What to Expect When Interviewing with a Staffing Firm

Everyone craves the positive affirmation of hard work paying off. That’s one reason why it’s so satisfying to receive the call requesting an interview. But feelings of excitement and anticipation can quickly turn into stress and anxiety when a candidate starts to wonder what they might encounter when interviewed by a prospective employer.

Rather than keep you in suspense, the staffing specialists at Staffing Kansas City believe it’s important to know what will happen in the interview. Knowing in advance what to expect can take the anxiety off and it also gives candidates the option to practice in advance.

What Really Happens in the Interview

1. In most cases an interview will take 30-45 minutes. This allows time for the staffing specialist to ask questions and for the candidate to ask their own questions. Make sure you allow enough time so the process isn’t rushed.
2. Several days before the interview ask yourself what are you looking for. If this feels like a big question, break it down. Being clear about what you want and being able to communicate that is critical. If you can’t clearly state what you are looking for, how will a staffing recruiter know?
3. Come prepared to discuss your work history. This includes being able to share the tasks and duties you did as well as promotions or advancements you may have received.
4. Next is a discussion of skillset and how this relates to what you’re currently looking for in a new job. Be honest and don’t over- or under-sell skills.
5. Be prepared to talk about strengths and weaknesses. This can be hard but it’s also an opportunity to articulate where you wish to grow or expand in your career.
6. Finally, they’ll discuss opportunities aligning with your experience.

How to Insure a Successful Interview

1. Respect the work of the staffing specialist by being on time and wearing proper interview attire. On time means not late and not 45 minutes early. Proper attire means no flip flops and leave distractions like cell phones in your car.
2. Be pleasant and smile. It’s a beautiful day for many reasons, one of which is that you’re on the road to finding a new job opportunity!
3. Practice good eye contact with the recruiter. Remember this person is here to help you, so talk to them like they are your best friend while keeping the conversation positive and professional, of course.
4. Be ready to articulate your strengths, know what motivates you and be prepared to give examples.
5. When discussing prior employment and departure from a position, be honest and direct. This is not the time to trash talk previous employers. This opportunity is a new start and prior employers don’t matter anymore. You are on to bigger and better things!

Make Your Interview Memorable
An interview is the best time to sell yourself, so communicate to the recruiter why you are the best person for this opportunity. During the interview, you are basically writing your personal employment notes for the recruiter to pass on to the client company. The ball is in your court at this point. What do you want those notes to say?

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and contract employment placement services.