How to nail your job interview

The Essentials

This guide makes it easy for you to make sure you’ve got a good strategy heading into your interviews.

Written by a NZ-based coach and career specialist, it’ll give you professional tips and a model for interviewing well. I'll also cover off some tips around phone interviews and psychometric assessments.

I've included a few tips for students too. Students don't have the same job experience so interviews require a different approach.

There are a few things you need to do:

Your Action Steps

• Re-read your CV, cover letter and the job advertisement to refresh your memory about what the job is and what your CV states you can do.

• Do your research: talk to people and/or go to the organisation’s website and Facebook/LinkedIn pages to learn more about the company and its key people!

• Do the basics: don’t be late, dress smartly and appropriately.

• Mind your body language. Review online videos if necessary (links included in this book).

• Prepare for interview questions using the CAR technique shown in this book and prepare questions you want to ask them.

• Find a support person to practise with.

• Remember this is a two-way street. You are bringing value. Companies NEED great people. You are also using the interview to evaluate whether the job is a good fit for you.

Full disclosure

Job search and interviews are not easy. There is a lot going on that’s out of your control and your knowledge: the people, their agendas, the politics, the job itself, other applicants, etc.

You can only control you and put your best foot forward. It may or may not be enough to land the job offer, but you’ll know you’ve given it your best shot.

Job search is brutal. Rejection stings. But know that you can’t possibly know everything that’s going on within the organisation, and how or why they make the decisions they do.

Most job seekers get rejected.

Most (not all) job seekers hate the process. If you do too, know you are not alone. It can help to treat job search like a bit of a game — because it is. It’s a numbers game. You just have to keep getting out there. And it helps to have a number of job applications on the go at any given time. If you’ve got other applications on the go, or other people to go and see, it’ll help to stem the sense of rejection when you get a “no”.

Tips

It helps to stay future focused and positive.

It's a bit of a game. “Go for it” until you get a job offer and then you can step back and decide if you want the job or not.

Focus on what you CAN do and not on what you can't. Seems obvious, but quite a few of my clients, humble and honest, go directly into explaining what they don't have experience in. Don't do this. Interviewers will work out your skills and gaps. Focus your answers on what you can do, your strengths and abilities.

Know your CV and practise answering a few difficult questions (the questions you fear the most). Quite often people employ people they like, so work on being friendly, warm, likeable and trustworthy.

Sometimes the employer has pretty much already decided who they’re employing (possibly an internal candidate) and they’re just going through the process to be seen as fair and to adhere to organisational policies.

Interviews are a two-way street. You should be finding out how well you think the role and organisation suits you and whether it’s going to give you what you want/need.

How to answer questions - use the CAR-R model

When answering Behavioural Competency type questions, consider using the CAR-R model. These are the questions that ask you for an example of a past situation or experience and how you dealt with it (your behaviour). For example:

CAR-R is a great way to demonstrate your skills and value through using real examples. It’s like giving a mini case study on a situation, challenge or accomplishment.

Without this model, most people forget to provide the context or they forget to sum up with how it all worked out. Instead they focus on only the action, and the story loses its punch.

• Context – this is a quick summation of the situation; do not spend a third of your time on this part of your answer. You score points on describing what your actions were and what the results were of your actions.

• Actions – what you did, not what your team did.

• Result – what the result was of your actions.

And possibly add:

• Reflection – only do this on some answers. It can be quite powerful to show you’ve reflected on a situation and to describe what you would do differently next time.

Example of the CAR-R model

Question: Tell us about the last time you got a new job – what was your approach in settling into the role?

Context: I accepted a new job as an Business Analyst joining an established team of six in a company in a completely different industry to my experience and one where I knew the Team Leader had quite recently been promoted into the leadership role.

Action: I made myself a 90 day plan before starting out. I’d gathered information during the interview and I’d done some research online. My focus was to observe, learn and make relationships first.

Results: It was a huge learning curve especially being in a completely different industry sector, but it all went well. I made good relationships and I got to understand some of the background and politics while I also figured out how to do my actual job.

Practice will help

Although practising probably feels uncomfortable, it’s really helpful to find a job hunting buddy or coach with whom you can talk through your answers. Set up a “mock” interview situation and get your buddy/coach to work through a few questions with you, including the questions you’re most stressed about.

