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Desirable traits: tips on enhancing your resume for executive roles
Taking time to perfect your resume is a crucial step toward landing the executive job you desire. When considering the job application, you want to focus on how your leadership skills, industry experience, and professional achievements qualify you for a leadership role. This begins when you submit your resume.It's important to remember that hiring managers sift through hundreds of resumes, so if you're applying for a c-suite position such as chief executive (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO), chief operating officer (COO) or similar, highlighting your relevant skills and experience is critical.Charlotte Hasler, Recruitment Manager at Reed, looks at some of the ways you can build a desirable resume to help land those executive roles.Q: What are employers looking for on a resume?A: Decision makers in search of their next executive-level hire are looking for that all-important impact. They’re looking to hire someone who’s going to add value, drive business growth, reduce costs, streamline operations, increase productivity in staff performance, and deliver key results. The most effective way to promote this is by referring to achievements throughout your resume – be specific including quantifiable information. It’s worth adding a summary section to each of the most relevant jobs to reinforce your impact.Q: What do achievements emphasize?A: It’s clear that executives are expected to deliver results and add value to the organization, which means you need to go beyond merely stating your job responsibilities on your resume and showcase your accomplishments. Clearly state what it is you’ve achieved, with clear emphasis on how it impacted the company, added value to your portfolio and helped you develop into a senior member of staff. Evaluate what you’re proud of, what challenges you’ve managed to overcome, how the company has changed/developed because of your actions, and how you’ve performed in line with your targets. It's critical to quantify your achievements for maximum impact. Some recruiters often overlook the achievements section, but it’s one of the best ways to give your resume that competitive edge.Q: What about leadership skills?A: At an executive level, your primary responsibility is to lead the organization towards sustained growth, while effectively managing people. Because of this, employers looking for c-suite professionals want to know if you have the ability to motivate, inspire, and guide teams to achieve not only their individual goals but also the wider organisation's ambition."To make your resume stand out, it's crucial to highlight your key achievements and quantify the impact you've had on previous businesses."Charlotte HaslerRecruitment Manager, ReedSpecify how you’ve managed teams, your leadership style, and the results you achieved. As a rule of thumb, include relevant key skills such as strategic planning, team building, communication, and decision-making in your personal summary or when describing previous roles.Q: Is resume customization important?A: At the executive level, I highly recommend customizing your resume for each role to highlight your suitability. At this point in your career, you’ll have years of experience, knowledge and skills, but it’s about knowing which areas of your work to highlight.To present a strong application, you'll need to thoroughly understand the requirements and expectations of the role, so take time to analyze the job description. Don't forget that hiring managers are looking for someone to meet their needs – not the needs of the applicant – so be sure to tailor your application accordingly.Q: Should relevant industry experience be included?A:Businesses in the market for a senior executive want to know if a potential applicant has extensive industry experience or can show evidence of transferable skills. Industry experience can come in a variety of forms, including work experience, voluntary work, courses, qualifications, and certifications. If you’ve completed any leadership courses from accredited bodies or a reputable business school, shout about them – they can enhance your resume, as can any relevant courses in the desired field. Degrees or higher qualifications should always be included, particularly if you have an MBA or equivalent, along with affiliations to chartered institutes or other industry bodies. Any qualifications gained outside of the role will go a long way to proactively show your dedication and commitment to a job or sector, which is something that hiring managers hold in high esteem.Q: How long should a resume be?A:Many executive-level professionals struggle to keep their resume to a readable length; we recommend limiting it to two or three pages. While it can be tough to know what to cut down, you can keep a resume concise by:Focusing on achievements and impact at previous roles rather than a detailed description of job responsibilities.For any past experience – usually from 10-15 years ago – the date range, company name and job title will suffice. It's recommended to still include the basic details of your earlier career, as hiring managers are often interested in the career path you’ve taken.Streamlining sections that don’t need to be so wordy. Consider using bullet points to get your message across.Q: Does wording matter?A: Absolutely. Careful attention should be paid to the way your resume is written – as the way you articulate yourself will help employers understand more about you. Your resume should grab an employer’s attention, emphasising your skills and accomplishments. Also consider your word choices – phrases such as ‘directed company vision’, ‘implemented strategic change’, ‘managed large teams’ and ‘delivered successful results’ will help convey the impact and results of your work, when used with quantifiable data such as team sizes and results delivered."When applying for executive roles, your career history and track record play a key part."Charlotte HaslerRecruitment Manager, ReedA well-polished resume will set you apart from other candidates by highlighting your strengths, skills and ability to fulfil the role requirements, while ensuring that you have the best opportunity to secure an interview and, most importantly, the job.Are you looking for your next executive level role? Submit your resume and work with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today.
