Are You Ready for the Challenge-Based Interview?

Because hiring the wrong employees wastes time and costs companies money, recruiters use several techniques to ensure that they hire the best workers. The traditional job interview is not always the best way to determine how well candidates will perform, so recruiters are turning to something called the challenge-based interview to learn more about candidates. During this type of interview, you will be asked to perform a task similar to one you would perform if hired for the job. This type of interview gives recruiters the opportunity to assess your skills and see how well you perform under pressure. Use these interview tips to ace your challenge-based interview and increase the likelihood of landing a new job.

Although you will not know what type of task the recruiter will ask you to complete, reviewing the job description will help you prepare for the job interview. If you are interviewing for a creative position, it is a good bet you will be asked to perform a creative task such as coming up with a slogan for a new product or designing a mockup of a logo. If you are pursuing an advertising sales or account management position, you may be asked to come up with a way to increase sales or resolve a problem with a customer. Check the job description for keywords that will give you an idea of what to expect during your challenge-based job interview.

Once you are assigned a task, you must approach it logically. Think of the assignment as an extension of your portfolio. If you include a weak piece of work in your portfolio, it weakens the whole portfolio. Doing your best work on the challenge assignment will show that you are committed to your advertising career and truly interested in working for the recruiter's company. Because one small mistake could cost you the job, attention to detail is especially important when completing a challenge-based job interview. If you have been asked to prepare a sales presentation, proofread your slides to be sure they're free of errors. If you have to write a product description or design a sample product label, follow the creative brief to the letter.

Researching the company before attempting a challenge-based job interview can help you avoid critical mistakes when completing your challenge task. Study the company's mission statement and existing advertising materials; these will give you the information you need to complete your task successfully. Becoming familiar with the company will also help prevent you from creating a sample project that does not mesh well with the company's values. If you discover the company is dedicated to environmental responsibility, for example, you could focus on the importance of social responsibility when completing your challenge task.

Following these interview tips can help you learn as much as possible about your potential employer and prepare to excel at any challenge task a recruiter gives you. Because challenge-based interviews are becoming more common in the industry, you must understand how to prepare for this type of job interview or risk losing out on the position you desire.

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