Business

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Successful interview skills

How to prepare, answer tough questions and get your ideal job

5th edition

Rebecca Corfield

London and Philadelphia

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To TB First published in 1992 Second edition 1999 Third edition 2002 Fourth edition 2006 Fifth edition 2009 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned addresses: Kogan Page Limited 120 Pentonville Road London N1 9JN United Kingdom www.koganpage.com Kogan Page US 525 South 4th Street, #241 Philadelphia PA 19147 USA

© Rebecca Corfield, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2009 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 0 7494 5652 8

Library of Congress Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Corfield, Rebecca. Successful interview skills : how to prepare, answer tough questions and get your ideal job / Rebecca Corfield.--5th ed. p. cm Includes index. ISBN 978-0-7494-5652-8 1. Interviewing--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Self-presentation. I. Title BF637.I5T44 2009 650.14 4--dc22 2009012312 Typeset by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt Ltd

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Contents

Introduction 1

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The interview 7 What is an interview? 7; Types of interview 8; Other assessment methods 10; Why do interviews take place? 11; What happens in an interview? 12; What are interviews about? 13; What leads to success in interviews? 13 What employers are looking for Providing proof that you are the right candidate 18; The...