My clients generally find the process of practising answers very empowering. Once they start thinking about real stories they’re often surprised just how many great examples they have! Plus they’re also surprised at how many questions each story could easily be applicable to.
For example, a story about leadership skills might easily be slightly tweaked to demonstrate problem- solving abilities or collaboration strengths.

Verbalising your answers — truly speaking out loud and to another person — is a brilliant way of getting clarity on key parts of the story, in a CAR format, and it helps with confidence.

What’s your why?

If you can clarify your “why”, your purpose, your core motivator, it's a powerful message to use in an interview.

For example, my “why” is “to empower”. That's what drives me and everything I do has to contribute towards that. Yours could be all sorts of things – like “to get a deep understanding of...”, “to make simple out of complex”, “to help in practical ways”, “to make a difference to our planet”, “to craft beautiful buildings”, 'to disrupt...”. It is well worth a time investment to consider what your “why” is. Once you've got some language around this, you can use it in an interview because it'll help the employer make sense of your motivators and why you want to work for them.

Here's a wonderful website with ideas and videos that could help you find your own why. It's by Simon Sinek. Check it out: https://startwithwhy.com/find-your-why/

Frequently Asked Questions

How important is the first impression?

It’s critical.

The first 60 seconds can be the decider (and I’m being generous here as might be only 5 seconds). I know it’s not fair or even that rational.

What can you do about it? Make the best first impression you can. Start by watching some great clips online. Here’s one of my favourite videos by Forbes on YouTube illustrating how Body Language Gets The Job. Click here.

The first thing any stranger evaluates when first meeting someone is, “Can I trust this person?” Show you are trustworthy by using great communication skills, excellent eye contact, open body language, confidence (but not too much) and authentic answers to questions (not jargon).

I get stuck on words - how do I introduce myself?

This is kind of like making your “personal branding statement”. It's the first thing you tell people about you, who you are and where your strengths, skills and experience lie. It'll create part of your first impression. And first impressions stick.

You might use this statement when you are networking, making cold calls, or in an interview situation in response to the “tell us about yourself” question.

Example 1

• I'm a [your role/area of work] with [number of] years’ experience.

• Most recently I've been working at [your company] as a [your role] and was responsible for [your key purpose in the role]. (Remember, make it positive).

• In brief, my career history [has spanned a variety/a summation/has largely been about/has included].

• My strengths are [relevant to the roles you are targeting].

• And my next career step/goal is [where you are heading/relevant to the person you are speaking with].

Example 2 – could be useful if you're young, moving locations, re-entering work, or making a change

• Start with some personal info - [your age, where you live/why you're moving, your key qualification or area of interest]

• My most recent role was [your role] and there I was responsible for [add details relevant to the job vacancy]

• Next tell them about your 'why', what you're interested in, what you're passionate about and how you could use your strengths and skills in this role as a way of contributing towards that cause.

I’m getting interviews but not offers - why not?

There are lots of genuine possible reasons including:

• There's someone else who is just a better fit. That's ok. It's nothing bad about you.

• They already had someone in mind.

• They’ve changed their minds on what the job is and they have gone back to the drawing board on who they want.

• They employed someone who did better at selling themselves (you can work on this).

I get really nervous…

That's ok. You're human. Not being nervous is a bigger problem.

If you're nervous the interviewer will see that this is important to you and that's a good thing.

They want to do a phone interview…

These days phone interviews are increasingly common. It might be a screening interview to check whether you meet their essential criteria or it could be a fully blown interview.

A few key tips:

• Treat it like a full interview and prepare.

• Find yourself a good place to talk, free from distractions and with good phone coverage.

• Make a few notes to refer to if you get stuck on words.

• Don't talk too much – over the phone you can't see the interviewer and you'll miss normal social body language cues so just make sure you only answer one question at a time and leave space for the interviewer to ask another question.

• Try to be yourself. Phone interviews are hard because you don't have the same in person opportunity to establish rapport. The interviewer wants to find out about you. You have skills to offer so just try to be as positive and natural as possible.

They want me to do psychometric tests…

It's very normal to be anxious about tests. Some organisations use testing as a standard part of their recruitment process so there's no getting around it. You just have to do the best you can and that includes practicing.

Psychometric testing usually involves testing your ability (e.g. maths, reasoning, literacy) and/or your personality.

Tips:

• Ask the employer if they can send you any practice resources or a link for this.

• Practice!

• Speak to the employer if you have any particular circumstances. For example I had a dyslexic client who was incredibly anxious but decided to talk about it directly with the employer.

