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The Ins and Outs of the Job Interview Process - VistaPrint
You should already know how to write a killer CV - which is anyone’s foot in the door when applying to a job. The job interview itself will be the final hurdle for many in the recruitment process and each type presents a different challenge to job seekers.
To provide you with expert advice on job interviews we have teamed up with Darya Skibbe, a recruitment expert at VistaPrint in Berlin, Germany.
Vistaprint, a Cimpress company, empowers millions of business owners worldwide to market themselves professionally. They are currently looking to hire Customer Care Specialists to join their team in Berlin with Dutch or Norwegian. You can check out their offers here.
1) How does the interview process normally go at VistaPrint?
Firstly one of our recruiters will do an initial phone call with the applicant, where we will discuss their motivations for applying, their previous experience, preferences and their availability. For candidates this can be very informative, as we discuss our benefits and company culture.
After the call we will invite candidates to have a personal interview at our office in Berlin. If they are not here, then we will invite them to do a video interview instead.
They will first meet a team representative, who will show them the office and its people. This gives applicants a chance to see our culture and see different members of the team.
They will then meet their team coach along with the recruiter to play a small game - we will be able to get to know eachother and show our team spirit.
After this we will then have a more ‘normal’ interview, where we will ask questions about people’s experience and mindset and give candidates a chance to ask us questions. Another part of the procedure is the candidate trying out the role, so they will be assessed on how they perform when speaking to an imaginary customer. This gives them an opportunity to learn about the day to day tasks and customers of VistaPrint. During the procedure the language skills of the candidate will also be assessed by a team representative.
After this we will review the interview one on one with the candidate and decide from there whether to proceed or not.
2) What are your tips for a video interview?
- Be authentic, it is very obvious when people are following a script and using lots of cliché answers. We want people who are authentic and open with us.
- Show your curiosity about the company – it is important to ask us questions about the role and the company.
- We are looking for people willing to learn and who are passionate about our company. We are not looking to find out about all your previous experience, we want to see that you are willing to learn and what your plans are in our company!
- Make sure you research the company and the role before the interview. This shows that you are organised and prepared.
- Also, check your connection with a friend before you start a video interview.
Find out more tips for Skype interviews.
3) What questions do people find difficult to answer?
People often struggle with questions about concrete situations, they normally give a very vague answer without going very far to answer the question. Often candidates also find it difficult to answer questions about their strengths and weakenesses. It is important to be honest and authentic, don’t give cliché answers. Nobody is perfect – everyone has strengths and weaknesses, what we want to know is how you can work on your weaknesses. Keep in mind that every quality has its good side and bad side – this depends on the context.
We've compiled a great list of difficult questions and how to answer them.
4) What are common mistakes people make in a personal interview?
One of the biggest would be arriving late, we are on a tight schedule and it means that we will have to shorten the procedure. We recommend for people to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the interview.
Another mistake would be not researching the company or the role in question, showing that they are not very prepared.
5) Do you have any tips for writing CVs?
- Make sure you start with the contact details, making sure that they are accurate.
- In the experience field, start with your latest position making a brief summary about your role.
- We like it when people include their hobbies and interests as it tells us a lot about a person.
- Don’t make your CV too long to read, make sure that you refer to the important details to keep it brief.
- After an interview, following up is important - sending a brief thank you email to the recruiter is a great way of showing your appreciation and your motivation to join the company.
This interview process is the most challenging part of the application process for many job seekers across Europe - but these tips from an industry expert should come as a big help. Find out more information on the ins and outs of job interviews.
VistaPrint are hiring Customer Care Specialists to join their team in Berlin, Germany. Find out more about their offers below:
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