Just like OP said, mine thought me a lesson although i got the job but its something people should learn from.. I went there with the mind they already have CV with them and there wasn't gonna be anything like test but on getting there i was greeted with something else. I actually went there for an enquiry bt i was ushered into their conference room for an interview with another lady who also came for the job. The interview section wasn't funny at all coupled with me nt being prepared but i did a research abt the company and that gave me an edge. They gave us plain A4 paper to write the summary of our CV and an application letter, after that they gave us the main test(theory) wch touch every section of the company. At the end it was God and the confidence i had that made me to pass although i was a bit shaky at first.

going for a marketing interview with a security firm this week....please what do I need to b irresistible to d hr

to ovacome fear, u nid to use d Albert Ellis Theory of ABCDE

Tundeajani:
ishe eyonu niyen..your babalawo is working oh..abeg share me dat black soap abeg

Me sef nor mind ooo... Eyonu ayeraye!!!

victorVIC1:

D job is urs bro...best of luck

Amen!!!

1) Lost out in BRISTOW helicopters interview because I couldn't name the helicopters in their fleet. (You must research every company that has called you for an interview

2) Lost out in UAC 2nd stage because I did not have the answer to who the American Secretary of state (Try to read wide during your job search)

3) Lost out in DIAGEO assessment centre final stage (Tried to prove I knew too much during the group stage of the assessment centre)

4) Lost out in BAT management trainee 2nd stage (I was asked a simple question of " Can we meet you"? And I rambled non-stop for 10mins of inconsequential info, the interviewer had to tell me to stick to the point)

5) Lost out in SHELL, CHEVRON (Skills test), MOBIL, NLNG (2nd stage), ADDAX (skills test), GSK, CHAMS (2nd stage)

I thought my village people were after me at a time (lol)

Presently work in a MNC (after I added all lessons that I learnt over years of testing and interviews) earning WELL OVER 6 figures!!

Is it okay to wear the slim tie to an interview or must it always be the big tie?

Following, I must commend the efforts of the contributors thus far...Kudos! . Have heard companies asked this question 'How did you hear of this vacancy?'. Please does the answer one gives matter to be actually considered for the position? If so, why and What should be the approprate response to this question? Your contributions pleaseee

xpertise:
Following, I must commend the efforts of the contributors thus far...Kudos! . Have heard companies asked this question 'How did you hear of this vacancy?'. Please does the answer one gives matter to be actually considered for the position? If so, why and What should be the approprate response to this question? Your contributions pleaseee

@xpertise, the answer you gave does not matter. They normally ask this question in order to collate info on how best to advertise for their vacancies in the future. So, the answer you gave would not affect your performance on the interview.

I once attended an interview where I was asked "why do you want to leave your current job". I made a mistake of telling the interviewer exactly what was happening in that company that I didn't like not knowing that the interviewer/organization was also guilty of. He just told me "we also do it here and most companies in this country also do it. Hence, you can't work here too.

This is really great thread. Although I don't got any interview experience yet but yall comments are helping out for real. Soonest I believe I'll got to face such... Cheers*

I happened to be a recruiter, apart from the fact that many Nigerian job seekers do not know how to write a good CV, if they manage to be called for interview, they are really not sure of themselves. A good HR professional will interview you based on some set of competencies he's looking for- team player, communication, leadership etc depending on the job and level of skill. However, you need more than that to secure job in this very tight and bleak job market. I have a programme I have designed for recent graduates, entry level and career changers to help you get a job. It is free of charge but requires a very high level of commitment. If after going through the programme for 3 months and you dont see any change or changes in your life/ career you can stop. You can contact me via this number 08035506818. Cheers

Mine was very funny. It was painful that i lost the job,very painful.
I was asked for my expectation as regards salary.
"I said 100k to 120k"!
I was never called back!

Never answere a question with "I don't know" or the word "No Idea"

victorVIC1:

hmmm...plz, any1 wit suggestions on how to overcome fear?

One good way to overcome fear is to be prepared, ,have good knowledge of the company and position applied for. Then, 'practice and rehearse' in front of friends or mirror

Wearing a perfume. I attended an interview where i was to meet the MD. I was ushered into his expansive office but, my cologne triggered his asthma and i had to invite his P.A before we could revive him with Salbutamol inhaler. That was the end of the show. Please avoid wearing perfumes or deodorants. Some employers are asthmatic or allergic to scented chemicals. Peace.