  Here are a few sites that could be useful if you're wanting to learn more. https://www.savilleassessment.com/PracticeTests https://www.opragroup.com/candidates/ https://www.newcops.co.nz/start-training/take-practice-test http://www.psychometric-success.com/

What should I expect at the interview?

Interviews take all shapes and sizes. It's really hard to predict. I've helped people prepare for interviews only to have the interviewer not ask any of the standard (normal) questions like “why do you want to work for us?”. Some interviewers talk a lot. Some ask unusual questions like “If you were an animal what would you be?” Some use a standard set of behavioural questions and others just use their “gut” sense and go entirely unscripted.

No matter what format it is, if you prepare you'll probably do better because you'll have thought things through. The employer may let you know beforehand what to expect in terms of who's interviewing you and what their process will be. If they don't, you can ask.

Face to face interviews with one or two interviewers is probably the most common format. However, interviews could be:

• Phone interviews (often used as screening first step interviews).

• Face to face.

• Online (e.g. via Skype).

• With one interviewer or a panel of people.

• Have multiple steps – e.g. phone screening and then two or three (sometimes more) interviews with different people starting from the recruiter, to the line manager, then involving more senior leaders or others from the team.

• Could also involve psychometric testing and/or assessment centres. (Assessment centres are where a group of candidates attend for a period of time and are observed as they complete various activities such as team challenges).

What are some of the biggest mistakes people make at interviews?

• Talking too much (or too little).

• Not answering questions directly — waffling.

• Not showing some personality and being a real human being.

• Not having a couple of good examples/stories of challenges and achievements.

• Being late, inappropriately dressed or disrespectful.

• Waiting until the end to ask questions. Depends on the style of the interviewer, and you don’t want to be bolshie, but it might be helpful to gather info upfront so you know more about what they’re looking for.

• Making negative comments about current or previous employers or companies.

What questions could I ask them?

Asking questions of your employer is a great way to understand what they’re looking for and is an opportunity to showcase how and where you bring value aligned to their needs.

Questions you could ask:

What's your vision for this role? (So you get a heads-up on where they are going and what kind of person they want).

Who would be the ideal person in the role? (So they tell you what type of person they want, and you can match off how you fit).

At the end of the interview ask if they have any concerns about you doing the role. Asking this question provides you with the last right of reply and gives you the opportunity to negate any reservations. Not asking this question is a mistake, as people make assumptions throughout the interview and if these are wrong and they aren’t dealt with, then you will be at a disadvantage.

What should I say at the end of the interview?

It’s pretty standard practice. Thank the interviewer(s) on leaving, and shake hands if a hand is offered. Express your interest and ask about the next step or anticipated process and time frames.

Should I follow up after the interview?

Lots of people don’t so it can be a nice way to show your enthusiasm, professionalism and could keep you in the interviewer’s mind. It only needs to be a brief and courteous “thanks for the opportunity” email or letter. That way, even if you're not first pick for the job, you might be the one who's remembered and gets called back in if another vacancy crops up or if the first choice candidate doesn't work out.

If a recruitment consultant set up the interview for you, they will probably call you. If they don’t, phone or message them to let them know how it went.

Treat the interview as a learning exercise. Ask yourself:

• What did I learn from the interview?

• What did I do well?

• What could I improve on next time?

What if I don’t hear back?

Employers/recruiters should let you know one way or the other. However, people get busy, and often it’s not a straightforward decision. Other people might be involved too.

If you’ve been given a time frame and you’ve not heard back, it’s perfectly reasonable to call to check on progress. If you’ve not been given a time frame and you’ve not been contacted, give it 7–10 days.

I’ve had clients wait several weeks for decisions, as sometimes things happen. For example, they decide to delay a decision or they change their minds about the nature of the role, and they re-design the job description (and go back to the drawing board).

I had one client hear nothing for six weeks. She gave up. Then, out of the blue, they came back to her with an offer for a different job, one they thought she’d be better suited to, and she accepted and loved it! Apparently they had been busy re-organising with internal politics and had failed to communicate with her. Granted, that doesn’t seem like a company you’d want to work for, but it suited her goals. She was passionate about the industry and the opportunity and it worked out very well.

Can I ask for feedback if I’m not successful?

Yes, you can. Whether or not you’ll get honest feedback is another story. People don’t like uncomfortable conversations, and they get nervous about recruitment legalities and process. But you can try. Clarify that you are asking for feedback for self-development purposes and not to argue or take action.

