An Job related websites have reported recently of Giles Metcalfe, the Leeds Graduate who stood around in the City of London for 9 hours handing out CV’s and talking to professionals passing by sporting a placard saying ‘ Leeds graduate looking for an opportunity in the financial services’. From this he got entered into a few interview rounds and had a few offers on the table. This is a unique example, but if you’ve got through to an assessment centre and you are being asked to stand out next to ‘the guy with the placard’, how do you stand out?Firstly, make sure you get to the interview, punctual and well presented. Interrupting a group interview that has already started is a lot worse than having a couple of head hunters wait an extra 5 minutes for you to arrive for a one-on-one face-to-face.
Secondly, as obvious as it sounds by now, do your research around the company. Practice selling the company to friends and family, then look for the qualities that you have that make you a right fit for the company, then re-sell yourself using these qualities. On the day of the group interview, show these qualities as best you can, be comfortable in the surroundings, look forward to the future with the company which may help in the Q and A sessions as well.
Finally, be a team player. This doesn’t mean dominating every conversation but it’s not about being a wallflower either. Find the balance, be personable, get to know the team your working with a little so your oinions are valued later on in assessed group discussions. Also, be tacitical in the role-playing exercises, don’t just say the first thing that pops into your head, really think about it as one contribution that can be used by the business is better than 10 lacklustre ones that are either impractical or unexciting.