@victorvic1
@egonec

my little contribution is, never price urself low.. A guy was @ d negotiation stage in my coy wen they ask how much he was expectin.. The guy said 70k.. For d post of account officer even with his ACA cert??.. My boss said he might become desperate n commit fraud.. So he wasnt employed..

[quote
author=liliangmail post=25265352]Very Interesting! *yea* av become
part of me! . Another is *tongu lickin my lips b4 ansin any interview
question [/quote]
chai! am a victim of dat Tongue/Lips licking ooo. I wana stop. Sombody help...

I hyped my cv sha. Not badly but hey I put B. Eng. Structural engineering rightly so, but I studied in the civil engineering department. Anyways I can use B. Eng. Civil Engr or B. Eng. Structural Engineering no problem. But I used Structural Engineering and went for Sahara Power last interview stage with top management.
I wanted to cry when someone from the panel was like
"hmmm structural engineering you really can't work here, if it was civil engineering we would have considered"

moral of the story : Use extra care when hyping your CV, don't overhype

Wonderful thread, really learning a lot

chidyhels:
All of you prescribing alomo for confidence ...
when alomo back fires eh!

Learn to build your confidence level as early as possible.
Ask questions at occassions and events, always try to contribute during meetings or gatherings. Take up teaching during NYSc, it builds ur ability to face a crowd.
Don't shy away from presentation during ur school days, be the group leader, do the presentation, don't just be an onlooker.

With time you wont shake again even if its the president u are facing.

A wise man wud carry his notepad and write out sometin, bin writing 4rm page 0

victorD3:
If you want to see a good and burning confidence during interviews then get a job first. If you have a reliable job to fall back to you will be super confident during interviews.

I was ask by an interview panel in internationsl coy based in Lagos.

Panel:where are you from ?
Me: I'm a nigerian

Panel: what state are you from?
Me: for personal reasons let's stop at my country since that alone qualifies me for the position as advertised (procurement and logistic lead, south west)

Penel: This time the procurement manager - It is important you tell us so we can continue the interview. Then the supply chain coordinator jumped in and ask if I have any particular reasons I'm not mentioning my state.
Me: I believe this is an international firm and asking where am from which should stop at me being a Nigerian which qualifies me for the job.

Panel : Please look at the category of people in this panel and don't waste my time ( all managers and top officers including Nigerians and foreigners)
Me : I took days off from me work which I enjoy so much and flew down to Lagos so I wouldn't say I'm wasting time, even jolome (the HR secretary) knoews how difficult it was for me to accept a working day for my interview.

Panel: I British man amongst them picked up my CV and said " oh! Strathclyde University now I see where that's its coming from". One of the panelist angrily said that I should leave the British mentality and face what's done in Nigeria.And if you have a job as you said why not stay in your office and do your work?
Me : At this point I was puting all my credentials together inside my file in preparation to leave . I told the man that I have been to an interview that all the interviewers left the coy within 5 weeks of my working there because life is dynamic and nobody hires who is static. We spent over 50 minutes arguing this but the smart guys where actually learning and finding it interesting while the Tribalists (not mentioning the tribe) amongst them wanted me to mention my state so I will maybe be marked down because they have a particular tribe they wanted at heart.

Panel: Time is up for our break and we will continue in 15 minutes:
Me : Thank you for listening I will be heading to my hotel to get myself ready for my travel tomorrow .

Panel: No its important we finish with you because you have gone through all our 3 staging of recruitment and all these you paid your way to Lagos
Me: well I'm not sure this one will favor me

Panel: They insisted
Me: Sorry Sir this day have made me appreciate my current job me because nobody has ever bothered to know where am from for 3yrs of working there, but over here which I percieved would have been a wonderful place to share my vast experiences and know how I was been asked where am from at the door step. Perhaps next will be is I support APC or not. I left Lagos the next day

2 Months later

Me : I'm in Ghana for a training my department organised for there senior engineers. Life looking wonderful in a 4 star hotel chating on fb after the second day training. Received an email because they have been trying mg number with no success .

