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BUSINESS in cyprus
Be Yourself The art of being interviewed is much simpler than you may think.
By Spyros Yiassemides BA, MSc, FCA, Partner Yiassemides & Co
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hen I was taking my first steps in the world of accounting, many were the times that I found myself in the interviewee’s seat. Being inexperienced with the whole process, I asked the two people on earth that I trusted the most – my mom and pop – for advice on how to best approach my interviews. Their words still echo in my mind, fourteen years after they were first uttered. They said to me, “Son, just go in there and be yourself. Nothing more, nothing less.” And so I did. Like clockwork, I would go into my interviews wearing my best smile, sit opposite the interviewer and answer all the questions that came my way in the sincerest manner. I would find myself relaxed in my seat, and not as stressed as everybody kept telling me that I should be feeling when facing a potential employer. The fact that I wasn’t pressed to project an image, rather than my true self, helped me to concentrate on what was really important to the person asking the questions – honest answers, backed up by solid facts. And, while I didn’t always get the job, what I did get in return, every single time, was the appreciation of the person sitting across from me. For candour always earns you full marks in a conversation, whether it be a casual chat or an interview for a dream job. Some years down the road, I found myself at the other end of the table. Having progressed in my career, I was given the opportunity to screen potential new recruits and ask them certain questions, with a view to contributing to the final
ACCOUNTANCY CYPRUS
hiring decision. With a renewed sense of professional purpose, I set out to read all those fresh faces as effectively as possible. This time, I was the one asking all the questions, so I had to make sure that they were the right ones. What I was looking for, though, couldn’t be given to me in the form of spoken words. I was looking for signs of honesty, for those particular clues that attest to one’s genuine character. I was in search of sincerity, and I was successful in some instances, unlucky in others.
Letting prospective employers know that you have done your homework, shows them that you care about the position I have many friends that work in the HR departments of their organizations. This positions them at the forefront of the comings and goings of their firms’ human resources. As one of my friends aptly puts it, “I am the first person they see when they initially come in and the last one when they leave the company.” Talking to them over coffee regarding their role has often revealed some interesting facts. They have told me of candidates who have come into the interview glowing, aced every question, their answers and body language making promises of a bright future
in the firm, and then they discovered some months down the road that these seeming hot shots were nothing more than slackers, looking to take the path of least resistance for a good salary cheque. They have also told me of others who were reluctantly hired as they didn’t tick all the boxes on the interview questionnaire but who then progressed through the ranks to become top performers in their organization. All that glitters is not gold, I guess, and vice versa. If you have an interview coming up, here are seven tips that stem from my friends’ experience in the HR field, to help you make the most of your time in the interviewee’s chair: 1. Keep it simple: When talking to the person sitting across from you, do so in a language that is easy to understand. Stick with vocabulary essentials – no need to use fancy words, with a view to impressing your interviewer. Engage in conversation as you would on any other occasion. Just don’t overdo it by thinking that you are in a coffee session with your best pals and let too much slang slip out! 2. Maintain eye contact (most of the time): Looking your interviewer in the eye tells him/her that you are confident and assertive, while also being friendly and approachable. A balance, though, should be struck between maintaining eye contact and looking away, as too much of the former will give the wrong impression. Brief breaks and reconnections are essential in maintaining communicational chemistry with the person(s) in the room. 3. Dress for the occasion: A nice suit or dress will go a long way in creating that much-needed first impression that