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From manager to director: taking the step up
What makes a great director? How do you know if you’re ready to take that next step up in your career? How important are qualifications at that level? These are just some of the questions we asked Graham Wilson, Leadership Wizard and Founder and CEO of Successfactory. Watch the short video interview or read the full interview below: Q: What makes a great director?A: When it comes to leadership, the only thing we can control is our behavior. The rest of it is about other people deciding whether they want to follow. Going from a manager to a director, you’ve still got to be an authentic person. You should strive to be who you are, and the more you are really yourself, the more people will trust you. The more people trust you, the more likely they are to follow you.You've got to have the capability to create a high-performance environment where success is inevitable. I think quite often we're very good at setting goals and giving direction, but we then don't spend enough time to actually remove the barriers that can stop you from being successful. You've also got to get comfortable, particularly in today's world, with the volatility of the marketplace. You’ve got to be comfortable with ambiguity and leading without knowing all the answers.Additionally, you can’t be a successful director without a great team around you, so your ability to build teams is fundamental. When someone says to me:‘Is that person a great director?’, I say:‘Well, let me have a look at the team around them’. Being a good director means almost making yourself redundant, because you want the team to be delivering on the business, which will give you time to do the strategic thinking.Finding the balance between strategy and culture is also key. You can have a great culture, but with a poor strategy, you'll fail. And if you have a great strategy with a poor culture, you'll also fail, so seek out both.Ultimately, if you can build a high-performance environment, remove the barriers, you're authentic, can inspire action, can communicate with meaning, are good at storytelling, can unleash innovation in the organisation, then you’re in a great position. A great director drives the business forward with empathy, courage, and care, and realizes that at the end of the day, it's all about people.Q: Are there different skill sets needed for being a manager and a director?A: Skill sets are important and mindset is also really important. From a management point of view, you're more focused on the here and now, and the status quo, and making sure the business is efficient and effective, making sure that people are aligned behind the strategy, and actually driving the business forward.As a director, you’ve still got to do the same sort of role, but it requires a slightly different skill set and a lot more strategic thinking. What I find with a lot of managers in the first stage of moving into that role, is they find that it’s a big step as they’ve got to get comfortable with the fact that they’re paid to think, they’re paid to look at a strategic level, not just an operational point of view.Also, it's a different type of power. When you're a manager leading your team, you have a certain amount of positional power, whereas when you're a director working in a large organisation, you're often working across different functions and you're having to look at a holistic view of the business, so you also have to start to influence in a different way. Therefore, building your influencing and networking skills is really important. I think you should always have a relationship with every person in the business, plus all your key customers.In summary, there are some subtle differences, but from a management point of view, I would say it's more about the ‘what’ and the ‘how’. Whereas at leadership and director levels, it’s more about the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ from a cultural point of view.Q: Does being a good manager mean someone will naturally be a good director?A: I think you are going to get a lot of people who are more naturally gifted to think in a strategic way and are big-picture thinkers. But I'm not a big fan of the idea that you're born to be a great leader or born to be a great director. I think it requires hard work.If you don't change the way you operate, focus on developing your skills, and start to think about things differently, then you will probably fail.Sometimes what can happen is people go to a leadership meeting and represent their part of the business, whereas they should be thinking and talking at a more strategic level across the whole organisation. I think you've got to be able to be comfortable with that and be able to make that shift. If you don't, then you might have been an amazing manager, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make a great director.Q: How will someone know if they are ready for the next step up to director?A: One of the key things that is important in a corporate organization is you cannot be promoted unless you've got a great team around you. Because if you take yourself away, then there might be an impact on performance. I think one way to look at it is if you can say: ‘I've developed my team, my team is a high performance, I have a successor in place who can take over my role, I'm prepared to develop and grow and shift my thinking into a more