Inside Tomorrow's Pharmacist (2001)

Home > Students > Tomorrow's Pharmacist >
To fib or not to fib - that is the interview question

To fib or not to fib - that is the interview question by Ailsa Benson

A report of a recent survey carried out by Jobshop revealed that one in three men lie in order to get work, with only one in five women admitting to this. One in five also admitted to 'chatting up' the interviewer with 14 per cent saying they had used physical attributes to boost their job chances. And of those who did change jobs, only one in four men were satisfied but 80 per cent of the women thought the job change had been the right one. This article is designed to help you to know how to prepare yourself for interviews so that the need to fib is reduced. Since actually the way that you dress and 'chat up' the interviewer are important, I will also give you some tips on how to manage these aspects skilfully.

Get ready

So, let's start by looking at the preparation part of the interview. I do not know you but I find it hard to believe that someone as unique as you has not got at least some of the skills, knowledge and the attitudes that the job you are after requires. So it should not be necessary for you to lie. You need to be in a position where you can tell the truth. As so often in life, sitting down and preparing and rehearsing are critical steps on the path to success. So, where do you start? Take some time to note down what you think are those special and unique attributes that make you. What things have you done that illustrate the positive sides of you? Ask friends and family to help you note down your strengths and achievements. Have a go too at remembering those events that have been failures and the sorts of things your most critical friends would say were weakness. In other words, know yourself well.

Any recruiter will have prepared a job description that lists what is wanted from the new jobholder. This will include all qualifications including the type of experience, physical characteristics, the temperament and attitude needed for the job, together with any specialist skills. The job description plays a key role in this work which is why you need to get a copy. The interviewer will also be thinking about who has had the job previously and why that was — or was not — a success. This is why you need to ask friends and relatives about the job! You need to write down, as best you can imagine, what you think the job requires and, using the outcomes of the planning outlined above, you need to match yourself to all these different components. Come the interview, you can then use the questions the interviewer asks as opportunities to sell yourself. By being familiar with your strengths — and having examples to support your claims — the words will come naturally and easily to you.

The day

If you are a modest type of person you may feel a little awkward at having to do a lot of talking. But remember a good interviewer will expect you to do around 80 per cent of the talking. Keep focused and answer the questions you are asked as you will be judged not just on your answer but its relevance to the questions and the way that you structure and speak your answer. Remember to select from your preparation those experiences that highlight your appropriateness for the job. So, avoid making bald statements and endeavour to use action words and carefully chosen adjectives. For example, if the job obviously needs someone who can work as part of a team, and you're describing a group activity be sure not to use the 'I' noun but instead use 'we' and 'us' and 'together' and 'group'. If you are going to have to work within tight budgets, then find the opportunity to use examples of where you have had to control a budget — even if it was just for the food for the weekend camping holiday with some friends — or had to save up for something you really wanted.

Check out with friends what types of questions they have been asked at interviews — there are some stock questions that all interviewers ask although they will all have their own ways of phrasing them. An obvious one is about why you have applied for the job, why you want to leave the present job and how you have managed to get time off for this interview! Interviewers will also want to know why you applied for this job, what are your future career plans, and even why the job should be given to you. Interviewers are trying to judge strengths and weaknesses, and my own favourite question in this context is to ask: "If I met a friend of yours tonight, how would they describe you? And if I met an enemy, what would they say?" Make use all of these questions to put into context those experiences, qualities and qualifications that you have noted down on your 'this is me list' and the 'this is how I match the job specification' list.

The interviewer is primarily concerned to find out if you are suitable for the job, and you are primarily concerned with demonstrating that you are best candidate for the job. Be positive about those incidents in your live that are not seen by you and others as successes. Use them to show that you can learn from experience and that you understand that pressures on others can affect outcomes for you. Find the explanation that demonstrates how you have faced up to adversity and came through it positively. Remember, the interviewer will be looking for recurring patterns in your life, and will be matching these against the specification.

If you do lie, remember to consider how that will affect your ability to do the job. If you are lying about something that is going to limit significantly your ability to do the job, my advice is to come clean. Honesty can pay — the interviewer will respect your self judgement and may well be able to find some way of helping you to develop to meet that need, or they may change the job to accommodate you, or be able to keep you on file for another job. It is not unusual for a company to have a number of vacancies and not all those are advertised. There are many times when I have filled a job either by colleagues passing on someone they have interviewed but who is unsuitable for them or vice versa.

There is usually time at the end of the interview for you to ask questions. Think about what you might ask; perhaps you want to clarify aspects of the job that are vague. Avoid having a long list — four well-chosen questions should be enough. Try to use these as an opportunity to alert the interviewer to any positive but relevant aspects of your suitability for the job that you have not yet had the chance to talk about. Some interviewers will ask a question along the lines of "what else would you like to tell me in support of your application?" Do end your part with a positive statement about the interview, the company and the job! Shake hands, and say goodbye using the interviewer's name.

Dress

Now to the business of how to dress. Dress is important — the first appearance you create is critical. Some interviewers will make a decision about your suitability in those first few minutes. Think about the job — what kind of dress is appropriate for the job itself? Aim for dress that is at least an appropriate standard for the job, if not one-step up. Avoid wearing something new. New shoes may cause blisters if you have to walk far, and new clothes can cause unexpected irritations. Aim to be clean and tidy from your shoes to the top of your head. Take care with hemlines (not too high) and necklines (not too low), and avoid loud and noisy jewellery. The latter can be a real irritant to an interviewer whose attention is distracted by clanking bangles and earrings. Be careful too about how you smell — no garlic the night before, and take care with fragrances as they may cause the interviewer to sneeze.

Walk into the interview with your head up high, a smile on your face and your right hand free to shake hands. Greet your interviewer by name and, if your name is unusual, do take the time to explain how to pronounce it before the interviewer — embarrassingly perhaps for them and for you — gets it wrong. If you have prepared for the interview you should be fairly confident and hence relaxed. But even if you are not, then force yourself to adopt a relaxed position. Sit properly on the seat (don't perch), and lean forward just slightly, arms by your side rather than crossed!

Chatting up

Chatting up is not usually appropriate for an interview. But charming your interviewer is, and there are ways of managing the communication process that can help you establish rapport with your interviewer. This is particularly important at the start of the interview. This is the "small talking" part of an interview and is often an unconscious effort by the interviewer to find something that you share in common. The weather, holidays and travel to the interview are all subjects that are generally considered safe ones. So do not use this part of the conversation to be dogmatic or to make controversial statements.

Remember that your non-verbal behaviour (eye movements, facial expressions, movements of arms, legs and hands) all give out clear information about how you are feeling — and the same is true of your interviewer. So watch how s/he is reacting to what you do and say. Giving off non-verbal messages of co-operation and friendliness can be enhanced by that smile on your face and the nod of agreement — not by crossing your arms or legs. Looking at the other person's eyes, and avoiding rapidly blinking yours can help create the impression of confidence. When listening to interviewers, tip your head slightly to one side and look at them for about three-quarters of the time so that you appear thoughtful. Enhance the impression of rapport by matching — subtly of course — the non-verbal behaviour of your interviewer. Using the same types of words and phrases, but not parroting can help too.

Whatever the outcome of the interview, spend a few moments thinking about how it went — what went well and not so well. What did you not get an opportunity to say that could have helped your application? What questions did you find difficult to answer? This should help you next time around. You can always write to ask for feedback too.

Good luck — and remember, charm but don't fib!

Ailsa Benson is head of training, the National Pharmaceutical Association