Getting the Job: Some Vital tips

I have been doing some work around employment and interview skills and I thought I’d share a few things. As we know, its getting tough beyond scary out there. Increasingly people are being asked to submit to tests upon tests, even for jobs which previously an interview panel decision was all that was required. A friend of mine recently went for a role (entry level), which required 2 aptitude tests, 2 written tests, a role play, and after this first stage an interview panel lasting over 5 hours in total (and it was for a job that didn’t even promise a contract at the end!)



I dont think these two will ever need to look for a day job!

It's an employers market at this point and employs are taking as many liberties as they can for instance merging jobs that have historically stood separately (an example is administration and finance), and requiring applicants to be able to carry out both roles under one job description (which has a big impact on those who work as purely administrators).

Any a few tips for the job seekers among us:

Never go before a panel without a blank piece of paper and pen to write so that you can jot down each question and do justice to it and also obey a hierarchy in detailing your points if such is necessary for the question. Many of us walk into an interview and attempt to answer questions as we generate answers off the top of our heads. The result is likely to be that you do not do justice to the question as you may forget key points if relying on memory alone or forget the question itself midway and start waffling-which doesn't look too good. Looking at a questions gives you that added dimension of analysis and ability to collect your thoughts and organize your thinking. Remember the interviewer might not encourage you to say more but later they will check their notes and say, “Candidate A didn’t talk about this and this in her answer.”

Also If you are a person who jots and writes frequently etc this helps you to stimulate the brain in a way that gets you thinking clearly and creatively. Most panellist will admire your attempt to organise your response and do it justice and you will appear efficient. Humans at this stage tend to reserve very little in short term memory as opposed to our ancestors (our world is crowded with data), therefore writing can help as a repository that can free up brain circuitries for thinking and composing thought during an interview.

Eat a slow release food before an interview

I have sometimes gone to interviews lasting an hour. At the end your brain can shut down from lack of energy. I force myself to eat 2 bananas before hand, because I will draw on the energy to keep my brain sparking and turning during the interview time. I am usually drained after the interview to tell you that amping myself up to the place of high performance really takes it out of one!

You can improve verbal and numerical skills

Don’t appear for a test without putting a few hours into studying aptitude tests (use books and even online). Aim to do 2-3 hours practice, it makes all the difference! Many people think you either know or don’t know or are good or not good with numerical and verbal reasoning etc. This is so wrong. Your scores improve the more you study.

Finish your point, don’t be distracted by, positive noises and nodding from the panel

Many of us rely on the feedback from the interview panel to know when we have said enough on a point. This is not a good strategy. Instead complete what you hope to say under any question. Don’t get into a false sense of security and truncate your answer because of positive feedback. When they check their notes to score candidates, they will say (as I noted before), “She didn’t mention much on question so and so.” So don’t think a positive noise means 'I have that question wrapped up!'

Pray to have an all male or a male dominated panel if you are a woman

There is a reason why women are numerically more than men and yet are even to this day and age 'social minorities' and an oppressed group. Women and their attitude to other women and the things they do to undermine and undercut other women is a key factor in women's undoing and the net effect is that women continue to, as a group, be kept beneath.

If men set forth the dictates of female oppression, it is women who reinforce it, who keep it going -even when the men are open to change- and who are the self-appointed agents that inflict the wounds of the discriminatory system on other women. That’s why I am beginning to lean more towards the idea that we need to broaden our notions of female oppression beyond, 'Its the patriarchy'. Women inflict more social damage on other women and we know they often partake if not spearhead all sorts of bodily integrity violations on their daughters, nieces and other females in their vicinity, including in the area of Female Genital Mutilation, child abuse, domestic and sexual enslavement.

See how it works: if a woman opposes other women at the entry level then fewer women get through. Fewer then go on to middle management. Ultimately it's a number issue because senior management – which is normally selected from middle management- can only then pick from among a work team that is now overwhelmingly male.

It is the woman panellist that will point to the flaws that the males have overlooked in the female applicant. Under the guise of being thorough and 'selecting the best candidate for the job', they will nitpick at the female candidate and magnify their shortcomings. In the end they may be able to convince the males that there is a huge big issue with the female candidate or they will refuse to be won over by the strong arguments in favour of the candidate by other panellists even if they are in the minority, forcing the other panellist to let go to safeguard their working relationship. Very few candidates are seen to be worth rancour in the group.

Have you noticed that we can freely talk about how men salivate over big boobed applicants or how they want to employ the young nubile applicants over the matronly woman with far better qualifications. Yet we cannot talk openly about how women undercut fellow women and raise objections to their employment and even promotion because they are threatened by the woman's looks or put in other words the woman’s sexual capital compared to themselves.

So women have a neat cover, because for one no one dares talk about it (its just too icky a topic) and two no one wants to accuse women (the fair and fragrant sex) of ever being capable of instincts so low and shameful (yet we know it happens and have either experienced it or heard of a woman who has.) Add race to the situation and you can just imagine what black women experience!

The trouble is, that by not confronting the issue and airing it in HR circles and recruitment training, few women have the chance to self-reflect which is often what it takes to abjure such behavior and rethink the whole attitude if you recognise it in yourself.

You know how when you make up, you are told to 'highlight' you best features and all that, well my suggestion is to go more for bland with interview make-up and nuetral (as opposed to knock 'em dead) with personal presentation, and don’t throw too much attention on features that might make women feel threatened. I do sometimes worry about what element of my dress or clothing might set women off when I attend interviews, however often it is self-confidence and the fact that it might be lacking in the female interviewer that seems to be the issue.

If you don’t have an all female panel, not to worry, I just thought I'd add that little bit of information!

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