Five questions to prepare for in your credit control interview - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Five questions to prepare for in your credit control interview Interviewing for any job, regardless of sector or level, can be nerve wracking and it can be hard to project the right impression of yourself to an employer. Aside from the typical questions that every interviewer asks, when applying for a credit control position you might find some difficult questions that will test your knowledge and skills. Your potential employer isn’t asking these to catch you off guard or show you up, but rather to understand how you would act in situations relevant to the role you are applying for. Preparing for what you may be asked is the key to a confident interview and showing why you are the best candidate for that role. Thinking ahead and having clear answers will stop you from stumbling or appearing too nervous. Here are five questions to prepare strong responses for in case they come up in your interview: What experience do you have in credit control? Being asked about your experience of an industry or a particular job role is nothing new, but this is your chance to show you know the potential problems you might face. This is also an excellent chance to show you have prior knowledge of any systems or tools that you would use in this role, which can be an added bonus for an employer as they won’t need to train you up from scratch. How would you negotiate with a difficult client? In credit control you will often be faced with clients who are late to pay, hard to communicate with or have a challenging set of circumstances. Within your role you will often be expected to negotiate to make sure a payment is made and debt arrears cleared, which can occasionally involve awkward conversations and trying meetings. Being asked how you would dissipate a fraught situation is your chance to show your interviewer how you will remain calm whilst also achieving your task; getting a client to pay what they owe. You have a client who is refusing to pay what are your next steps? In credit control it is common to be faced with clients who are withholding payment completely. It can be for a variety of reasons such as not having the funds available, and as a credit control professional you will be expected to recover the amount owed. Describing a clear plan of action will show your problem-solving skills, methodical approach and foresight as you can detail any problems you predict arising. How do you see the credit control industry developing? Many interviewers will ask what your predictions are. You can use this question as an opportunity to let your knowledge of credit control shine through, and also to demonstrate insight into niche areas that you may like to pursue further down the line. By reading up on industry news websites or finding interviews from leaders in the credit control sector, you can equip yourself with some interesting points should this question arise in your interview. How do you see yourself fitting in with this company? This is a generic question that interviewers in all different industries will ask, but an important one nonetheless. Demonstrating that you can be a team player who can bring strong ideas to the table is the key to impressing your potential employer particularly as they will have in mind who your colleagues are and what kind of personality will fit in well. Showing that you are knowledgeable about the company and its existing client or customer base is also a good way to show you’ve done your research, and that you will fit in well as you have enthusiasm for the areas they specialise in. Preparation is the key to a strong interview There’s a cliché saying, “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail”, which is a strong piece of advice for any interviewee. Remember it’s perfectly normal to be nervous, but if you research the company and understand the role you’re applying for, you should be able to project a confident impression and leave them believing you’re the right candidate for the job. This article was submitted by Portfolio Credit Control, a market-leading recruitment specialist for those in credit control.