If it’s a role you very much aspire to, it could be useful to ask the employer for ideas or advice on how you could improve for your next interview. And you never know, sometimes an employer’s first choice doesn’t work out and they go back to number two or three on their list. So asking for feedback is a way of keeping yourself in their mind and creating a positive impression.

Remember to keep putting yourself out there and keep looking so when you get rejections, you’ve still got other possibilities to follow up.

Salary expectations?

Your interviewer may ask you about your salary expectations for the role and you need to be ready with your answer. Don't just tell them how much you have been earning because that's in the past and may not be relevant to the new role. Instead, focus on the future, what you want and what you think is fair and reasonable in terms of current market pay rates.

Here are a few ideas on how to research salaries:

• Salary Guides such as https://www.hays.net.nz/salary-guide/index.htm

• Seek or Trade Me – look for comparable jobs and then use the salary filter to find out roughly how much they are paying.

• Network – ask people you know who may have some knowledge.

• Recruiter – ask a recruiter for guidelines.

• Use online labour market websites (e.g. careers.govt.nz) for general salary guidelines.

• Ask questions in relevant Social Media communities.

How do I negotiate salary?

This is a great time to negotiate for the best deal you can get.

Many employers anticipate candidates could come back wanting more. Therefore they factor this possibility into their initial offer.

If you don't negotiate it could have long term impact on your income because you may never make up the short-fall.

If you don't ask you definitely won't get. It may feel uncomfortable, but it is quite standard practice.

That said, you also need to be reasonable and professional. If you come across in a demanding or unprofessional way, you may lose the opportunity.

Remember also to take into account the total package including number of hours and other benefits such as medical insurance, car, phone, meal allowance, or reduced hours.

If possible, wait until you've received a formal offer before you start your negotiation. Go back to the employer with a counter-offer and an explanation of your reasoning.

You'll also need to decide what you'll do if your negotiation fails. Will you still accept the role?

Tips for working with recruiters

Recruiters place people in jobs so it's worthwhile making contact. There are definitely some excellent recruiters who are very experienced and helpful.

Good recruiters can make the job search experience much easier. Some have great relationships with large employing organisations and at times they may get vacancies to fill without ever needing to publicly advertise those roles. Therefore if you're not listed with the recruiter, you won't find out about those particular roles.

Recruiters are also sales people. A few tips:

• Be ready to answer their questions about what you're looking for. Include job titles or general role areas (e.g. CIO, Human Resources Adviser). They will want to know the level of seniority you're targeting too and your industry experience (the areas in which you've worked or want to work).

• Know they may keep you on the hook. You might only be number 3 or 4 on their list of candidates but they'll want to keep you warm/hot in case number 1 and 2 drops out. In other words, don't completely believe them if they tell you you're the top candidate. You might be but it's wise to keep looking. You've got to look out for number one first.

• They're human too. If they like you they may put more effort into finding you a placement.

• Remember this is your life and your choice. They may talk up a 'great' role for you or the good package and opportunity, but it's up to you. You have to decide if this is what you want and the package you want. Just be a bit wary. Recruiters are sales people paid on commission.

• Do the rounds of recruiters (online and/or direct contact). Look for helpful recruiters - people you click with and have the right kind of roles for you.

• Ask the recruiter for tips and advice. They may have interviewing tips, background information about the job and employer or salary negotiation tips. Or they may have sample psychometric tests you can practice with (if required).

(Note - I also talk about these points in the Job Search book so please forgive me for a little repetition).

What are some typical interview questions?

For any question, remember to keep your answers succinct and relevant. Don’t go off-track or ramble.

Why do you want this position?

Outline key relevant skills and give a specific example for each. Mention industry experience if you have any. Do some research about the company that will help you stand out among the other candidates. Find something specific about that company that you can tie in with your answer. For example:

I think this role is a great match for my skills. I want to pursue a career within this industry and from what I’ve read and heard about your company, I really like what you do and what you stand for.

I’m passionate about [fill in the blank, and if you can’t bear the word passionate, choose another!] and my skill set is closely aligned to what you’re looking for. I think I could bring a lot of value, and I really like what I’ve heard about your organisation.

If you are genuine, your answer will come across well. Some people don’t like the word “passionate” and I think that’s because it’s become clichéd. However I think it’s a useful word and if you are speaking from the heart, it’s hard to go wrong.

Explain how your qualifications or career goals complement the company's activities and values if this information is available.

