After a hiring freeze, we’re back in recruitment mode… which has got me thinking about interviews – the good, the bad and the downright painful.

While every hiring panel is different, there are ways to stand out from the competition, just as there are red flags that can get you removed from that short list at speed.

Rather than rely on my own thoughts, I asked a mix of contacts across corporate, government and agency what they thought.

Big thank you to Mark Inman, Managing Director of Blacksheepdesign and Rachel O’Connor, Head of Brand and Marketing at Palmerston North City Council, for sharing their advice.

I hope these hints prove useful for anyone in the market for a new role!

Disclaimer: we all hire for marketing/creative roles so there is that slant, and of course every company is different. These are our personal views only!

RED FLAG's – what to avoid

1. Stretching the Truth – Mark @ BSD

“For me it's when a candidate has said something in a CV or cover letter that is untrue, or at best, stretches the truth. If you are going to claim to be proficient at something, you should definitely be prepared to answer even basic questions about it. The other one is when someone can't answer the simple question ‘Why do you want to work here?’ It's astounding the number of people who don't think about it.”

2. Not doing your research – Rachel @ PNCC

“A standard question I always ask interviewees is ‘tell me what you know about this company.’ Time and time again I’m stunned at how many people have such little understanding about the organisation they are looking to join. Look at the website, read the annual report, do some Googling, check out their social feels. It’s not rocket science (unless you’re apply for a job at Rocket Lab!) but makes such a difference when you’re able to explain to the interview panel what you know about their company.”

3. Not asking questions – Claire @ UBT

“This may sound harsh but it’s very true. If a candidate doesn’t ask any questions at the end of the interview then it’s an instant red flag for me. Every interview provides the opportunity for the candidate to ask questions – about the role, the manager, the company – whatever. If they haven’t got a single question then they’re probably not right for the team. In my view, curiosity is an all-important skill for marketers – you need to be curious about our customers, what makes them think, what pain points keep them up at night, how could we improve our products."

So my tip is: ALWAYS have a couple of questions prepared to ask. One I heard recently which I thought was excellent was: ‘what’s your favourite part of your role here – what do you like the most.’

STAND OUT's – what will set you apart

1. A bespoke cover letter – Mark

“A bespoke cover letter that shows the candidate understands the basics of what we do and the culture is a big plus, especially if it shows some personality. In the interview, bringing evidence to support CV information is good, showing personality - or at least the ability to comfortably hold a conversation. Not being afraid to say when they don't know something, but having a solution about how they would approach getting an answer. There's definitely an element of natural talent - such as a design eye, or an aptitude for managing projects or a way with words, but regardless of this, the one thing I look for above all else is fit.”

2. Asking the right questions – Rachel

“Aside from doing their research, I look for people who are clearly interviewing the panel as well to understand if we are the right fit for them.”

Questions like:

• What motivates you to come to work each day?

• What are the priorities for the team over the next year?

• What would you expect me to have achieved in the first six months if I’m successful for this position?

• Can you describe the culture of the team I’ll be working in?

3. Your mindset – Claire

"I’m always interested in what people do OUTSIDE of their day to day job. In general if someone has got through to an interview round then it means they have the right level of experience for the role. So in that case consider this: your competing against 2 or 3 other candidates who likely have the same degree as you and similar years of experience. What is it that’s going to set you apart?"

For me there’s two things:

1. Your attitude and mindset – you can always train a skill, but changing an attitude is far harder and frankly, a lot of work! If someone has an amazing attitude or mindset then they’ll go far. The skills can be taught along the way.

2. Your outside interests and activities – for me if a candidate can demonstrate that their outside interests fit the role then it helps add that little something extra. For instance some volunteer work they do (perhaps running a charity’s social media accounts) or their own blog which they write on regularly…

We hope these hints provided some helpful advice for your next interview! If you have any of your own tips then please leave them in the comments below!