Job Interview In Greece

Worried about the extensive interview you have secured with your profile? And the time has suddenly started flying? You have most probably worked really hard to get to this stage, from managing to score decently in your diploma or degree to building a specific skill, delivering results in your previous job, waiting the right amount of time while being productive in your current job before considering new opportunities, looking for and waiting for the right opening to come across and making a good cv as well as a cover letter to land you an interview. Trust me, you deserve this interview that you have secured, and just by being yourself, you will ace the interview. 

In my current role at a well-reputed organization, I conduct dozens of interviews yearly. Let me talk about some key things I think one should keep in mind while going for that interview you are excited to have.

How Do You Introduce Yourself In A Greek Interview?

Introductions are a significant part of your first impression during your interview. Introductions are the first interaction you have with someone, and they will most probably drive the rest of your interaction will be with the person on the other side of the table. People often script and rehearse it to make a perfect first impression. An extempore approach is nice, but you can make a well-rehearsed introduction sound like it is extempore. 

When you reach the office where you are to be interviewed, keep your first interaction with the receptionist very simple, like: Hi, I am Karen Brown, and I have an interview with Mike Williamson at 10 a.m. Be courteous to every person you meet at this office, including the receptionist and cleaning staff. Though it may be unusual in many such situations, you do not want to go wrong if the hiring manager asks the receptionist for their first impression of you.

If you are escorted to an empty room, and the interviewer walks in later, standing up for your first interaction is better. Greeks usually shake hands but wait for the interviewer to initiate it; otherwise, a smile and eye contact is good when you greet the other person. For digital interviews, you look right at the camera while, again, with a smile and right at the camera, so you seem to maintain eye contact with the interviewer.

Often the interviewer starts with an open-ended question like: tell me about yourself. Be prepared to sell yourself, prepare an elevator pitch, and change your pitch according to the job you are going to be interviewed for. You should include your skills matching job requirements and discuss your experience in similar roles.

Tips For A Job Interview In Greece

Always research the company you will be interviewed at, reading about what business they are in, how they operate, their financial numbers over the last few years, and their usual style in business. Anything and everything you know about the company can prove to be helpful when going to that interview. Another good idea is to know your interviewer, and if you know who is interviewing you, it can come in handy to look at their LinkedIn profile. 

Script and rehearse your answers to the most common interview questions. Questions like: Tell me about yourself, why you want to switch, why join our organization, Tell me about a failed project that you were a part of and what did you learn from it, and do you have any questions for us/me? This way, you will answer some critical questions with a lot of confidence, and it will boost your confidence for the remaining part of the interview as well.

Always reach for the interview 10-15 minutes early, as reaching early is much better than targeting to be right on time and getting late by a few minutes due to unforeseen circumstances. Even if Google says it will take you (let’s say) 25 minutes to reach your destination, traffic conditions can change very quickly, so leave 40 minutes before the interview starts.

Know the resume you gave for this job interview and your LinkedIn profile, and be prepared to answer questions about any of what you have written on your resume or your online profile. In my history of interviewing people, I have often seen fresh graduates write trendy new things as skills. Still, when asked questions about it, they either need more clarification or clarification about the details of that skill. So never put anything that you don’t know about.

Always be mindful of your body language / non-verbal communication, like, keeping eye contact, taking pauses to gather your thoughts when necessary, lean in a little bit rather than leaning on the back of your chair, and having a firm handshake before and after the interview in case the interviewer seems interested in shaking hands.

Even though you think the interviewer has already seen your profile or has it in front of them, it is always good to carry a few copies of your cv, a notebook, and a pen with you.

Prepare some questions for the interviewer as they probably ask at the end of the interview if you have any questions for the interviewer(s).

Always actively listen when your interviewer is talking, and track any non-verbal cues from your interviewer.

When you are asked scenario-based questions like tell us about a situation when you had to….., it is obvious to respond with examples from your previous experience. If you have not encountered such a situation in the past, it is best to think of how you will solve that problem and explain it to them (rather than manufacturing a situation and getting stuck in the middle of your answer)

Be concise in answering the questions so you do not give unnecessary information.

Know the financial numbers of what you earn, how much is a standard raise that employers from your industry give, if your target workplace is known to be a good or lousy paymaster, and most importantly, what is the minimum raise that you will be willing to join this role on

Always thank the interviewer for their time at the end of the interview

Sending a thank you email after the interview is also a good idea where you can reiterate how you have the relevant skills for the role.

Examples Of Greek Interview Questions

In Greece or anywhere around the world, job interviews are done to know their potential hire(s) better, choosing among multiple candidates for a single job. Some of the questions you might hear in a Greek interview are:

What makes you think that you are the right candidate for this job?

If given a free choice, would you want to do the same role in your future team, or would you like a different role (beware, this can be a trick question as to whether you are interested in doing this role)

Explain to us a role you did that was very similar to the role we are hiring for.

What do you not like about your current job, or tell us why you want to switch from your existing job (again, trick question)

Greek Or English – Greek Interview For English Speakers

Considering you are an ex-pat and probably not fluent in the Greek language. It is only natural to be concerned about which language the interviewer will talk to you in and which language he will expect answers in. The answer highly depends on the company and job role you have applied for. 

Suppose your prospective employer is an international company with a multicultural team. In that case, you can survive the interview in English, though it may still be a good idea to know and improve your Greek-speaking (and understanding or listening) skills. Throwing in sentences or words in Greek should help create a better impression. When you try to speak Greek, a decent guy on the other side will always give you credit for it. 

Knowing the language of natives and their customs will always help, so if you are spending time to master the skill or area that is the primary requirement of the role, it is always a good idea to rehearse your Greek before you go for this interview.

Conclusion

We have listed some valuable tips, commonly asked interview questions, and how you should answer questions. Applying for the proper role will automatically mean you can do better during the interview and create a good impression on your interviewer(s). The more right skill and experience you would have, the better your chance at the interview. However, it is always best to prepare for every interview, no matter how good you think you are in relevant skills.