{"id":26320,"date":"2020-06-05T09:25:51","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T09:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bb.bluelynxcareers.bg\/job-interview-tips\/"},"modified":"2023-05-04T08:24:20","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T08:24:20","slug":"job-interview-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/job-interview-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview Tips and Etiquette"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you know what&#8217;s nerve-wracking? Job interviews. Now add being in another country or not having it in your native language, it gets <\/span><b>even worse. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So you&#8217;ve put into practice all the tips you learned from our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/is-my-cv-good-enough\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CV writing article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Now the company wants to meet you. Great! But, what should you know about interviewing in the Netherlands? Keep reading to find out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What We\u2019ll Cover in This Article\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#the-job-interview-process-netherlands\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typical Job Interview Process<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#how-to-behave-during-interview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Behave During the Interview<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#Asking-about-salary\">Asking About Salary<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#job-interview-outfit\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Job Interview Outfit<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#online-interview-essentials\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online Interview Essentials<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#tricky-interview-questions\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tricky Interview Questions<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-job-interview-process-netherlands\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Job Interview Process in the Netherlands<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dutch people 101: They usually are blatantly honest and go straight to the point.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unless\u2026 we are talking about their interview culture. Job applications get reviewed relatively slowly here. Usually, they go in several rounds. In the initial interview, the company is just getting to know you. Expect standard interview questions. In some cases, you can get a phone interview as well. If you get to the second round, it means that the employer is considering you for the role. This is when you should make a serious effort to get to know the company and show you have what they are looking for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-behave-during-interview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Behave During an Interview<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to say, what not to say, how to say it<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though you know your skills and personality will be tested, it\u2019s important to appear confident. You will be openly judged by someone whether you are a good fit. It\u2019s absolutely normal to feel nervous. What to remember:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid speaking too quickly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid interrupting the interviewer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always ask if you don\u2019t understand the question &#8211; use phrases like \u201cIf I understood right, you are asking me X\/Y\/Z\u201d to make sure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make eye contact while you are speaking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perfect your <\/span><a title=\"Body Language Tips For Your Next Interview\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/body-language-tricks-to-use-during-a-job-interview-2016-7?international=true&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">body language<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid using filler words like \u201cum\u201d and \u201clike\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid smoking and drinking (unless it\u2019s water, of course)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put your phone on silent, you wouldn\u2019t want to be distracted by it in the middle of your interview.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"Asking-about-salary\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\nShould You Ask About Salary In an Interview?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The short answer is: no.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"6765d\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\">\n<div class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\">\n<p><span class=\"hardreadability\"><span data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\">Here are some reasons why you shouldn&#8217;t negotiate your salary during your interview in the Netherlands:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\">Your recruiter should have already told you the employer&#8217;s budget for this position<\/li>\n<li class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\"><span data-offset-key=\"19h18-0-0\">Salary negotiations show your strongest motivation is money. That\u2019s not favourable with employers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\"><span data-offset-key=\"5tfg3-0-0\">Some employers would actually end the interview right then and there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\"><span data-offset-key=\"5huqo-0-0\">You undermine your recruiter\u2019s integrity with the employers. As well as your prospects with the company<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"ioj1-0-0\"><span data-offset-key=\"au24g-0-0\">Think like the employer. You will be leaving the wrong impression if you try to negotiate a higher salary at such an early stage.\u00a0<\/span><span data-offset-key=\"au24g-0-0\"> \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"job-interview-outfit\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\nJob Interview Outfit: What to Wear<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Dutch are all about moderation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surely, you want to look your most professional self at the interview. But, it\u2019s important to not overdo it too. It also depends on the type of job, of course. As a general rule, keep away from extremes and apply common sense. Ripped jeans and casual T-shirts are not recommended. Smart-casual (also known as, business casual) wear should be okay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"online-interview-essentials\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online Interview Essentials<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With COVID-19 turning our lives around, online interviews became the norm. Even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/onboarding-during-corona\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">virtual onboarding<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And why shouldn\u2019t they? It\u2019s easier for everyone and safer, especially now. Some basic things you should consider. <strong>Make sure you<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a good Internet connection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test your audio and video beforehand<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find a quiet and clean space, free of distractions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Juxtapose yourself against a neutral background<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Sit up straight, smile and listen in an active manner. Just as you would do in a non-virtual interview.