strategic role’, then you’re likely ready.And having that flexibility of mind to know and recognize that it's not just a promotion and doing the same as what you would do now on a bigger scale; it's a different context. I think you’re ready when you're willing to adopt a new style, a new approach while still being authentic, you're really good at strategic thinking, you understand what strategy really is in today's world, and understand that it's a learning process, and how to be able to communicate with meaning.A good manager will do everything technically correctly hit every KPI and get good results, whereas a great director will do all of that through their team but will also be able to give meaning to the strategy.So, ultimately, I think a great indicator is when you're comfortable storytelling, you're comfortable presenting, you're feeling comfortable with ambiguity, you're comfortable without knowing all the answers, you're great at facilitating groups, and you feel comfortable moving out of your subject matter expertise area and thinking more holistically around the business, both internally and externally, in the short term and long term.Q: What steps should someone take if they want to progress to director?A: You've got to understand your rationale, your reason why you want to become a director. I think we can sometimes fall into the trap of it being money orientated and not recognising that it is a different role that requires a different level of resilience. You’re accountable for a bigger part of the business, so you've got to be comfortable with that. So certainly, building your resilience would be really important, and you want to start doing that now.Being able to cope with pressure and perform in mission-critical situations is key, and develop what I call ‘the six pillars of resilience’, which is really understanding your purpose and what you really want out of life, what commitment you're prepared to give, how you want to live your life, and would a director position give you that.The second thing is, how much energy and vitality do you have? Do you sleep well? Eat well? Do you practice mindfulness? Are you exercising and fit enough to be able to take on a more strategic role?Also, you want to start building your support network now. You want to have good relationships across the business, make sure that you are persistent and can manage from an emotional intelligence point of view, and also start to develop conversational and storytelling skills.I would suggest that you start that journey now. Get yourself a good coach, a good mentor, and start to think about what makes a great director. Who are some of the directors that you admire both inside your own organisation, and in other organizations as well?The starting point has to be, ‘What's my reason why?’ then work backward from what great looks like and think ‘What am I going to work on that's going to help me to move into that director role’, and make sure you get the right support to make that happen.Q: How relevant are qualifications, or are soft skills more important at that level?A: Bit of both, really. In terms of leadership, you are measured on your results, so it's not just what you know, it's more about what you do with what you know. I think what academic qualifications do, is give you some rigour in thinking, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to be successful. One of the things you ought to be thinking about as a director is, ‘What is it I need to do and be to be successful now and in the future?’A challenge with a lot of qualifications is that they are often backward-looking. They’re research-based and based on what people did in the past. You've got to be really careful about which qualifications you go for. I think some people tend to just grab the MBA badge or whatever qualification it is, but for me, it's more about how you apply that knowledge.You want to be thinking,‘How do I learn and grow and develop a great way of operating so that I build that credibility and deliver results?’I wouldn't discourage anyone in completing a qualification if that's something that you feel would benefit you, but I think the key really is about developing your softer skills such as your influencing skills, your persuasion skills, and negotiating skills.One of the things we teach on our programmes is helping leaders to develop an authentic leadership brand. Look at your self-awareness and who you are, build on your strengths and create a leadership brand. If you can do that, that will certainly outweigh the qualifications.Q: What's the one piece of advice you would give to someone who is looking to progress into a director position?A: Be you. Be really comfortable with who you are.Don't fall into the trap of trying to copy someone who you admire and someone who has been successful in the business, because they've been successful in the past and what you've got to do is carve out your own way of doing it. I think that's probably my top tip - be authentic, be real, be courageous and confident enough to be able to bring your real self to work, because the more real you are, the more influencing power you have. Which means that people are more likely to trust you and are more likely to follow you and do great things.If you are looking to take that next step in your career or looking for a talented professional to join your business, get in touch with one of our specialist consultants today.
