The Power of Mock Interviews

by Veronica Blatt

image of young woman in an interview settingToday’s guest blogger is Tim Lane founder and director of Park Lane Recruitment based near Manchester UK. Park Lane Recruitment is a specialist recruiting firm in the technology space with niche areas of cybersecurity, fintech, space and defense IT, as well as generic IT sales, tech and managerial. Tim is currently serving as secretary/treasurer on the NPAworldwide board of directors and is a 30+ year veteran of the recruiting industry. In his post below, Tim addresses the current skills gap and other issues making it harder for candidates to find new roles.

In the challenging landscape of job interviews, where nerves often run high, the often-overlooked power of mock interviews can serve as the secret weapon that transforms a nervous candidate into a confident contender.

These simulations are not mere practice sessions; they are invaluable stepping stones toward interview success. Read the rest of this entry »


Top Behavioral Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

by Kerry Crockett

Behavioral interview questions are designed to reveal how you’ve handled situations in the past to predict your future performance. Employers use them to assess skills like problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability. Being prepared with thoughtful, structured responses can set you apart from other candidates and leave a lasting impression.  Read the rest of this entry »


When Interviews Get Real: How to Stand Out (and Not Just Blend In)

by Veronica Blatt

Our guest blogger is Pam Robison of J. Gifford Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. J. Gifford Inc. is a small, quality conscious firm providing highly individualized recruiting services to clients on a local, regional, national and international basis. The firm’s recruiting activities are focused on professional, technical and managerial placement, as well as contractor and international staffing for clients. Pam is currently Chair of the NPAworldwide Board of Directors. In this post, she discusses how candidates can make the best impression in job interviews.

Congratulations, you’ve landed an interview! How do you stand out without looking like you’re trying too hard? It’s time to use strategy, a dash of charm, and yes, common sense to shine. Here’s your guide to becoming the candidate they can’t forget. Read the rest of this entry »


Avoid These Off-Limits Interview Questions

by Dave Nerz

As a recruiter, an employer, or a job candidate, interview preparation is critical. Here are some examples of off-limits interview questions as well as some really solid behavioral question options. Read the rest of this entry »


5 Interview Questions That Can Drive Conversations

by Dave Nerz

I have been subscribing to The HR Specialist and it has solid content every month. A recent issue captured the results of posts put in their forum. Here are some of the interview questions mentioned by those posting in the forum:

Of course there are all the standard interview questions we have heard, like:

  • “Tell me about yourself.”
  • “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?”
  • “What is your favorite color and why?”

Read the rest of this entry »


Recruiters and Employers, Upgrade Your Virtual Interview Skills

by Dave Nerz

Vetting job candidates via virtual interview is likely to continue for the near-term and perhaps longer.

While it makes sense for candidates to be challenged by a virtual interview, recruiters and employers need to up their games. Remote connections of all types will be expected by your target candidates. The process and the outcomes must be taken very seriously to win over most candidates and specifically the top talent sought. Read the rest of this entry »


Breaking the Covid Interviewing Experience

by Veronica Blatt

Our guest blogger is Roman Duty of Recruiting Services International / RSI in Rushville, Indiana. RSI is a boutique executive search firm that celebrated 50 consecutive years of business in 2020. The firm provides highly individualized recruiting services to clients on a local, regional, and international basis. The firm’s recruiting activities are focused on high-level technical search and managerial placement in many manufacturing arenas.

In 2020, the recruiting industry has witnessed a record number of counteroffers, fall-offs, no-shows, and ghosting from all parties involved. Sadly, as we move past Q1 2021, COVID doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Are the masses losing common courtesy to commit to their word, or the gumption to just be forthright when they change their mind or are displeased? Perhaps the relationships that are built are just too superficial, due to the speed and ease of technology, so everyone treats each other as transactional. Fingers point both directions. Read the rest of this entry »


Whose Perspective?

by Veronica Blatt

Our guest blogger is Pam Robison of J. Gifford Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. J. Gifford Inc. is a small, quality conscious firm providing highly individualized recruiting services to clients on a local, regional, national and international basis. The firm’s recruiting activities are focused on professional, technical and managerial placement, as well as contractor and international staffing for clients. Pam is a member of the NPAworldwide Board of Directors.

Isn’t it interesting how several people who share the same experience can have such different perspectives from one another? As a professional recruiter, I observe at least three sides to interview perspectives. There’s the employer (company), the candidate, and the recruiter side. I could probably write a book about this, but I’ll keep it short and sweet for now. Read the rest of this entry »


Be Curious, Not Judgmental

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s guest blogger is Paulette Steele with Real Resumes located in Queensland, Australia. Real Resumes is educating people from beginning to end on getting a job.  Short videos cover all aspects including: where to look for a job, writing effective resumes, researching and preparing for the interview, and most importantly, mastering the interview itself. Paulette has 15 years of recruitment experience and a vast career in various industries. She writes below about the need for recruiters to evaluate thoroughly, but resist the tendency to judge a candidate on the wrong criteria.

Why is it that as humans we tend to judge people too quickly by their looks or words? As actor Michael J. Fox said, “The least amount of judging we can do, the better off we are.” Read the rest of this entry »


Coach Your Clients to Make Candidate Interviews Personal

by Dave Nerz

image of candidate interviewsRecruiters, coach your clients on candidate interviews. The trends over the years have bounced back and forth from employers asking really quirky questions that had little to do with job performance to full-on behavioral interviewing with little to no time for the personal aspect of a candidate. Likely, somewhere in the middle is a good place to land. Recruitment best practices have long had a mix of job, skill, performance and personal aspects of the candidate in the mix. Help your clients add back the personal aspect without creating risk to themselves or the company. Read the rest of this entry »


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