1. Interviews, are they that simple?
Some tips and guides from our experience
Many of us have been through a number of interviews in our careers and it is safe
to say that no one interview is the same.
We arrange almost 1,000 interviews a month for individuals like yourself and
have built up a wide range of knowledge and expertise that we hope you will find
useful. That being said, we’d urge you not to rely on our tips and commentary
as every company is different and will approach their recruitment process in a
different way.
At Earthstaff we will make sure that we truly understand the company you
are interviewing with and give you all of the preparation that you need to be
successful in your potential career move. We hope this guide acts as useful
supplementary interview guidance both now and in the future.

2. Your Next Interview
Be as prepared as you can be
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Oil and Gas
As an Oil and Gas contractor, you will most certainly have to go through a series of telephone
interviews.
Telephone interview
Preparation
• Make sure you have a full battery life in case the call lasts longer than expected or you get
called later than expected
• Be in an area where you have good reception and will not get disturbed
• Have another number just in-case i.e. home, work direct line if possible
• Have a pen and pad in front of you, you may need to take notes
During the interview
• Build a rapport with the interviewer, will they want to work with you?
• Do not interrupt the interviewer, let them finish what they are saying before you speak. This is
a common pet hate amongst interviewers.
• Back up your answers with situation/evidential answers. Justify your credibility.
Questions
Always ask questions, ask about the project, ask about the interviewers background, enquire
about opportunities for progression for yourself and the company as a whole.
Closing the interview
In order for you to understand the process a little clearer, make sure you are aware of the next
steps. Ask the interviewer when they plan to make a decision (but don’t sound too pushy).
If you are interested in the role, make the interviewer aware that you are genuinely interested e.g.
if they were to offer you the role, you would accept.
Remember to thank the interviewer for their time and be pleased that you have done the best you
can do.

3. Your Next Interview
Be as prepared as you can be
3
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Mining
Mining is a global industry, you will find that the project you are interested in working on is in
different country to where you are currently situated. This means phone interviews are the most
common type of interview for candidates in the Mining industry.
International phone calls
• Be prepared for delays, make sure you are certain the interviewer has finished speaking
before you reply.
• Be in an area where you have good phone reception and where you will get disturbed or
distracted
Skype interviews
• Prepare your surroundings; look around you, any clutter behind you could distract the
interviewer.
• Treat it like a face to face interview, dress to impress!
• Record yourself before, look at how you come across over a video
Content
Some telephone interviews will the focussed around your personality/team fit and others will be
questioning your technical ability and knowledge
Technical
• Know the job spec and correlate what you have done with what the job requires
• Do your homework. Do you need to brush up on a skill set you have not used for a while?
• Know your CV. What you have done and where, what mining projects have you worked on
and what you gained and achieved.
Personal
• Tell me about a situation where you have failed or made mistakes. How did you cope and
what did you learn?
• Situational based questions. Again, know your CV and be able to give examples when you
have worked in a team or led a project.

4. Your Next Interview
Be as prepared as you can be
4
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Renewables
The interview process within the Renewables sector is typically split into two stages, the first
stage being the telephone interview.
Telephone interview
Tips for a successful telephone interview:
• Know the details of your experience on projects inside out, this information is key in
demonstrating whether you are suitable for the role or not.
• Do your research into the company, gain an understanding of their business and the projects
they have completed.
• In Renewables, it is essential to show your personal commitment to the project aside from
your professional aspirations. Are you passionate about making a change in the world, for
example, your commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
If you are successful with the telephone interview you will move onto the second stage, the face to
face interview
Face to Face interview
Tips for a successful face to face interview:
• The telephone interview will go deeper into your technical skills, make sure you prepared for
questions on this.
• The face to face interview is where you need to really show your personality, think about how
you want to come across. Make sure that your interviewers want to work with you.
Tone, Style & Delivery
• Your Tone of voice must convey confidence and enthusiasm and project a positive impression
to your interviewer.
• Smiling will enhances the way you come across and how the interviewer portrays your
personality.
• Experience: Answering specific technical question in relation to past project experience will
have a positive impact on the interviewer