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Common teacher interview questions – what to ask and how to respond
With any job interview, it can be hard to find out everything you need to know about a candidate in a short amount of time. This article will explore the most common and effective teacher interview questions, and considerations for how candidates might respond to them, to ensure a successful interview process.When schools are interviewing potential candidates for teaching positions, not only are they looking to ensure that they meet the Safer Recruitment guidelines to protect and safeguard children, but they will also be looking to see the impact their potential new hire will have on the futures of students through their teaching.When choosing questions to ask at interview, schools will be considering the contents of the teacher’s application form, and any candidate should be ready to expand on the contents of their application, with real-world, tangible examples.Soft skills are essential for teachers – to be successful in their role, they need to be engaging, informative and knowledgeable, and communicating these skills at interview is crucial.Here are seven of the most effective interview questions employers can ask.Why did you decide to become a teacher?Employer: This is a very important opening question. It gives you the opportunity to understand the applicant’s motivation for teaching and whether they are committed to the role. Teaching can be a very challenging job, so you’ll want to evaluate whether applicants have the passion and dedication to teach well. Teachers can be incredibly influential, so this question will help you to understand their commitment and philosophy toward teaching.Candidate: Interviewees need to take a personal approach to this question. It’s recommended to discuss your motivation, while providing good examples from your time in previous teaching roles. The hiring manager wants to know you are committed to enriching the lives of pupils and students, so honest answers will help paint a clear picture of your journey to becoming a teacher.What is your teaching style?Employer: Asking about an applicant’s teaching style (known as their pedagogy) in an interview will help you understand whether their teaching style is a good match for your school, matches your goals, and if it can provide proven results. You’ll also want to measure if an applicant’s answer portrays a teaching style that engages, energises, and empowers your students.Candidate: This question can be hard to define and answer. You’ll do best to be honest about your style and mindset when teaching, drawing upon examples of lessons to demonstrate your abilities. Interviewers want to know how you support students inside and outside the classroom. You’ll need to demonstrate your flexibility and ability to differentiate to meet the needs and learning styles of your students – it’s about being adaptable.Tell me about a time you’ve handled a difficult parent/child/colleague.Employer: Dealing with challenges can be hard in all professions, especially teaching as it can come from various sources: fellow teachers, parents and the students themselves. The best candidates will use the STAR method. This involves describing the situation, task, action and result – allowing you to get clear examples. This question will help you to understand how a candidate handles difficult situations and if their methods match your standards.Candidate: Hirers want to hear that you’re aware of the difficulties in your teaching role, or teacher training if you’re newly qualified – and that you have the motivation and ability to manage. Describing how you successfully dealt with a difficult situation to a positive outcome, with relevant examples, can help ensure that the interviewer understands how you respond when faced with a problem. All situations are different, so make sure you emphasize the ones that required a calm and authoritative approach to solve.How do you evaluate students’ progress?Employer: Data analytical skills are essential to determining grades and other indicators of progress as classroom technology improves. Being able to create a strong learning environment is crucial – and comes down to being able to evaluate the progress of students and react accordingly. This question allows you to learn more about an applicant’s process for monitoring, tracking and acting upon students’ academic and developmental progress.Candidate: This question gives interviewees the chance to discuss lesson plans and highlight the methods for managing students’ development and progress. Consider using previous examples, explaining the type of activities and assessments you used to analyse students’ strengths and weaknesses throughout the academic year and beyond. Give insight into how you use reports, projects, and group work to determine what’s needed to enable students to succeed, both in the classroom and in their final results.How do you motivate parents to support their children’s education?Employer: Getting parents to be involved in their child’s school can be hard, but it’s an important part of a student’s educational growth. Asking this question allows you to gain an understanding of a candidate’s methods for engaging parents in schoolwork. Encourage applicants to share their best practice examples and outline what the end results were, while explaining the reasoning behind their methods.Candidate: The teacher-parent relationship is vital but can be hard to navigate. Interviewees are encouraged to answer this question with examples where possible. It’s important to be empathetic to the situation and understand the parent’s motivations. Interviewees should consider mentioning techniques such as keeping regular contact with parents, providing helpful updates on both positive and negative events, and assisting parents with resources that can be used at home.Can you tell me about one of your biggest achievements in teachingEmployer: Asking applicants to talk about their past achievements will help you further understand their motivation and what they value highly. This question will give a clear indication of what achievement means for an applicant and how relevant it can be to your team’s needs. Look out for answers that solved a problem or explain the outcome – did it help the school improve? Did it help a student overcome challenges? Are there measurable results?Candidate: This question gives an interviewee the chance to share details of how they’ve helped students or schools improve. This could be examples of where you have helped a specific student, or a whole class, but it is important to talk about concrete outcomes. Talk about how the achievement helped you reflect and grow as a teacher and a person. If you’re in teacher training, you can still talk about past achievements – from a recent placement or when studying at university. This is your opportunity to sell your