselves. From the fishwife from Aberdeen to the Shepherd on the dales of Yorkshire to the writer putting together a book about how to get a political career, who is overfond of geographical cliches.
We all like talking about ourselves and MP’s are no different. So make sure you ask questions about them, about their role, about their views and especially views on any “hobby policies” that they have.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Practice makes perfect. It really does make perfect. Indeed, constant, perfect practice makes practice perfectly helpful. So get proactive. Go to interviews for jobs you have no care about taking, register with dozens of temporary recruitment agencies to get better at sitting/standing in front of a person.
The more you become comfortable in an interview situation, the better performance that you will put on when you are “up against it” during the times when you are going for a job that you really want.
Think body language: Body language, according to some studies, makes up over 70 per cent of all communication. It is undoubtedly a significant part of any connection we make with people, especially at an interview. Thinking about how your body language can look is a hard thing to figure out. So you are going to have to do one of two things.
- You can ask friends and family to talk about your body language
or
- You could do a mock interview with a friend and then film it and review the footage a couple of days later and review the body language pointers that are detracting from your message.
These can be a whole range of things from ticks that you never knew you had, through to things as simple as slouching when you are talking or looking bored when people are talking.
It can be an awful thing to look at, however, it might bring up and prevent things that could stop you in your tracks as you aim for that job in politics.
Handshakes do matter: Handshakes still matter, sadly, as people do draw and infer a lot from handshakes. A good handshake is part of the “making a good first impression” school of conducting an interview. Practice on keeping it firm but fair, don't crush hands but don't be weak and limp in a handshake.
Back up your responses: Wherever you are responding to question in an interview, make sure that you are backing up each and every part of the interview process. So if you are asked about what are your best qualities and you mention being a great team worker (the good stuff) make sure that you back it up in a manner that gives credibility and shows you in a good light.
This is an extract from my book Political Careers, which is available to read and buy here.
Stand up when waiting: When you are waiting in a reception area, it is always best to stand whilst waiting. Why is this? It puts you on an even keel when the person who is interviewing comes out to greet you. This is a simple psychological trick that does not put you at a height disadvantage when first meeting. This may be slightly unconventional, but it will make you look like you are ready for action.
You are also interviewing them: An interview is a two-way process, you are interviewing for a job, and conversely, you are assessing them as a place to lend your career for a while. So this is a significant and essential issue that you need to think about with yourself. When you are interviewing, you are undergoing a process to see if this would be a place for you to work for the next few years, possibly longer. That is not something undertaken lightly.
Seeing any interview as a two-way collaborative process will change your whole approach to interviews.
Ask questions at the interview: This is something I bang on about time-and-time again to anyone who will listen and sometimes to people who are not listening. Which, after half an hour, are the same people. Anyway, there is no reason for me to lecture Below are a few great questions that you can ask to help:
Can you tell me more about the team that I will be working in?
What parts of the job do you enjoy?
Can you tell me about the working culture of the office?
What would you like me to achieve in this role in the first 30/60/90 days?
What opportunities are there for training and development?
What accomplishments would impress you once I start?
Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the job?
As you can see, these questions are focused on the role and the team; they are not focused on yourself. It is about asking questions that allow you to understand the purpose, give a good impression and additionally help you to make a decision about whether this is the role for you.
Please remember that this was a guide to sucking eggs for grannies. If everything I have said has been patronising, please do ignore me and my ways. Hopefully from this chapter you have gained some insight.
Commons Interview Questions
As with all interview guides this can only help so far. Practice makes perfect in the end. Please see below a list of popular interview questions that we hope you find useful.
- What do you feel is the important political issue affecting our organisation?
- What has been your biggest success as a public affairs professional?
- For example, how would you prepare for a face-to-face meeting with an MP?
- Which legislation should our organisation be focusing on and why?
- Whilst working for MP xxx, what has been your biggest challenge?
- Why do you like working in politics?
- Looking at our organisation what suggestions do you have to raise our profile in parliament?
- How would you attract media coverage (if needed) for our messages to influence government/parliament?
- How would you feel if you had to brief against your party/former employer in our organisation's interest?
- What do you think is the most important political issue the press are not talking about?
- Can you explain how you would influence a bill going through parliament?
- What is your approach to public consultations?
- What political risk does (insert your sector) face over the next 12 months?
- Who would give you your best reference and why?
- Who would give you your worst reference and why?
- What have you done to generate more income for your company?
- What have you done to save costs for your company?
- What have you done to save time by increasing workflow for your company?
- What have you done that has caused you to stand out amongst your peers?