If you are applying for a position in a company for which you already work, explain how you'll be able to apply and expand on the knowledge and experience you've gained from your current position, and will be able to increase your contributions and value to the company through your new responsibilities.

Why are you the best person for this job?

As with all other questions, be confident and enthusiastic when you answer this. Don't try to say you are the best qualified person because you don't know the qualifications, skills or experience of the other applicants. Instead, highlight the value you bring.

Why did you leave your last job?

Be honest, positive and future focused.

My goal is to [fill in the gap, related to the advertised role] and I’d gone as far as I could in my last role. I want to continue developing and to do so, need to take my next step.

I’m looking for more responsibility and new challenges.

My unit was re-designed and my role disestablished, which, while difficult, has given me the opportunity to think about what I want to do next — and this is it. I want [fill in the gap about your aspirations related to the role you’re applying to].

I learned a lot, met my targets/was an effective contributor in [fill in the gap], but I’m wanting to develop my [name an area] expertise and my previous role didn’t provide me with that opportunity, which is why I’m keen on this position [link it to your career/development goals].

Don’t speak negatively about your last organisation, manager or colleagues. Even if they were awful, you’ll appear unprofessional. Stay positive and future focused.

What was your biggest achievement in your last role?

Choose one example from your past that was important to you and helped the company.

Give specific details about what you did, how you did it and what the results were. Try to pick an accomplishment that relates to the position for which you are applying.

Employers like to hear about accomplishments that reduced expenses, raised revenues, solved problems or enhanced a company's reputation.

What's a problem you've encountered in your real life and how did you deal with it?

If you've got relevant work examples, use those. If you're young or without much work experience you could use examples from your personal life. It could be about anything – organising an event, helping a friend, having an accident, dealing with a troublesome team member or customer, technical issues and so on.

What is your greatest strength?

This is a great chance to highlight your best skills that are relevant to the role.

“My previous employer commented on my ability to build strong relationships with new clients.”

Use a concrete example of a situation in which you’ve used that skill, so it doesn’t sound like a clichéd and empty answer.

What are your weaknesses? (Areas for development)

Don’t state a weakness that is an essential part of the job. Use something genuine, but that you have recognised as a weakness and that you are working on. Don’t use a weakness that’s actually a strength. For example, "I expect others to work as hard as I do.” Your interviewer will roll their eyes because it’s a cliché and possibly not genuine. To stand out, be more original and state a true area of development for you, but then emphasise what you've done to overcome it.

I've had trouble delegating duties to others because I felt I could do things better myself. This has sometimes backfired because I'd end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I've taken courses in time management and learned effective delegation techniques, and I feel I've overcome this weakness.

And any or all other questions, ranging from abstract, like 'what are your values' to practical real life questions about your interests and activities.

You're bound to get questions you've not prepared for and haven't thought about. Just be yourself. Tell them you're stumped or your mind has gone blank and you need a moment to think. Tell them you're nervous. It's ok. I think there's a lot to be said for being authentic. For example, one very nervous young man was asked “Tell us about yourself”. This was a question he hadn't figured out. On the spot and stumped he replied “Oh no, I should have known you'd ask me that and prepared for it.” They just laughed. They appreciated his honesty and his willingness to show himself as he really is.

I’m a student - I haven’t got much work experience.

If you're young and without much or any job experience, obviously you will be tackling questions a little differently. That said, you have skills, interests and strengths just like anyone else. Overall my advice is to be natural and enthusiastic. Your interviewer will know you're young and hopefully guides the interview accordingly.

If your interviewer asks you questions about your experience, you can answer with real life examples from your personal life – e.g. friends, study, playing sports, personal achievements.

Why do you want this position?

Outline key relevant skills and give a specific example for each. Mention industry experience if you have any. Do some research about the company that will help you stand out among the other candidates. Find something specific about that company that you can tie in with your answer. For example:

I think this role is a great match for my skills. I want to pursue a career within this industry and from what I’ve read and heard about your company, I really like what you do and what you stand for. I’m passionate about [fill in the blank, and if you can’t bear the word passionate, choose another] and my skill set is closely aligned to what you’re looking for. I think I could bring a lot of value, and I really like what I’ve heard about your organisation.

If you are genuine, your answer will come across well.

Why are you the best person for this job?

As with all other questions, be confident and enthusiastic when you answer this. Don't try to say you are the best qualified person because you don't know the qualifications, skills or experience of the other applicants. Instead, highlight the value you bring.

