Countless articles have been written about how to behave during a job interview. They always start with the following sentence: 10 pieces of advice for success, or: 5 mistakes you should try to avoid, blah blah blah.
Such articles are of poor informative value and most of them are embarrassing, to say the least.
If we want to talk about job interviews, we need to go deeper and we should also differentiate between the types of interviews we are going to. There is, however, no silver bullet.
So read carefully! This article is about job interviews for quality engineers. Following these few points will certainly help you to land your dream job.
Don’t stress
Stress ties our hands and leaves us speechless during interviews. You should remember that the interviewer is not your enemy, but just someone who wants to help you and to get the best out of you. If you want to reduce your stress, it helps to imagine the “interviewers” doing basic human activities: on the toilet, in the shower or snoring in bed.
Be prepared
Today it’s not enough to prepare a brief summary of your life. Going over basic knowledge of the automotive field is a great idea. Try to be as specific as possible and not just to talk about things that work in your company. Knowledge of general standards is a must.
Make an impression
You will make a perfect impression if you bring out some fun facts from your work in addition to the general understanding. Something to surprise us and make the interview stand out for us. For example, talk about your ex-boss, who would subsequently be able to confirm your knowledge of the field. This helps us to get first-hand credentials.
Praise yourself
Practice makes perfect. It’s a great idea to bring some samples of your work with you. For example: “We have succeeded in reducing waste by 4%.” The interview structure is less important than the impression you leave us with when you walk out of the door. TIP: We like to laugh, we are only human and we love jokes. Have some ready.
Strengths and weaknesses
The top-earning quality engineers are aware of their strengths. After plenty of interviews, we know that the best do it like this. They are champions at including their strengths and weaknesses in the interview without beginning: “My strengths are...”. Nobody wants to hear this cliché one more time. Be playful.
Be honest
Most quality engineers apply for a job with several companies at once, and not just one. They go from one interview to another, and we know this. We would do the same. But being honest means being straight with us. For example, how many interviews you plan to go to and have already been to, and what do you expect from the partnership. It enables us to respond better. We know if we are under time pressure or if we are able to give you a better counter-offer.
Carry out a mini survey
Salary is the greatest motivation for many quality engineers. We know that. It is no secret that quality engineer salaries at GQsystems are higher than average. We stand for quality engineers and their happiness is our priority. What you should not do is either underestimate or overestimate yourself. TIP: Find out approximately how much quality engineers earn in the region or in the given country.
Surprise effect
You should know that we may switch to a foreign language at any time during the interview. This must not derail you. We need to do this, because in automotive, most of the investors are from abroad. So, now you know and consequently you are able to prepare yourself. It helps to read an article in a foreign language before the interview.
Personality
Corporate culture is the be-all and end-all of success. For the employer, the personality of their quality engineers is also very important. What do they do in their spare time, if they have families, or whether they prefer spirits or wine. All of this tells us something about you. TIP: Indirect questions may help you to find out at least something about the company or about the person interviewing you. If you like anything the interviewer says, don’t be afraid to admit that this is something you love too.
A few tips to conclude
Keep eye contact. Be prepared for questions like: “how would you describe...?”, where we mostly we ask about professional automotive terminology. Don’t nod your head, be an active participant in the conversation. If you don’t understand something, it’s better to admit it, you can always supplement your knowledge.
If you follow these points, you will certainly succeed here at GQsystems. If you want to try it right now, send your CV to our recruiter Zdenek Sukup to sukup@gqinterim.com. He is a nice person with the talent to get the best out of you.
GQsystems — we stand for quality engineers
