Job interview skills in a multicultural marketplace

| November 25, 2014

The end of the year is a good time to brush up on your interview skills if you are considering applying for a new job. Sue Ellson from the Newcomers Network has some tips that are useful whether you are from a different cultural background or not.

As the end of the year approaches, we start to think about whether or not we would like to be in the same job again next year.

Believe it or not, up to 90% of jobs are no longer advertised. There are many techniques for finding work including networking, referrals and voluntary work.

However, now that the Australian workplace is much more multicultural, now is a good time to brush up on your job interview skills.

1. Prepare for your interview

There are many ways to complete research on your potential new employer. Visit their website, their company profile on LinkedIn (and follow the company) and find out who else works there. You may choose to change your LinkedIn Status to ‘anonymous’ and review the profiles of some of the employees who work there so you can learn more about the nature of the organisation.

Complete further searches online in your internet browser (yes, go to page two and beyond of search results) and use the company name and type in the word ‘reviews’ as well. You need to make sure that the employer is the right match for you. Ask around your circle of friends to find out what else they know about the organisation and ask if there is anyone they can suggest that you talk to for finding out more information about the organisation (but not negotiate on your behalf).

2. Review your research data

Now that you have started to create a ‘picture’ of the organisation, analyse this information to find out a bit more about the overall culture of the organisation. Successful businesses hire on cultural fit and a good level of competency rather than a high level of competency and a bad cultural fit. Most Australian organisations are flexible about your competency level if you are willing to learn more in your own time and are proactive in your approach.

Decide if you need to find out any more information based on your analysis.

If you are from a different cultural background, don’t assume that the techniques you would use in your home country have the same impact in Australia. It is not a good idea to ‘ask someone to put in a good word for you’ or ‘offer a cash payment’ to someone. Most jobs in Australia require you to earn the role on your own merits.

3. Be ready for behavioural questions

Many hiring managers work on the principal that ‘past behaviour predicts future behaviour’ and you will therefore be asked ‘Tell me about a time when…..’ If you are not accustomed to this technique, you may find it hard to think of an example and it may remind you of ‘role plays’ in past training workshops! Firstly, pause. Then say ‘let me think of the best example for you.’ Then pause again. Then share the best example.

If you have had to answer key selection criteria before the interview, this will help prepare you for these types of questions. If you haven’t, it is a good idea to write out some past situations in detail so that you can be ready to share these stories in an interview. These are also good to add as ‘Projects’ on your LinkedIn Profile. Focus on situations where you have had to use your initiative, overcome challenges or been required to work with several different people.

4. Prepare some possible interview questions and practice them

If you search online for ‘job interviews behavioural questions’ you will find plenty of example questions or you can create your own. Select those that will be most relevant for this job, write them down and ask a friend or family member to play ‘interviewer’ and answer each question as if you were in an interview.

This is excellent preparation before an interview and will help you turn off your internal critical voice because you have already practiced your answers before the interview. You can then make your ‘mistakes’ in the first run. Don’t take any feedback you receive from your interviewer too personally – unless they are an expert in this area!

5. Be on time and dressed appropriately

This interview technique is vital. Allow for delays with traffic or transport and be slightly overdressed rather than underdressed. Make sure you have a phone number of at least one person in the organisation so that if the unexpected occurs, you can contact them before your arrival.

Be aware that certain colours have very significant meanings for certain cultural backgrounds. For example, if you arrive at a business with a lot of Irish people in the organisation, they may find the colour orange offensive. Green could help you! Traditional costumes are not normally worn in the workplace so what you may perceive as your best clothing can be inappropriate in Australia.

6. Be prepared to go with the flow

Traditional Anglo-Australians can be quite relaxed and start an interview with a discussion on the weather or a local sporting competition. Do not push to answer questions related to your work experience, this process is used to assess whether or not you will fit in around the workplace.

Shaking hands is considered appropriate (male or female) and first names are often used. Don’t try and analyse your answers as soon as you have said them because this will stop you from hearing the next question properly. Simply answer each question – honestly and succinctly.

If you are in front of a multicultural interview panel, observe the behaviours of the interviewers and mirror these where appropriate. For example, some cultures do not feel comfortable maintaining too much eye contact – if you sense this, look away every so often.

Your body language is also important – again, just be aware of what the interviewers are doing and mirror accordingly (provided it is natural to you). It is still better to behave ‘normally’ than try and be something you are not, but if you can adapt, this may assist.

7. Smile often

You may be concentrating and trying to put on your best ‘face,’ but smiling will show that you are relaxed and comfortable. People who smile are much less threatening. If you can remember the name of your interviewer (or interviewers), use this occasionally throughout the interview.

As there is often a ‘tall poppy syndrome’ in Australia, if you come across as someone who is going to come in and take over everything and insist on full scale change immediately, in most cases, you will miss out on the job (unless that is what has been requested). Again, answer the questions as required.

8. Consider asking a couple of questions

It takes a lot of emotional energy for most people to ‘perform’ in an interview situation. So as a way of gaining some useful feedback, consider asking:

‘What did you find most appealing about my application?’

‘What do you enjoy most about working for this organisation?’

This way you will learn a little bit more about how your application was received (which may be useful feedback for your future job search) and the first question invites them to catalogue a nice aspect about you. The second question will help you learn a little bit more about the organisation that you would not necessarily hear during the induction process.

9. Do not be attached to the outcome

If you are really keen to get the job because of your current personal circumstances, this ‘desperation’ will be impossible to hide (even if you give perfect answers). It is like a red flashing light saying ‘desperate’ appears on your forehead whilst you talk. Realise that if you are getting interviews, you are closer to getting a job and if you missed out, be thankful – because there is a good chance that you were not the right fit for the organisation and you can now look forward to finding a better fit elsewhere.

10. Follow up and say thank you

If you are successful, congratulations – but do not forget to say thank you to all concerned whether or not you get the job. Thank yous are so rare nowadays that they are often remembered. Sit down and assess what you have learnt from the process and include some specific comments in your thank you note or email to the person you have corresponded with at the organisation.

You may also like to indicate that you would be willing to be considered for any other opportunities that may become available at the organisation in the future.

If you have any further tips, suggestions or advice to share, please comment below. All responses will receive a reply.

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