AssessmentCentreCoach Job Blog

‘Presentation at Interview’ is the most important factor in standing out from the crowd, according to 23% of jobseekers from a survey by TipTopJob, a network of generic and specialist job sites.

Presentation comes out on top, ahead of 22% who said work experience was the top factor, 20% thinking it was an effective cover letter, 18% qualifications and 17% relevant skills.

Communication skills are one of the most sought after soft skills among graduates.

Ireland’s graduate recruiters have provided an insight into what they look for from their graduate employees.

The gradireland Graduate Salary & Graduate Recruitment Trends Survey 2011 revealed half of Ireland’s recruiters demand a 2.1 degree classification or above but just 15 percent accept a 2.2.

But the most important evidence employers want to see from candidates is the demonstration of their skills with 54 percent claiming too few jobseekers show evidence of the skills they need to succeed. Recruiters pointed to the soft skills they found in short supply among graduates: communication (57 percent), managing own learning (29 percent) and independent working (28 percent) topped the list.

In terms of hard skills, writing skills need to improve with 44 percent of recruiters highlighting it as lacking among graduate jobseekers. Administration and organisation (31 percent), speaking a foreign language (31 percent) and leadership skills (30 percent) are all in demand too.

Whilst there is a range of tools which can be used to distinguish between candidates, interviews remain the most common and the interview process is expected by both candidates and managers. This is because, as well as providing information to assess past performance, interviews also provide an opportunity for the interviewer and interviewee to meet face to face and exchange information.

For the candidate, the interview is an opportunity to: Continue Reading »

In UK broadcasting over the last 15 years regional accents have been eagerly accepted at the expense of “received pronunciation” (RP) and some presenters have been dismissed for allegedly sounding “too posh”. But, is the same true in business? Continue Reading »

How many applicants does an employer need to interview before being able to decide to offer a job? We know from research that the UK Civil Service has 100 applicants for a “Fast Stream” role for every job offer. For major banks and financial services organisations Continue Reading »

Despite women performing better at interview, barriers to top jobs remain due to fears that women will leave to have children, according to research from job-site www.theladders.co.uk.

The poll of 500 bosses found that 59% agree that women perform best at interview Continue Reading »

A number of companies, including npower and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, have concluded that using the 2.1 degree as a filter for assessing candidates (eliminating applicants without at least a 2.1) is flawed. This should not come as a surprise. Hard as it is for Continue Reading »

Here are some indicators to help you discover the truth when you are sat there wondering – “how am I doing in this interview”?

If you’re doing 70% of the talking… it’s not going well!
If your interviewer is doing 70% of the talking… it’s not going well!
If you don’t have ANY questions… it’s not going well!
If you have a great outside interest in common, and that’s all you talk about… it’s not going well!
If you mis-state what the company does… it’s not going well! Continue Reading »

A poll of over 1,000 interviewers by UK childrens charity NCH found the following behaviours would stop them offering a candidate a job.
Swearing – 78%
Answering their mobile phone – 76%
Wearing inappropriate clothing – 50%
Being 10 minutes or more late – 49%

Here are some examples of questions you might get if your interviewer is getting a little bored. These questions are not, in my view, the same as testing your creative competency.

Who are your heroes and what makes them your heroes?
If you could be Continue Reading »