Selection Interview 101
Contrasting with screening interviews that are focused on filtering your basic qualifications for a job via phone calls, selection interviews are typically more rigorous and focused on confirming your overall offerings to make a decision on your suitability for the job.
In short – are you actually suitable for the job and company? Upon confirming the relevant skills, expertise, experience, and traits, the next step would be continuing with the offer letter or the final round of interviews.
Selection interviews can happen via face-to-face, video conferencing, group, as well as open interviews. To further test your expertise, you may even be required to complete assignments as part of the selection interview process.
Selection interviews can also be conducted through different forms such as:
- Situational-based
- Role-based
- Psychological-based
- Competency-based
- And more
If you are feeling nervous and lost when it comes to attending selection interviews, Job Majestic is here to guide you and even help you ace the selection interviews.
Best Tips When Attending Selection Interviews
1. Prepare to Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”
This is a classic interview question that can potentially clarify two different things – it is a question about your skills, which can also act as a background interview question.
Skills refer to both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills can be measured, and specific to the job and/ or industry that you are applying for. For example Languages, SEO/ SEM, App and Web Development, etc.
Soft skills are interpersonal skills that determine your work ethic and how you work with others. Examples of soft skills include Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, etc.
In short, your skills will easily determine whether you are truly the candidate that they are looking for. When pitching your skills and value proposition to the interviewer, only include skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Most importantly, do not mention skills that you do not possess – it’ll be awkward if you’re asked to demonstrate your expertise later on. It’s important to sell your expertise during a selection interview to ensure your success.
2. Be The Subject Matter Expert
Prior to attending any selection interview, you should always conduct research about the role, the company, the environment that they operate in, their business model, and if possible, the interviewers themselves.
Once you are well-versed with the job descriptions, skills required, and business model, you will be able to better create interview answers by inserting the relevant knowledge, ideas, and how your skills will be able to create value in helping the company achieve their goals.
If you’d like to secure your place as the best candidate for the role, try (but not too hard) and include past achievements to impress your interviewers. You should always focus on explaining your thought process that is in the company’s best interest in mind.
3. Be Genuine
You should always be genuine in a selection interview. Understand that no human is perfect and employers understand this as well. Refrain from worrying too much about giving the “right” interview answers – and potentially provide false information just to impress them.
Instead, focus on positioning yourself as the best person for them to work with. You’d be surprised that they would be more interested in your passion, personality, and thought process. Don’t forget to smile and be friendly!
Interviewers would appreciate it if you could be genuine in how you act and what you say in the interview, instead of trying too hard to be overly confident and “perfect”.
4. Avoid Salary-related Questions
Yes, you heard it right. As mentioned, selection interviews are crucial for you to truly present your best side and convince the interviewers why you should be offered a position in their organisation – the money can come later.
Always delay salary-related questions till after you receive the offer letter – when your bargaining power is at its highest. Explain that you’d prefer to focus on the role itself and evaluate whether you, the job, as well as the company, are suitable for one another.
However, you do not need to turn the selection interview session sour by refusing to answer the question at all costs. If you have no other choice but to disclose your salary expectations, provide a salary range and be sure to follow these salary expectation tips.
Final Remarks
Now that you have a better idea of how to prepare for selection interviews for jobs in Malaysia, all that’s left is to ensure that your interview answers are accurate and honest.
Honesty is the best policy. Ensure that you are honest when facing your recruiter, potential hiring managers, and future employers. Always use the right attitude to find the right job and live a majestic life!