accomplishments so far.What is a teacher’s responsibility in protecting children?Employer: Anyone who works in an education setting has a duty to protect the well-being of children who attend, and so teachers should expect schools to ask this question. In any teacher interview, there should be a question about safeguarding and duty of care to vulnerable people. This line of questioning will reveal whether an applicant has the necessary safeguarding knowledge, and if they know how to identify, recognise and act upon any concerns, and also alert the school to any possible concerns with the applicant.Candidate: Interviewees should prepare for this question by understanding current safeguarding policy – preferably that of the school to which you’re applying. Approach any safeguarding questions by demonstrating that you understand the issue at hand, have a solid grasp of the responsibilities of a teacher and know how to act if any issues arise. It’s important to also mention your most recent training dates, and any additional responsibilities that you have had, such as pastoral lead or safeguarding lead roles.No interview is the same – but one thing interviewers should be interested in is how interviewees present themselves and the way they answer the questions. Answers should be sufficiently detailed to show clear understanding and should include examples when possible. Applicants are encouraged to think before giving a well-structured answer, while being not afraid to ask for clarification if the question is unclear.Within the education sector, the interview process is most effective as a two-way street, as teachers are also evaluating whether a specific school is the right one for them. As such, throughout the recruitment process, it’s important for the school to be welcoming, and to ensure that they give teachers plenty of opportunity to ask questions of them too.If you’re looking for your next opportunity in teaching, or searching for a skilled teacher, contact one of Reed’s education specialists today.
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Enhance your recruitment approach with AI tools
Unleashing the potential of AI in recruitmentArtificial intelligence (AI) is changing the recruitment industry and changing the way companies hire. Here are several ways in which AI can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment procedure:Automate repetitive tasksA significant benefit of using AI recruitment tools is their ability to automate repetitive tasks. These tasks could include sorting through resumes, scheduling interviews, and sending follow-up emails. AI simplifies tasks, giving recruiters and managers more time to focus on important parts of hiring.Streamline candidate screeningTraditional screening methods can be time-consuming and susceptible to human errors. AI has the ability to rapidly scrutinize numerous resumes and pinpoint the top applicants based on set standards. This not only accelerates the screening process but also guarantees that no potential candidate is overlooked.Gain valuable insightsAI can provide essential insights that assist recruiters and hiring managers in making informed decisions. Predictive analytics can forecast a candidate's job performance and compatibility with the company's culture. This will enable the hiring manager to determine if the job seeker is a suitable match for the organization.AI recruitment tools can also analyse a candidate's social media profiles to gain insights into their personality and values. This knowledge can help hiring professionals make more unbiased and data-driven hiring decisions. Discover more about social media screening.A creative application of AI in recruitment is the development of AI-driven interview questions. This technology utilizes machine learning algorithms to examine the provided criteria and generate relevant interview questions. The system considers the job title, skill set, and level of experience. It then formulates questions that effectively assess if a candidate is a good fit for the position.Introducing Reed's interview question generatorReed's interview question generator utilizes AI algorithms to produce interview questions, according to the specifications provided by the employer. It's an influential instrument.The instrument features a user-friendly interface, enabling employers to input job specifics and receive a set of questions. You can download the list as a Word document for your interview.Additionally, you can copy it to share with a coworker or include it in another document. This instrument is beneficial for recruitment managers in numerous ways. It assists recruitment managers in various ways.Employers can access Reed’s interview question generator online here.Tailoring your interview questionsFirst, enter the job title, seniority level (e.g. entry-level, middle management, board level), and industry for hiring. Then, select up to three soft skills that you want in your perfect candidate. Choices encompass skills such as emotional intelligence, creativity, business savvy, analytical reasoning, and more.In a matter of minutes, the tool will generate a set of tailor-made interview questions for candidates.With your questions drafted, you can rearrange the order, select different skills, regenerate the entire set, or lock your preferred questions and modify the rest.How does the tool adapt to different industries and job roles?This AI-driven interview tool allows businesses to tailor interview questions to their specific needs. The selection criteria include the job role, required skills, level of experience, and more. The tool uses these factors to create questions that match the job and the company's requirements.You can use the interview question generator for any job position. You can either select one from the provided list or input your own. It also covers 27 sectors, ranging from engineering and production to insurance and retirement plans.Reed's interview question generator can assist in evaluating candidates with pertinent questions. You can use it for recruitment in a tech startup or a manufacturing firm.Maximising hiring success with AI-generated questionsExpertly crafted interview questions are essential for evaluating a candidate's capabilities, experience, and fit for a role. Employers can now leverage our advanced interview question generator tool to assist them in making informed hiring decisions. Interview questions facilitate a deeper understanding of a candidate's abilities. They also promote a fair interview process, minimize bias, and elevate the standard of recruitment.This tool helps employers save time, improve candidate experience, and achieve better recruitment results. The interview question generator benefits specialized roles or industries that require specific skills or experiences. By generating tailored questions, the tool helps employers in assessing whether candidates possess the unique skills required.