Letter: That the penel has realized that they werent professional towards me and that they are considering me for the position of a procurement/ logistic assistant.This position was without interview and more or less that was my appointment letter.
Me: well this position came with a salary of over 380k with so much other benefits and I was earning 210k then in my current organisation. Well I turned down the job because there was bad blood already and I would be working under the same guys that treated me so unfairly . well my special adviser( my late mother) told me to shun them and move on which I'm happy I did. Now I have worked myself to a comfortable position in the same organisation that I have time to do all my personal projects and travel anywhere I want without someone threatening me.


Please there is no time to read all me sentences do pardon my typo

me likey.

I have an hilarious job interview to share on this platform. sometimes around the third quarter of the year my phone buzz and behold an invitation to attend a job interview on Victoria island as a senior medical officer in one of those top. choices Hospital in Lagos. the name start with letter R for rice and end with letter N for Nigeria.
I arrive at the center at the schedule time. The process went hitch free . I saw my Hr miss Busola not real name and she guided us on the second phase of the interview. At my turn I was asked to produce my certificates of which I did but unknowing to me two vitals documents were missing from what I uploaded online as my CV.
the first was my Msc qualification at LUTH. And the second was ATLS certificate. Atlas means advance trauma life support.
Truly I had my msc but its uncompleted due to outstanding project which am yet to write. For the atls I smuggle it just like our politicians does...tinubugate..oduahgate..and Toronto gate..just to bolster my CV. They caught me and I declined vehemently to owned up for my deeds. The rep told me I came overall second but the scandal will not make them offer me the job.Thank you

MunAKeyzZ:

ANSWER- I will sue the company.

Hahahaha....bro you are harsh ooo

victorD3:
If you want to see a good and burning confidence during interviews then get a job first. If you have a reliable job to fall back to you will be super confident during interviews.

I was ask by an interview panel in internationsl coy based in Lagos.

Panel:where are you from ?
Me: I'm a nigerian

Panel: what state are you from?
Me: for personal reasons let's stop at my country since that alone qualifies me for the position as advertised (procurement and logistic lead, south west)

Penel: This time the procurement manager - It is important you tell us so we can continue the interview. Then the supply chain coordinator jumped in and ask if I have any particular reasons I'm not mentioning my state.
Me: I believe this is an international firm and asking where am from which should stop at me being a Nigerian which qualifies me for the job.

Panel : Please look at the category of people in this panel and don't waste my time ( all managers and top officers including Nigerians and foreigners)
Me : I took days off from me work which I enjoy so much and flew down to Lagos so I wouldn't say I'm wasting time, even jolome (the HR secretary) knoews how difficult it was for me to accept a working day for my interview.

Panel: I British man amongst them picked up my CV and said " oh! Strathclyde University now I see where that's its coming from". One of the panelist angrily said that I should leave the British mentality and face what's done in Nigeria.And if you have a job as you said why not stay in your office and do your work?
Me : At this point I was puting all my credentials together inside my file in preparation to leave . I told the man that I have been to an interview that all the interviewers left the coy within 5 weeks of my working there because life is dynamic and nobody hires who is static. We spent over 50 minutes arguing this but the smart guys where actually learning and finding it interesting while the Tribalists (not mentioning the tribe) amongst them wanted me to mention my state so I will maybe be marked down because they have a particular tribe they wanted at heart.

Panel: Time is up for our break and we will continue in 15 minutes:
Me : Thank you for listening I will be heading to my hotel to get myself ready for my travel tomorrow .

Panel: No its important we finish with you because you have gone through all our 3 staging of recruitment and all these you paid your way to Lagos
Me: well I'm not sure this one will favor me

Panel: They insisted
Me: Sorry Sir this day have made me appreciate my current job me because nobody has ever bothered to know where am from for 3yrs of working there, but over here which I percieved would have been a wonderful place to share my vast experiences and know how I was been asked where am from at the door step. Perhaps next will be is I support APC or not. I left Lagos the next day

2 Months later

Me : I'm in Ghana for a training my department organised for there senior engineers. Life looking wonderful in a 4 star hotel chating on fb after the second day training. Received an email because they have been trying mg number with no success .