- Walk me through your progression in your current job, leading to what you currently do on a day-to-day basis.
- Describe a problem you encountered at your current job and how you solved it.
- What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
- The three most important duties we want you to perform are __________, ________ and _______. What experience have you had that would qualify you to perform these tasks?
- What other background or experience have you had that would be useful to my client?
- What personal goals did you set when you took on your last job?
- How well did you accomplish them?
- What were your favourite and least favourite subjects in secondary school/university? Why?
- What were your grades in your favourite and least favourite subjects?
- What subjects did you do best in? Poorest in?
- Why did you decide to go to university?
- What was your degree in?
- What type of extracurricular activities did you participate in? Why did you select those?
- What career plans did you have at the beginning of university?
- What career plans did you have when you graduated?
- What did you gain by attending secondary school/university?
- If you had the opportunity to attend secondary school all over again, what, if anything, would you do differently? Why?
- How did secondary school/university prepare you for the “real world”?
- Describe your studies in the area of (whatever field the job opening is in).
- How do you feel your studies in this area have prepared you for this job opening 40. When did you decide that you wanted to do a degree in _______?
- Who were your favourite and least favourite teachers in secondary school/university? Why?
- Describe your study habits in secondary school/university.
- Describe any part-time jobs you had while attending secondary school/university.
- Which of your part-time jobs did you find most/least interesting?
- How did you spend your summers while attending secondary school/university?
- Why did you work while attending secondary school/university?
- What plans do you have, if any, to continue with school?
- What did you find to be the most difficult about working and attending school at the same time?
- What advice would you give to someone who wanted to work and attend school simultaneously?
- Please describe your activities on a typical work day.
- What is your description of the ideal manager? Subordinate? Co-worker?
- What kind of people do you find it difficult/easy to work with? Why?
- What did you like most/least about your last job?
- What is your description of the ideal work environment?
- What motivates you? Why?
- What makes you an effective supervisor?
- What is the greatest accomplishment of your career to date? Why?
- Describe a situation at your last job involving pressure. How did you handle it?
- What do you feel an employer owes an employee?
- How do you feel about work-related travel?
- Describe your past experience with work-related travel in terms of duration and frequency.
- How do you feel about relocation? Are there any places where you would not be willing to relocate?
- What were some of the duties of your last job that you found to be difficult?
- How do you feel about the progress that you have made in your career to date?
- What are some of the problems you encountered in your last job?
- How does your present job differ from the one you had before it?
- Of all the jobs you have had, which did you find the most / least rewarding?
- In what ways do you feel your present job has prepared you to assume additional responsibilities?
- What has been the most frustrating situation you have encountered in your career to date?
- Why do you want to leave your present job?
- How did you feel about the way in which your department/division was managed at your last job?
- If I were to ask your supervisor to describe your work, what would they say?
- What would you do if …?
- How would you handle…?
- What does the prospect of this job offer you that your last job did not?
- What are you looking for in a company?
- How does your experience in the military relate to your chosen field?
- What immediate and long-term career goals have you set for yourself?
- What would you like to avoid in future jobs?
- What are your salary requirements?
- Who or what has influenced you with regard to your career goals? In what way?
- To what do you attribute your career success thus far?
- What do you consider to be your greatest strength?
- What are the areas in which you require improvement? How would you go about making these improvements?
- How would you describe yourself as a manager? Subordinate? Co-worker?
- What aspects of your work gives you the greatest satisfaction?
- How do you approach tasks that you dislike?
- How do you manage your time?
- What is your management style?
- What did you learn from each of your previous jobs?
- Please give me some examples of decisions you have made on the job. What were the ramifications of these decisions?
- How do you go about making a decision?
- How would you describe your delegation skills?
- How would you describe your standards of performance, both for yourself and for subordinates?
- How would you describe your relationship with your last supervisor?
- Please give me an example of a project that did not turn out the way you planned. What happened?
- Why are you applying for a position with our company?
- Why did you go to work for your last employer?
- Which of our clients interest you the most and why?
- What is your approach to business development?
- How do you manage a client to ensure retention?
- Why agency over in-house?
- Do you want to become an MP one day?
- How do you choose which clients to prioritize each day?
- What is the biggest challenge you have faced since working in an agency setting?
- What do you prioritize: retaining current business or winning new business?
- A client is unhappy with the service, how would you deal with this?
- What is your pitching style?
- Have you ever done marketing?
- How do you deal with a junior member of the team who are underperforming?
- How would you advise a client against a course of action?
- How do you build a relationship with clients?
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