Interview Tips - Common Themes of Concern
Because candidates will rarely be interviewed unless their resume demonstrates the prerequisite qualifications, interviews are not normally overly technical in nature. Your consultant will normally be able to advise you on the interviewer/firm's normal style and any standard questions based on past experience.
However, there are certain key issues which the interviewer will be trying to gauge through both direct and indirect questions:
1. That you are not expecting a "working holiday".
The only question you are guaranteed to be asked, is "What attracts you to working in [Cayman, BVI, Bermuda etc]?". Don't feel that you can't mention the many lifestyle benefits of living offshore (climate, lack of pollution, crime, long commutes, low taxes etc) - you wouldn't be fooling anyone if you didn't. But you should begin by emphasizing the new professional challenges and career prospects that potentially await you with that firm.
2. That you are 100% committed to relocating.
Interviewers will frequently ask questions about your personal circumstances, which may at first seem like small-talk or chit-chat, but are in fact designed to test your resolve. They will want to know that everything has been thought through and that you have no intention of moving here to "test the water" without burning your bridges at home. They may ask questions such as:
- How will you cope being far away from family and friends
- Do you own a house?
- What does your partner do? (i.e. what is their occupation?)
- How will your partner/children feel about moving?
- What are you most/least looking forward to about moving to [Cayman/BV/Bermuda etc]?
The interviewer will at least expect to hear that you have considered all the angles and that you and your family have done substantial research on life in the country in which you are hoping to make your home.
Some of these questions may even seem somewhat inappropriate by regular interview standards - few interviews in your home city would cover your personal circumstances in such detail. There are important, practical reasons to cover this ground during an interview for a job that would require you to move overseas. However, if you feel a question has overstepped the mark of your privacy, simply say that you would rather not go into that topic at this stage and tell the interview that you will be happy to go into more detail if things proceed with the company and/or the interviewer feels it is critical for you to do so. This should only be done as a last resort as it may well give the interviewer cause for concern if you are not able to be entirely open and honest.
3. That you have good communication skills
One reason that telephone interviews are common for offshore roles is that, because the majority of your clients will be based overseas, much of the communication with clients in your prospective role will be over the telephone. It is therefore critical that you can communicate well in this medium. Here are some tips to impress the interviewer.
- Speak clearly and take care to enunciate your words.
- Avoid using slang. Unless your interviewer happens to be a compatriot, it could be unintelligible or be misunderstood and may be interpreted as somewhat unprofessional.
- When it comes to humour, take the lead from the interviewer. If the interviewer introduces a little humour then don't be afraid to relax and demonstrate your own sense of humour. However, you should always err on the side of caution.
4. That you have a reasonably outgoing and sociable personality
Moving to a new country involves unfamiliar situations and people. The desire and ability to make new friends makes it easier to adjust to life in a new land. This is certainly not to say that firms will expect every candidate to be a social butterfly or extravert, but they will want to know that you are not timid or reclusive. It is, therefore, important that you demonstrate an ability to converse on a more informal level if and when the opportunity presents itself.
5. That you do not consider yourself above any part of the role
Some candidates fall into the trap of bragging about their responsibility level and ambitions for early advancement believing it will impress the interviewer. Whilst a good measure of ambition will undoubtedly be seen in a positive light, the interviewer wants to know that you will be happy in the job in question for now. You should make it clear that you are a team player, that you will be happy in the role in question for the duration of the initial contract (normally two years) and that you fully expect advancement to naturally be based on your superior's assessment of your performance in the role. The incredible growth rate in the offshore sector offers excellent opportunities for early advancement, but no employer would make any guarantee to anyone based on a half hour telephone discussion, no matter how highly they rate themselves.