Letter: That the penel has realized that they werent professional towards me and that they are considering me for the position of a procurement/ logistic assistant.This position was without interview and more or less that was my appointment letter.
Me: well this position came with a salary of over 380k with so much other benefits and I was earning 210k then in my current organisation. Well I turned down the job because there was bad blood already and I would be working under the same guys that treated me so unfairly . well my special adviser( my late mother) told me to shun them and move on which I'm happy I did. Now I have worked myself to a comfortable position in the same organisation that I have time to do all my personal projects and travel anywhere I want without someone threatening me.


Please there is no time to read all me sentences do pardon my typo

U have my respect for ever... round of applause.



Mistakes i have made...
was fresh out of service.. went for Michael Stevens consulting interview and the HR asked "Can u tell me anything about yourself that you dont have on your CV'' Na so i day stare like Mumu.. was so mad @ myself after i left cuz right there on my way home.. all the things i should have said stated crossing my mind.

Mine was painful.

I had already aced the first stage of my interview as a facilities manager in one of best real estate org in Nigeria. (Questions were asked from heaven and earth....55mins I was still on that hot seat....but I passed).

A week later:
Me: Instrumentation & Control class....phone rings..grin grin grin...I excused myself, picked the call.
HR: Hello, am I on to Michael?
Me: Yes (I had already recognized the 01-..... number)
HR: You have been shortlisted for the second stage of the interview for the post of FM... Check you mail for other details
Me: Thank you.

Two days later:
Me: In the Organization (Conference room) with the other two successful candidates.. Mind you, they needed three slots (from the advert)..
Me: Just thinking ahead---what level of questions would they likely ask again...since I had clearly smashed the initial interview.

HR comes in: Calls the first guy...less than 4mins, he was out.
My turn: I got into the supposed interviewer's office, only to see two big bosses sitting(a white man & a black man).
Bosses: Pls do have a sit..... Can we know you?
Me: I started talking o.... Now, here was my mistake... I happen to be a field electrical engineer in my current organization...so I don't operate generators there (we have authorized Power distribution engineers incharge).
Bosses: Do you operate your generators?
Me: No
Bosses: At all?
Me: My job starts from the 1st electrical panel the gen goes to....down to the smallest of a switch.
Bosses: Ok, thank you.

Brothers n Sisters.... that was how the HR lady (among the first interviewers) came to meet me and asked me...what did I tell them in there? I explained myself to her...
She later said, I wasn't successful in the second stage, and the third stage interviewer said there will be no need for him interviewing me.

IT WAS A PAINFUL ONE.
N.B: My years of experience wasn't up to 5years sef...but I was shortlisted for the 1st stage. I just clocked a year with my current organization.

MunAKeyzZ:

ANSWER- I will sue the company.

me go follow asked dem weyda i b dia maga wey i go dey work witout being pay...abi na dia balls i go dey eat come dey work..

What's the best answer to these questions: what's your selling point?,tell me about yourself?

hardeyswaggz:
THIS WAS MY STORY LAST WEEK;

INTERVIEWER : Do you know anything about colours?

ME : (wondering his point exactly and scared of a yes or no) Nodded.

INTERVIEWER : Have u ever bn to an interview?

ME : (still wondering) Yes, About four....

INTERVIEWER : Do u knw why u av never bn picked?

ME : (...

INTERVIEWER : Tell me why you used a red Tye?

ME : (looked at the tye maybe it cld give me an ansa) Cuz i wanted to be distinct

INTERVIEWER : So if you have come in here and saw any of us use a red tye what would u have done?

ME : (Looked at their necks maybe an ansa cld come) i knw none of my interviewers av ever used a red a tye and i knw today cannot be an exception.

INTERVIEWER : Do u knw a red colour is offensive

ME : (Shocked)

INTERVIEWER : thats why u av never bn picked in any of your four interviews

ME : (Tryna change it) I have bn picked in two of the interviews but i turned them down

INTERVIEWER : WHY
.
.
.
.
.
.
MY HAND DON DEY PAIN ME JARE I WAN SLEEP....WATCHOUT FOR PART TWO.

It doesnt work that way always. In my organisation, the official tie colour is red. If you happen to meet the md or ed with a red tie during your interview, that might be the game changer.

victorVIC1:

hmmm...plz, any1 wit suggestions on how to overcome fear?

Involve in public speeking training.

Good evening,

Mine was a question that had to do with "taking a decison and facing the resultant consequence" or " not taking a decision at all". Please! Tell the interviewer, you will rather take a decison and face whatever happens than not to take any. All the best...