If your job application raises the employer’s interest, you will get an invitation to a job interview. Prior to an interview, go to the employer’s website. Make sure you know the exact location of the company so that you will be there on time on the interview day. You must get to the interview on time and in good shape. The interviewer will already create an impression of you based on your handshake and the first impression may be difficult to change later. Good, polite manners are key as well as a neat and well-groomed appearance.
Choose your outfit based on the job you are applying for. Consider whether you are applying for a job in customer service, manufacturing industry or management. However, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and easy in your clothes. Also non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures, affect the impression the interviewer will make of you. Take your portfolio with job and school certificates or work samples to the interview. There are many ways to succeed in a job interview so it is important to be yourself and try not to be too nervous.
You can practice the interview in advance and think about answers to questions that may be posed. Only questions related to the job may be asked in the interview.
There are also issues you do not have to reveal in a job interview, even if the employer asked about them. These include questions about the family situation and plans, religion and political conviction. The employer must not place applicants to unequal position based on their answers or decision not to answer.
Remember that not all questions need to be answered (for example, questions relating to family status or political beliefs).
Video interview
Video interviews are frequently used in the job search. Pay attention to the same issues in video interviews as in conventional interviews. Neat and well-groomed appearance and polite manners are conveyed to the employer in video interviews, too. Be yourself on the video and don’t forget to smile. It is important to make sure that the background in your video is neat and the surroundings are quiet and peaceful.
Preparing for a video interview:
- If the questions are available in advance, study them before the interview starts. The questions may contain information on how long they hope the answers to be.
- Practice your answers and try out different camera angles, for example by lifting the computer camera upwards.
- Test your microphone and loudspeakers in advance.
- Remember to switch your computer on well in advance for the interview.
- Check that the computer and the internet connection are working.
Tests in connection with job interviews:
In connection with e.g. recruitment you may be tested in personal and aptitude assessments. This is to find out about your qualifications to perform the duties. During the employment you may be tested to find out about needs for training and other vocational development. The person’s consent is always required for personal testing.
The employer may request a drug test from the applicant. Taking the test, however, requires the applicant’s consent. A drug test can be requested when the applicant is supposed to do work that requires accuracy, reliability, independent discretion or good responsiveness and in which performing one’s duties under the influence of drugs or with a drug addiction may:
- put the employee’s or another person’s life, health or occupational safety at risk;
- compromise national defence or government security;
- cause dangerous driving;
- increase the risk of significant environmental damage;
- risk the protection, availability, integrity and quality of information received in duty, and hence cause harm or damage to the general interests protected by confidentiality regulations or jeopardize the protection of privacy or rights of the registered; or
- put a business secret at risk or cause the employer or their customer more than minor economic damage, if the compromising of a business secret or the generation of a financial risk cannot be prevented by other means.
The employer also has a right based on the applicant’s consent to process information when:
- the applicant is supposed to perform duties that require special confidentiality, that involve working outside of the premises controlled by the employer and whereby performing the duties under the influence of drugs or with a drugs addiction can cause significant financial damage to the employer’s customer or jeopardize their personal safety;
- the applicant is supposed to perform duties that permanently or essentially involve the upbringing, teaching, nursing or other care for a minor or other work in personal interaction with a minor, and without the participation of other people; or
- the applicant is supposed to independently and without supervision perform such duties that provide access to narcotics or to a higher than small amount of such medicine that can be used to intoxicating purposes.
The rules above are also applied if the employee’s duties change during the employment so that they meet the preconditions above for the employer’s right to process information marked on the certificate regarding a drug test.
The employer can view the credit information if the duties involve a possibility to pursue illegal financial advantage. Such duties include e.g. duties that involve making decisions regarding financial commitments, granting credits and controlling them, processing customers’ or the organization assets or having access to protected business or professional secrets.