If you’re searching for energy or oil and gas jobs in the UK and have an interview coming up, don’t miss these top tips on how to ensure your interview is a success.
You can never be over-prepared for an interview; however, it can be difficult to know what you have to prepare for if you are dealing with employers directly, rather than applying via a recruitment agent.
An interviewer can tell if you’ve done your preparation or not, and the amount of preparation you have done ultimately shows whether or not you are genuinely interested in both the role and the company.
So, if you’re looking for oil and gas jobs in the UK and want to maximise your chances of interview success, look no further.
From technical knowledge and interpersonal skills to conducting thorough research, your preparation should include the following...
How to prepare for your next interview
1. Research the organisation
First things first, you need to research the organisation you are interviewing with. What exactly do they do? Who are their competitors? And what does their business consist of?
Scroll through the company website for any latest news and announcements, and be sure to read their latest blog posts so you can get a feel for the company too.
It’s also worth looking at their social media pages. Essentially, the more you know about the company in question, the more eager you will appear to your interviewer.
2. Research the individuals
It’s also important to research your interviewer and your interview panel. Your interview provides an excellent opportunity to impress and build a rapport with your interviewer, so it’s important to be as prepared as possible.
Use social media such as LinkedIn to look at the employees and your interviewer, and try to find out what role they do, what their background is, and who they interact with.
With this preparation done, think about your own experience, how it complements the business and bear this in mind for use when framing your questions to the organisation(more on that below!) and of course, answering their questions to you.
3. Before the interview
Preparation complete, it’s now time to think about what will happen on the day or the interview. Firstly, it’s important to ensure that you have researched how long you will need to get to the interview,and also consider any logistics such as what parking is like in the vicinity.
It’s always a good idea to plan to arrive with at least 15 minutes to spare, so if there is any traffic or if you struggle to find somewhere to park you will have plenty of time to spare.
In case you are running late for any reason, we’d recommend having a mobile phone with you in case of any lastminute issues, however, ensure the phone is switched off or silenced prior to entering the building.
Finally, first impressions are hugely important so ensure you dress appropriately for the interview in business attire. Avoid wearing overpowering perfume/aftershave and refrain from smoking and anystrong smelling foods or drinks prior to your interview.
4. The actual interview
Interviews normally take one of two formats:
Traditional/Biographical Interview
This is where the interviewer will ask you questions about your experience based on your CV/application form and will explore the descriptions you’ve given and any gaps in your employment.
Competency/Behavioural Interview
This type of interview is where the interviewer is looking to assess your abilities/experiences against the untrainable aspects of their vacancy. During the interview, they will look for specific examples of where you have demonstrated a required skill.
5. Use the STAR technique
When answering your oil and gas interview questions, the STAR technique is the best method to answer behavioural style questions:
Situation – Be specific and outline the situation, ideally giving an example from a professional experience. If you cannot think of a work-related example, a personal experience that matches the criteria is acceptable.
Task Required – What was required of you either as a team or an individual? Explain the objectives, targets, KPI’s, deadlines and why it was required/consequences of inaction.
Action – Be specific and explain what part you played in the process. What did you do? Why did you do it? What actions did you take?
Result – What was the result? Did you meet your objectives? Were you happy with the outcome? Could you have done anything differently? How did you analyse your performance?
6. Ask questions
Interviews should not be a one-way process. After all, you are also interviewing your prospective employer to see whether they are right for you, so it’s important to take the opportunity to ask all the questions you need to make an informed decision before leaving the meeting.
If your interview has been very interactive then it can sometimes be hard to think of additional questions to ask, so it is always a good idea to keep some questions up your sleeve for the end of the interview. Some examples of this are:
Show interest in the position by asking why the position is vacant. Is it a replacement of a leaver/ promotion, a newly created role, or a new project/development?
What are the company expectations of this role/ individual? What do they see as the longer-term progression/career path of the position being?
What is the working environment/current team dynamics like? How would you fit in based upon your interview?
What are the challenges the business currently faces and what do they perceive them to be over the next 12 months? What would be your part in overcoming these challenges?
Get the interviewer talking and ask them what they enjoy about the company, what challenges did they face as a new employee and what advice they would offer to a new start.
7. Ask for feedback
On closing, if you feel positive about the meeting, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on how you’ve performed at the interview.
Asking for feedback not only means you can improve your interview technique when applying for future technology, energy, and oil and gas jobs in the UK, but also shows to your interviewer how eager you are to work for them.
Reiterate your interest in the position, ask them if they require any further clarification or expansion on your experiences, and gain commitment on what the next process or decision timeline will be.
Useful interview tips
Arrive in good time, dressed to impress and greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and a smile.
Remain positive in both your question answering and in your personal body language.
Be prepared by researching the company, business and people beforehand and be ready to demonstrate your interest/suitability.
Avoid just answering yes/no and give examples of where you’ve utilised a particular skill/experience.
Have questions ready for the end of the interview and don’t be afraid to tell them why you’re the right candidate for the position.
How Orion Group can help
If you’re searching for specialist energy, technology, or oil and gas jobs in the UK, look no further than Orion Group. Our dedicated team are experts in the oil and gas recruitmentmarket and will be more than happy to help you every step of the way.
Alternatively, register your CV to be first to hear about our latest oil and gas jobs in the UK, or contact our team to find out more about howe we can help you.
