How to build rapport and succeed in interviews for a packaging job

You have 30 seconds to make an impact, positive or negative, so here are the top tips from our Packaging Recruiters...

Tony Moroney from Wallace Hind Selection  provides his insight...

• A warm, firm (Not vice like) handshake
• Maintain good eye contact
• Listen
• Do not waffle
• Make sure you have researched the company before your interview
   

Ben Robson, Katie Gaitley and Natasha Cranfield from Monocle International provide their insight...

• This starts when you walk in the door “you only get one chance to make a first impression” so your appearance will set the initial tone for your interview. Then it is about pitching it right, so you have to quickly judge the type of individual(s) conducting the interview, if they are fairly reserved then going in telling them you are the greatest from the outset will turn them off quickly. So let them set the tone of how the interview will be conducted, listen intently and do not interrupt ever!!

• Now you can relax and start demonstrating your relevance for the role. At all times remember; they are sat there and wanting to identify three things (1) what value could you add to their business (2) do you have the skills required to do the role and (3) culturally would you fit into the team you would be working with.

• If most of your dialogue is pointed at answering these three questions, the interview should be very productive.

Ian Roe from Mercury Search and Selection provides his insight...

• Too many people think building rapport is all about talk and small talk at that.  Generally small talk is very superficial and does not lead to any strength or depth in rapport.  Indeed trying to chat to an interviewer about the weekend or the latest football results could be very counter productive if they are busy, want to get to the point and consider it to be wasting their time.  Yes building rapport is about identifying common interest but it also needs context.  Which team you support will not be relevant if you can’t convince the employer you can perform in the role under consideration.

• To develop rapport your research of the company, and the interviewer if possible, is important.  This will arm you with a concept of the key challenges the business is facing, any recent success they have had etc.  From this point you can ask the interview questions about how success where achieved, what difficulties they face and relate your experience and achievement to them.  Don’t interrogate -make it a dialogue.  Don’t be smug or pretend you never had a problem or difficulties.  For example relate the difficulties you faced to those the employer has or may face discuss how you addressed them and what solutions where found.  As I said don’t interrogate the interviewer but don’t be afraid to talk and ask questions.  An interview which is too one sided either way has little or no rapport.  This kind of dialogue, the rapport, will help an employer envisage how they would work with you so it is an important aspect of the interview.