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tricky Job Interview Questions: How to Dodge the Bullet?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned above, the interviewer will start with some basic personal questions. If you are not Dutch, you will probably get a variation of the questions \u201cWhat brings you to the Netherlands?\u201d But, there will be trickier ones that require some serious preparation.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why did you leave your last job?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What did you dislike in your last job?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are your long-term plans?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you deal with conflict?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why should we choose you?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>See more about each below.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What did you dislike in your last job?<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might be tempted to focus on a negative aspect of your last job. If that\u2019s your strategy, consider changing your approach. If you speak ill of your previous employer, what guarantee does the new employer have that you won\u2019t do the same for them? So when you lay down your reasons for leaving your last job, start with what you enjoyed about it and then be honest about what you didn\u2019t. Avoid using adjectives with negative connotations. Let\u2019s see an example.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>What not to say:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The job was boring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>How to put it during the interview<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Over time, I started feeling too comfortable and not challenged enough in my job. My growth was stagnating and I started thinking about a change. I told my line manager about it but the company structure and processes didn\u2019t allow any changes. Even so, I learned a lot from this experience and I\u2019m eager to build on it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are ending on a positive note, you show that you tried to work this out and it demonstrates your ambition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are your long-term plans?<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"\" data-block=\"true\" data-editor=\"9svkr\" data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\">\n<div class=\"public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr\" data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\"><span data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\">This question may also sound something like \u201cWhere do you see yourself in 5 years?\u201d. If you don\u2019t plan that long ahead, what do you say? Our advice is &#8211; to be honest. <strong>It&#8217;s one of the few interview questions that you can answer with &#8220;I don&#8217;t know&#8221;.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\"><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\"><\/div>\n<div data-offset-key=\"5sq7l-0-0\">\n<p>People change all the time. If you have only a vague idea of where you see yourself in the distant future, give a general answer.The bottom line is, it&#8217;s okay not to know and the interviewer won&#8217;t judge you.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you still want to answer in a more concrete manner, you can talk about developing your skills in a certain area or growing your network.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you deal with conflict?<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conflict in the workplace is just as likely as in any other area of your life. The interviewer wants to know how you approach heated situations. Make sure you use examples from the past and how you dissolved an argument. Mention actions you took to avoid it too. Avoid using words with a negative connotation and getting emotional. Remember, the underlying message of each answer should be <\/span>&#8220;hire me&#8221;. That&#8217;s why when talking about conflict, you need to show your emotional intelligence and a flexible attitude.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why should we choose you?<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you heard about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/pages\/article\/elevator-pitch.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the elevator pitch<\/a>? Your answer to this question should be just that. Only that you are not selling a company, but yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Highlight all your key skills, experience, industry knowledge in one summary. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a question like this, the interviewer will be looking at two things.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much you understand about the role<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What your personal view on yourself is<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can structure your answer like this: This role needs someone who is [characteristic] as the nature of this job requires [how well you understand the job] and I am your person because [past experience that shows you have what it takes].<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t have any past experience, you can always use your ability to learn fast and your dedication instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still Feeling a Bit Insecure About Your Interview?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s absolutely normal. When you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/jobs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">find a job through Blue Lynx<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, our recruiters will help with the interview preparation. They have experience in giving out great advice to candidates. Blue Lynx recruiters spend time getting to know what each of our business clients wants. You will be in safe hands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are You an Expat?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Welcome to the Netherlands! One of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a title=\"Where to live, work and make a family\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.nl\/best-countries-work-make-friends-raise-family-expat-ranking-internations-2019-9?international=true&amp;r=US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the best countries to work<\/a> in<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The working culture here is based on balance. Dutch are friendly but very direct. This is sometimes considered rude by other nations. They have a good sense of measure and moderation. The best thing about the Netherlands? People celebrate their differences and are open to foreigners. Did we mention almost everyone speaks English? You will definitely find your place here.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Other articles you might find useful:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/thank-you-email-after-interview\/\">How to write a Thank You email after the interview<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/cover-letter-motivatiebrief-example\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Write a winning cover letter<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/is-my-cv-good-enough\/\">How to tell if your CV good enough<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to ace a job interview in the Netherlands &#8211; our tips and tricks for expats and Dutch natives alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29857,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26320\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelynxcareers.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}