What’s your biggest achievement / something you’re proud of?

Choose one example from your past that was important to you or took a long time/much effort, and/or made a difference e.g. learning skateboard trick, a part in a school play, volunteer project.

The interviewer may hone in on academic achievements and ask “what's your biggest academic achievement?” Have a think about it. They might not be looking for the brightest person, but the best all- rounder who brings other strengths as well.

What is your biggest strength?

Just be honest – you’re a student and young. Talk about something you genuinely see as a possibly being a strength – could be academic (maths/english/drama/problem solving/reflective and enquiring thinking), social (e.g. teamwork, being empathetic listener to friends) or physical/active (e.g. sports, hands-on skills like working on cars, machinery, bikes or outdoors like bush survival or gardening, or something else).

What are your weaknesses? (Areas for development)

Don’t state a weakness that is an essential part of the job. Use something genuine, but that you have recognised as a weakness and that you are working on.

If getting the job would mean leaving something (a place, a University, another job) - why do you want to leave?

Be honest, positive and future focused. It’s not that you want to leave – nothing pushing you away. It’s that you are excited by them, the opportunity, and you are ambitious and determined to make your career a success – and this job provides that potential.

How do I answer difficult questions?

Be honest, but not too honest in terms of really beating yourself up, nor bad-mouthing your employer — never do that.

Frame up your answers positively, with a future focus about what you are wanting next in your career.

EXAMPLES

Here are a few examples of questions that my clients have (understandably) stressed about.

How do I explain why I left my last role? (When I was fired/let go or it was a “mutual agreement” that I left).

You'll need to be honest but not overly so nor overly descriptive. The interviewer may find out from reference checks (unless you've got a confidentiality agreement). Keep your answer short and simple:

I was let go from my last role because of [fill in the gaps], which was unfortunate and I have learned a lot [add in some detail using the CAR format mentioned earlier, outlining the context, your actions/what you learned, and the result — how you’ve reflected and grown]. My next focus is [your career or development goal].

I’m looking for the next step in my [fill in the gap] career, and while I’d enjoyed my role I’d really learned as much as I could. [Your previous employer] and I agreed that it was time for me to leave and pursue my options in [fill in the gap].

Keep your response as objective yet positive as possible.

How do I answer "Tell me about your relationship with your last manager" (When we had a bad/poor relationship).

This is a difficult one. The lore of careers says that 80% of people leave their roles because of relationship or issues with their direct manager. But you can't be negative about your manager in an interview. The interviewers don't know you, and won't know if you're the problem. It just paints you as a risk. You have to stay as positive and objective as possible. Find something positive to say about your manager, their natural strengths perhaps, and talk about how you approached your role and your team relationships.

I worked under Evelyn for 18 months and felt I was a positive member of the team. Evelyn was great at [fill in the gap], and I felt I was proactive and effective at keeping her in the loop with major events and issues.

Similarly, don’t be negative on social media (Facebook) about your employer or people you worked with. Not only does this reflect badly on you, but also it could land you in hot water legally. Potential employers read such comments and wonder if there’s actually something wrong with you. Just don’t do it.

How do I explain that my role was restructured and I was made redundant although they've re-advertised an almost identical new vacancy?

True story. The employer was treading on very thin ice. My client had legal advice and they could have taken action. However, it would have been time consuming, stressful and they had good options elsewhere, so she decided not to take it any further.

Restructurings and redundancies are common place, so it's an easy one to explain at an interview. There is no need to go into gory details. Keep it simple.

My unit was restructured and my role was made redundant.

How do I answer 'Have you ever received poor performance reports?" (When I had to participate in a performance management process that ended in me resigning)

Here’s a true example of how a client handled this situation. My client believed (with good cause) that potential employers would probably find out from referees that she’d received poor performance reviews, so she chose to be honest - but without going into too much detail.

She’d been struggling with family circumstances (death of a parent and other issues) and she acknowledged this affected her performance significantly at the time. However, she had taken positive steps (counselling and career coaching) and had been open about the issues with her employer. She'd decided to look for a new role, partly as a fresh start and because she felt she needed a new challenge and opportunities.

Here’s a general example of starting with the positive and framing it up.

I've been working for 15 years in office management roles and for 14 of those years have had excellent performance reports. However, for approximately six months last year I was faced with [fill in the gap], which unfortunately took a toll at the time. But I'm back on top now, and ready and keen to [next goals].