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25 common retail interview questions and how to answer them
Whether you're looking for a sales assistant or a sales manager, this article outlines the most common retail interview questions and provides answers to help you feel prepared and confident.Retail employees are often the face of your brand and play a key role in maintaining your company's reputation. As such, interviews provide an opportunity to assess a prospective employee's communication skills, customer service abilities, and problem-solving skills. While interviews may vary, most questions will focus on these key areas, as well as the candidate's retail knowledge and relevant experience.In this article, we provide 25 of the most common retail interview questions, along with potential answers to help you identify the best candidate for the job.General questionsTell me about yourselfEmployer: Starting most interviews with this question is an effective way to gain insights into a candidate’s background, past experience, and skills gained from previous roles. Additionally, this question can be extended to help you understand the candidate on a personal level and assess how they would fit in with your company culture. It is an essential question to ask to get a better understanding of the candidate and their potential fit for the role.Candidate: There are several ways to approach this question. To give an effective response, a candidate should start by describing their current role and responsibilities. Then, they can share past experiences that are relevant to the position they're applying for. Finally, they should explain why they are interested in the opportunity. If you need help with your next career step, our expert consultants are here to assist you.Why do you want to work in retail?Employer: When you start an interview with a candidate, it's a good idea to ask them why they want to work in your industry. This question can help you understand their level of passion for the role. If you're hiring for a retail position, asking why the candidate wants to work in retail can help them highlight their experience in customer service, their ability to interact with people, and their desire to help customers have a positive experience. This information can help you assess whether the candidate is a good fit for the job.Candidate: The retail environment can often be challenging, but this question provides an opportunity for the candidate to express their enthusiasm for working in the industry. Answers can reveal the candidate's people skills.Why do you want to work for our company?Employer: It is important to test if they have done their research about the company. You, as a hiring manager, should aim to determine if the candidate understands your brand and vision. Make sure to pay attention to answers that demonstrate knowledge of the company's values and online presence.Candidate: A good candidate should demonstrate that they have done their research on your organization. They should also explain why they value your brand and what they find most appealing about your company, products, or services. Don't forget to pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.What makes you stand out? Why should we hire you instead of somebody else?Employer: When answering this question, it is important for candidates to understand the requirements of the role as stated in the job description. While looking for mention of the essential criteria points, it is equally important to pay attention to the candidate’s body language, attitude, and presentation when providing their response. For further details about the recruitment process, our sales recruiters are available to assist you.Candidate: In the retail industry, sales are crucial. Therefore, candidates must demonstrate their ability to persuade the hiring manager of their suitability for the job. By providing a genuine and distinctive response, candidates can establish their compatibility with the company and their potential to enhance an already strong team.What do you know about the products we sell?Employer: It is highly advantageous to interview a candidate who is already familiar with the product or service. This question not only highlights a candidate's ability to anticipate, but also demonstrates that they have invested their time in comprehending the product, its functionality, and how it can benefit customers and clients. Additionally, it helps the interviewer gauge the candidate's level of interest and knowledge.Candidate: It's a great idea to mention a few of the products or services that the company offers, especially during a retail manager interview. Even if the candidate isn't familiar with the products in-depth, having a basic knowledge of the industry and what the company sells demonstrates that they've made an effort to understand the organisation, which makes their application more appealing.What is your greatest strength?Employer: During an interview, there is a question that is commonly asked across most industries. This particular question is designed to help the employer assess a candidate's skill set and determine if they are a good fit for the role. It serves as a way for you to get to know the candidate better and make an informed decision about their suitability.Candidate: It is advisable for the interviewee to be truthful when answering this common question. When asked about their greatest strength, candidates should highlight their ability to work under pressure while maintaining the quality of their work. This would