If you want to land a job in construction, you need to make a great first impression when you go in for an interview. The key is to be authentic, maintain your composure, and communicate why you’re a great fit for the role based on your past successes. Here are some interview tips to make a great impression in your next construction interview.
Know the Company
Before the interview, research the company and the hiring manager. Study their LinkedIn and social media profiles. You want to walk into the room with a clear idea of the company’s values and long-term goals. Your behavior during the hiring process influences how employers will imagine you as an employee. If you come unprepared to the interview, it gives the impression that you’ll show up to work unprepared.
Focus Your Questions and Answers
You don’t want to go into the interview and talk about everything that comes to mind. Early on in the interview, ask the manager what they are looking for so you can speak to those things specifically as you answer questions. You also don’t want to be vague when you answer questions. Give concrete examples of your successes and describe how your past projects turned out. Unlike stocks, in construction past performance is a major indicator of future performance. So, you want to show them how your past performance can help you succeed in the role you are applying for.
Be Open to “Ice Breaker” Questions
Usually when candidates prepare for interviews, they focus on serious question. So, when an employer asks a quirky question, it throws them for a loop. These types of questions are meant to lighten the mood and make you feel more comfortable. Don’t let an off-beat question throw you for a loop. Show the hiring manager you can bring some fun and light-heartedness to the workplace.
Be Kind to EVERYONE
Candidates will normally greet the hiring manager and make friendly small talk. But it’s also essential that you be kind to everyone you meet during the process; whether it’s the driver, the receptionist, or the janitor. The hiring manager may very well talk to their other team members about their experience meeting you. And their responses could make or break your chances of getting the job. It’s important to make a good impression on the staff, not just the hiring manager.
Ask About Concerns
Before you leave, ask the interviewer if they have any concerns about your ability to perform the job successfully. Once you know if they have any reservations, you can respond accordingly. Often times, the concerns employers have aren’t even valid. It’s often just a misunderstanding. Now that you know of the reservations, you can clarify, or show examples that prove their concerns are unnecessary. Whatever the concern, if you feel like you can do the job successfully, you want to make sure that by the time you leave, they have no doubt you can succeed in the role.
When you interview for a construction job, you want to make sure you come across as kind, genuine, and competent. Employers want to see that you are cooperative, friendly, real, and driven. They also want to have faith that you can perform successfully if they hire you.
How can we help you?
Searching for an opportunity in the construction industry? Contact The Birmingham Group’s team of seasoned commercial construction recruiters today to discuss your career path or browse our open positions.
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