Advice for Candidates

We see the client relationship as a partnership in which we both have a role to play.

What we need from you
Commitment – if we are working together you will need to research companies ahead of interviews in order to be prepared. You will need to attend interviews on time and give us honest feedback from these interviews.

Communication – We strive to achieve an open and fast communication with candidates. In return, we ask you to also come back to us promptly and take our calls when you can. We do appreciate if you are working you may find it hard to talk and may only be able to talk on your breaks or via email.

Honesty – We can be good at influencing people to be interested in roles but we do not want to waste our clients’ time or yours so please be honest. If a role is not paying enough money or the commute is just too far then simply be open with us – saying no to a role that's not right for you isn't a bad thing and we will just try harder to find you the perfect role. We will be honest too, with interview feedback, good or bad and with advice on presentation, CV writing and interview techniques.

Referrals – We have built our business on delivering the very best value service to clients and the most pro-active service to you the candidate. All that we ask in return is that if you do know anyone that is looking for a new role or clients that may be looking to recruit then let us know. We pay a generous £150 when we successfully place a candidate or fill a role from your recommendation. We do not need to mention your name and you can contact us easily on info@advancingpeople.co.uk or by phone on 01234268012 *terms apply.

Interview Techniques
Our observation of the marketplace is that most interviews are generally competency based – whilst a huge emphasis is based on personality you must research the following to be prepared and to have the edge on the competition. We will talk to you in further detail about this before an interview.

The Company
Research is vital before any interview. What do you know about the clients business? What has been their turnover in the past couple of years? What is their history and what future plans do they have? Who are their main competitors? How does their product/service reach their marketplace? Are you able to speak to someone who works for the client for a rounded overview of their business? Check forums and their Social Media for recent updates.

The Role
What is the reason for the vacancy? If someone is leaving, why is this? Was this based on a lack of skills, effort or purely personality? What are the short, medium and long term goals for the role? What are the targets or KPI’s if any? Are these targets realistic and what are they based on? What is the company culture like and would this work for you as? Remember that a role needs to work for you as well as you working for the role.

Examples of relevant experience
Once you have an understanding of what the client does you need to convey your relevant experience. Provide detailed examples of dealing with the same customer base or working within the same sector, record key customers dealt with or skills used relevant to the role. Also it is good to demonstrate where you have had big successes, as this will be looked on very positively. Equally, be prepared to talk about where you have had challenges and how you have managed internal and external relationships.

Closing the interview
Do not forget, you are in a competitive marketplace and the client may be surprised if you were not to try and close them. If you are interested in roles, make sure you tell the client just how interested you are.

Some good examples of closing may be:
“Thank you for your time and I certainly feel this role is right for me but most importantly I am right for the role. What reservations may you have if any and where do we go from here?”. Don't be afraid to ask as you are giving yourself the chance to overcome these reservations there and then.

In a marketplace where even interviews for jobs are at a premium and competition is high, any extra advantage can really make a difference. Throughout the recruitment process Advancing People will make sure you are fully prepared for interviews and importantly understand the process and the clients’ expectations.

If you have any questions about interviews at any stage all you need to do is ask for our help or advice.

Template CV’s
In order to give you a few examples of what may work for you as a CV we have upload 2 real life examples and one file which illustrates an easy to use and effective layout if preferred.

Download CV Template 1
Download CV Template 2
Download CV Template 3