demonstrate to the employer that the candidate's strengths align with the job requirements.What do you consider a weakness of yours?Employer: In retail, evaluating a candidate’s self-awareness is a common interview practice. Look for self-evaluation and improvement.Candidate: It can be challenging to answer this question. Candidates should avoid showing any signs of insecurity, but at the same time, they should not come across as overly confident. Responses that indicate a growth mindset and a willingness to improve may impress an employer who is seeking a candidate that can fit into their organization. Such an employer may see the potential to develop the candidate into a perfect fit for the role.Other questions to consider:What are your salary expectations for this retail job?What three words would you use to describe yourself?What do you hope to learn in this position?Where do you see yourself in five years?Experience and background questionsWhat do you consider good customer service?Employer: A crucial aspect of the retail environment is providing high standards of customer service. It is important to confirm if the candidate's response aligns with the company's definition of customer service.Candidate: When answering questions about customer service, candidates should provide examples of good customer service they have received or given in the past. The main goal of customer service is to create a positive and memorable experience for customers. Therefore, providing examples of such experiences will help in giving a strong and effective answer.Tell me about a time when you’ve worked well as part of a team?Employer: It is crucial for many retail jobs that candidates are able to work effectively as part of a team, as the industry relies on collaboration. It is important to assess a candidate's ability to work with their colleagues to create an environment that is conducive to success. Additionally, ensure that you take the time to understand their collaborative work style.Candidate: Employers use scenario-based questions to assess a candidate's practical abilities, asking them to provide examples of how they overcame challenges as part of a team.Can you give an example of a time when you went the extra mile for a customer?Employer: In retail, you want to hire employees who are passionate about helping the customer. Here, you’ll want to find out what a candidate has done in the past to go the extra mile in customer service – offering multiple examples of high standards.Candidate: Competency questions are used to evaluate scenarios where a candidate has interacted with customers. Interviewees may use these questions to highlight when they’ve received praise in previous roles from customers, and what the overall outcome of their hard work was.Tell us about a time you exceeded expectations at work?Employer: Managers are motivated to trust employees when they have positive experiences. To gauge a candidate's motivations and work ethic, it is helpful to ask questions about their commitment to excellence in service and exceeding expectations.Candidate: Hiring managers are seeking candidates who are dedicated to the role. Just like going above and beyond, candidates should highlight instances where they received praise from line managers, customers, or external providers for tasks they were assigned. If a candidate lacks retail experience, they can think of an example from a different job or role.Other questions to consider:What experience do you have in problem-solving to meet the needs of the customer?Can you describe the achievement you’re most proud of?Position-relevant questionsTell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer?Employer: Another frequently asked scenario-based question aims to assess a candidate's empathy, de-escalation skills, and problem-solving abilities. This question can also reveal a candidate's accountability and self-awareness, which are valuable qualities for retail industry employees.Candidate: It is important for candidates to demonstrate their proficiency in conflict resolution. They should provide a detailed account of the situation, including the specific circumstances that led to the difficulty, their approach to resolving it, and the ultimate outcome.How well do you perform in a busy work environment?Employer: Employers in the retail industry are aware of the high-stress nature of the work. Asking questions about performance will help you gauge how candidates handle difficult situations and demanding customers. It is also important to assess if candidates can thrive in a fast-paced environment, particularly during busy periods like Christmas and New Year.Candidate: Being able to multitask and prioritize is a crucial aspect of various retail positions. Candidates should provide instances of successfully working under pressure and demonstrate their ability to stay organized to prevent feeling overwhelmed.Tell me about a challenge you experienced in a past role and how you overcame it.Employer: Gaining insights into a candidate's character and their ability to handle challenges can be achieved through their response to behavioural questions. Pay attention to indications of resilience, adaptability, and a positive mindset.Candidate: It is recommended for candidates to provide specific examples that showcase their skills relevant to the position they are applying for. The most effective answers to this question typically follow the STAR (situation, task, action, and result) technique, allowing candidates to maintain focus and meet the interviewer's expectations.What do