ABC - Always Be Closing

"So, when do I start?" A question like that is about as blunt as you can get at the tail end of the interview and whilst it may not be subtle it certainly gets to the point of what the interview is really about. Closing an interview shouldn’t just be considered the remit of sales professionals; it is really an exercise in common sense, not clever sales technique.

Closing isn’t necessarily about walking away with a job offer; it certainly isn’t about brow beating your interviewer into submission! It is however about understanding how you have performed and what happens next – what could be more common sense than that? Having invested all that effort researching the company, money in getting to the interview and time preparing yourself to perform to the best of your ability, why would you walk away from the meeting without knowing where you stand? If you can do that, you are closing and if you are closing your taking positive steps towards securing the job you want!
For more advice or assistance with your job search contact a specialist sales or marketing consultant via email or on 0121 585 6079

Solving your people puzzles............

Swindale Parks are pleased to announce we have partnered with Thomas International, the globally recognised provider of objective management systems, psychometric analysis and business assessment tools. Combining our 20 year experience of Sales, Marketing & Creative recruitment and Thomas’s unrivalled understanding of behavioral assessment (they complete nearly one million assessments per year by the way) will undoubtedly further improve the quality & value of the service we are able to offer clients and candidates alike.
We have long taken great pride in getting to know our recruiting managers and job seekers & developing a thorough understanding of their needs, adding Thomas’s full range of services to our offering will further enhance our ability to do this. With the tools we now have at our disposal not only will we be able to advise on the more tangible aspects of a client’s requirement, but also the behavioral characteristics required in the successful candidate. All of this is, of course, aimed at improving our chances of delivering an appropriate solution. Peter Cash said “the benefits extend beyond simply aiding the recruitment process, as it also has implications for clients to help improve retention, succession planning & appraisal, and for individuals to aid personal & professional development. To find out more contact your consultant.

Killer Interview Questions........

Swindale Parks' Top Tips to help you secure your next Sales or Marketing & Creative job...........

Picture the scene - the interview is going well, you are getting on famously with the interviewer and a job offer is so close that you can almost smell it - surely nothing can stop you fulfilling your destiny and claiming your prize!! Wrong – you haven’t allowed for the killer interview question!!! Every interviewer has one, a favourite ‘teaser’ designed to test your ability to think on the spot and react under pressure. The killer question will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many an unsuspecting interviewee – make sure you are not one of them. To ensure you don’t come unstuck with the finishing line in sight think about the kind of questions you may be asked and even rehearse your answers. Here are a few of our favourites……

1. What is your biggest weakness and how do you manage it?
2. What is your greatest strength and give me an example of how you have exploited it to your benefit?
3. Who will you miss most when you leave your current employer and why?
4. What do you have to offer that the other applicants don’t?
5. What value will you add to my business?
6. I think you are over qualified for this job?
7. What would your priorities be in your first 12 months of the role?
8. I don’t think you can do the job. Do you agree?
9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
10. Describe a difficult situation you handled well??
11. Describe a difficult situation you handled badly?
12. Define profitability?

And our personal favourite and aptly numbered……..

13. What’s 30% of 90!!!

How you respond is just as important as what you say, your preparation will allow you to be calm, relaxed and considered when put on the spot. Rather than appearing to jump in feet first and blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Take a moment to collect your thoughts before confidently delivering your upbeat, positive answer.

PS – if you can’t work out what 30% of 90 is don’t guess and don’t prolong the agony – be honest and move on. The interviewer will appreciate your candour.

For more advice or assistance with your job search contact a specialist sales or marketing consultant via email or on 0121 585 6079