CEOs on how to star in your next job interview

Emma Manser
Jul 31, 2015, updated Aug 01, 2015

Showing enthusiasm for the job and the company is key. Photo: Shutterstock

When you’re in the market for a job, the search is only half the struggle.

After spending hours scouring through vacancies, firing off resumes and waiting for the all important call-back, the most daunting stage is still yet to come – the interview.

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According to the last month’s figures, unemployment currently sits at the historically high level of six per cent, and economists predict it will rise to 6.5 per cent by the middle of 2016.

With such a soft job market, performing well in an interview has never been more important.

So once the phone rings and you are launched into the interview stage, how can you make sure you are at the top of the list when the successful candidates are announced?

In an effort to answer this question, The New Daily has gathered a selection of tips from leading CEOs with the aim of landing you that next job.

The top tip? Getting hired is more than just a skills test.

Your resume is just the starting point. Photo: Shutterstock

Eventbrite co-founder Julia Hartz

For Julia Hartz, the co-founder of international events website Eventbrite, the interview is about delving into the interviewee’s personality.

Seeing prospective employees after an initial shortlisting process, she says she looks for more than just information – even in the most basic questions.

“I usually start by asking the candidate to tell me his or her story,” she said.

“What I’m really looking for is a great summary of the interviewee’s life and career, but not for just entertainment value… I’m specifically looking for three things: motivation, intention, and conviction.”

Her second tip is to ensure you have done your homework on the position you have applied for, and the company itself.

“[Delving into the position] what I really want to know is how well the interviewees understand three things: the challenge we are trying to solve, the skills that we need to solve it, and how they can prove they possess those skills,” she said.

Showing conviction about who you are, what you've done and what you hope to do is important to potential employers. Photo: Shutterstock

Showing conviction about who you are, what you’ve done and what you hope to do can elevate your interview presence. Photo: Shutterstock

Helpling managing director Bevan Nel

Experience is a plus, but attitude is more important, according to Helpling managing director Bevan Nel.

As a “young, dynamic company” Mr Nel said they tend to look for people who fit the mould of the online venture.

“Online experience is a plus, but attitude is more important,” Mr Nel said.

“It’s not a 9 to 5 type job.

“You’re as involved in the success of the company as anyone else, so its important we have people who have a sense of ownership and drive to succeed.”