you enjoy most about working in retail?Employer: It is crucial to grasp the candidate's motivation for working in the retail industry and provide them with a chance to showcase their personality, drive, and ambition during the interview. Ensuring that the candidate aligns well with your team is important.Candidate: The retail industry can be incredibly fulfilling. Candidates should consider what aspects of their job bring them joy, such as improving their interpersonal skills, the industry's flexibility, the benefits that contribute to a healthy work-life balance, opportunities for growth, or the ability to interact with customers.Other questions to consider:What would you do if the payment machines stopped working on your shift?Tell us about a time you went beyond a customer’s expectations?How do you handle it when your replacement worker doesn’t show up?Tell me about a time that you showed leadership in a previous role.Important things to rememberDuring a retail interview, it is important to keep in mind that the experience can be challenging for both employers and professionals across various industries. Apart from the questions asked and answered during the interview, there are additional measures that can be taken to ensure a smooth and positive experience for everyone involved. Here are some key points to remember when preparing for a retail interview:ResearchWhen interviewing for a retail position, it is crucial for the candidate to have a basic understanding of the products sold, the target audience, and the company culture. Similarly, employers should consider conducting background screenings to streamline the recruitment process.Asking questionsCandidates should take the opportunity to ask questions during and before the interview to gather information that will help them determine if the role and company are a good fit. Employers can use this opportunity to showcase the company culture and highlight the benefits of working for the organization.Follow-upBoth the candidate and the employer have a responsibility to ensure that any further details and next steps are communicated after the interview. Candidates can send a follow-up email expressing gratitude and inquiring about the decision timeline. Employers should also reach out to the shortlisted candidates, whether they were successful or not.
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Interview questions to ask candidates - and what their answers mean
When conducting an interview, it's important to ask the right types of questions to get the most out of it. To achieve this, you should plan a mix of different question types that are tailored to the specific qualities required for a particular role. The questions that you ask should provide you with insight into the candidate's strengths, weaknesses, and how well they'll fit into the team. To help you achieve this, here are some of the main types of questions to ask during an interview:Standard competency questionsThese are the most common types of questions to ask during an interview. They usually begin with a phrase like "Can you give me an example of when you...". You can adapt them to suit the skills you'd like the candidate to tell you about, such as delivering excellent customer service, resolving a conflict, or influencing a senior stakeholder. Competency style questions are useful when you want to find out about specific competencies or skills that the candidate possesses and how they've used them to resolve previous situations. Good candidates often plan responses to these questions and should provide clear, well-thought-out examples. In their answers, look for evidence that they can provide a clear situation, the task at hand, the action they personally took, and the positive result of that action using the STAR method.Follow-up questionFollow-up questions allow you to go beyond the glossy prepared answer and get more details. They also allow the candidate to engage on a higher level and think on the spot, as they might not be as prepared for one of these. Asking good follow-up questions can reveal a lack of detail or personal involvement that may be hidden by a prepared response.The curveball questionIf you want to assess a candidate's ability to react quickly and think critically, give them a challenging question or scenario that may not necessarily be related to the job they are applying for. This can be based on something they've mentioned on their resume or something current that you'd like them to provide some insight on. This will test their ability to make sound decisions under pressure and to communicate their thoughts effectively, which can be crucial for some positions.The hypothetical situation questionThese types of questions can be polarizing - some love them, while others hate them. However, they are an effective tool for quickly testing one's rational thought and logical reasoning abilities. Typically, these questions involve presenting a hypothetical scenario to the candidate and asking them to make a decision based on the information and parameters provided.The “describe yourself” questionJob interviews often involve questions that require the candidate to describe themselves in a few words or imagine what their previous boss or co-workers would say about them. These questions can take different forms, but they serve the purpose of assessing the candidate's ability to empathize with others and express their point of view concisely. It's a way to test the candidate's communication skills and see how they respond in situations where they need to be succinct.