Roald Dahl Day is celebrated every year on the 13th of September; the world famous and much-loved author’s birthday. To mark this special day we have taken inspiration from one of his most famous books and come up with a Dahl-ightful Charlie and the Chocolate Factory inspired blog.
As you are probably aware, at the end of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the mecurial Willy Wonka hands over the ownership of his chocolate factory to one lucky individual. Comparing this to the business world, the whole book could be seen as one long and eventful application process. The book’s initial process of whittling applicants down to the final candidates is probably unrealistic, even though it may sometimes seem like it may be as random as finding a golden ticket in a chocolate bar. However, once they’ve been settled upon, the remainder of the book can definitely be seen as the final interview stage of a job application. Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, and even Charlie Bucket could definitely have benefitted from our nine helpful interview tips.
- Know the format – are you having a formal interview, with a panel of people and a presentation, or a less formal chat with one person? It is important to know this before you turn up on the day. To be fair to all five kids, Willy Wonka did not make it clear that the visit to his chocolate factory was anything more than a competition prize.
- Be on time – it sounds obvious doesn’t it, but it is surprising how many people don’t allow enough time for travel and last minute hiccups on the day of an interview. Give yourself a break. Plan in plenty of contingency and then you will arrive fresh and ready for anything. To give credit to all of the ticket winners, time keeping didn’t appear to be an issue for any of them. It was probably the excitement…
- Let nerves be your friend – if you feel like there is a butterfly farm developing in your stomach, don’t fret. Nerves and adrenalin will help you perform on the day. So harness this by going somewhere quiet beforehand to do some deep breathing to compose yourself. Stood outside the gates of the factory, Charlie Bucket is riddled with nerves compared to the other children. He soon settles into the process though, and puts in a stellar performance.
- Listen – listening is a great skill to harness in general, and even more essential in interviews. It is so easy to miss the point of a question if you are a little nervous, so make sure you take time to hear the whole question before your brain starts whirring to think of a killer answer. Veruca Salt could definitely have benefitted from developing this skill a little earlier. If she would have just listened a little more to Mr. Wonka, and not tried to take a squirrel, she probably wouldn’t have ended up falling down a rubbish chute.
- Be relevant – if you have done your preparation, you should hopefully have some examples to mind, but think about which experience is most relevant to the question being asked. Take a deep breath and go for it. Mike Teavee never exhibits this skill during his time in the chocolate factory, relating everything back to his television obsession. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t get the job either.
- It is a two-way street – interviews are not one sided – it is as much about you being comfortable with the role and organization, as it is about you fitting the bill for the employer. So, think of the interview as a conversation rather than a grilling. This is also your opportunity to ask any questions you may have. In general, disregarding a few eccentric outbursts, Wonka seems quite amiable, approachable and open to questions.
- Don’t be a shrinking violet… but don’t be a Violet Beauregarde either – confidence is a desirable trait for an employer. So is modesty. It can sometimes be tricky to find the right balance. Too much modesty, and you’re underselling yourself. Too much confidence, and you come across as arrogant. “Gum Chewing Champion” Violet Beauregarde would probably fit into this category. Practice makes perfect though, so put in the time and effort to find the right balance when providing the interviewer with your responses.
- Be real – employers don’t want to talk to a robot. They want to find out about the real you, so be yourself. If you have made it through the CV sift then you have something that sets you apart from the pack. It’s probably quite a good thing to have an overwhelming love of chocolate if you own a chocolate factory. Unfortunately, if that’s your only passion and you don’t have anything else to distinguish you from the other candidates then you’re up a chocolate river without a paddle really… poor Augustus never really stood a chance!
- Smile – you’ve made it through to the interview so try and enjoy the experience. It is your chance to talk about what you are passionate about and show the panel why you really want this job. This is one of the many things that sets Charlie apart from the other children. His positive and pleasant demeanor far outweighs his minor discretion on the tour, and ultimately wins over Mr. Wonka and lands him the ownership of the factory.
