Interviewing Tips for Candidates

So You Want to Get a Job offer, You Can by Following These Proven Techniques.

An interview is a sales meeting. You are there to sell your strengths and why you would be successful in this position if they hire you. The interview is not the time to determine whether you want the position or not. Go into the meeting assuming you want the position, clear your head so you can focus on making a great first impression. You have time after the interview to evaluate the job and make a thoughtful decision in the quiet of your own place. If you decide you don’t want the position it is still to your benefit to leave them with a good impression.

Prior preparation will enable you to be confident, overcome interviewing inexperience, sell yourself and your qualifications. Begin by preparing your employment, educational and accomplishments, which will outline your qualifications. On these pages, which are for your eyes only, state the facts, be honest but don't be modest, don't minimize your strengths, be specific when describing results. Have short stories to tell that demonstrate how well you do your job. These stories should describe the situation, how you dealt with it, and the positive outcome you created. What you do is important but it’s how well you do it that will get you the job.

Never go on an interview without first researching the company and who you are going to meet. The Internet is a great vehicle for this. Almost every company has a web site that will tell you about their philosophy, culture, and what makes them successful. You can find out about products/services, markets, sales volume, locations and subsidiaries. Many companies even have bios of their managers and listings of their job openings.

Don’t underestimate the value of rehearsals. Try to put yourself in the place of the company. Think about what type of person they want to hire. What do they want to accomplish by adding this person to their staff? Then think about the questions that you may be asked in the interview. Prepare by writing out answers to these questions, then you can rehearse and refine your answers. You will be surprised how many of these questions you will hear in the interview. You will feel more comfortable and look more professional by taking this extra effort prior to your meeting with the company. Strive to project eagerness and interest, be a conversationalist by being yourself.

How to Answer Questions

Answer every question in terms of your background or qualifications or in terms of the job to be filled.

"Tell me about yourself" means, "Tell me about your qualifications" Pre-plan a five to ten minute answer describing your education and then mention each job in terms of accomplishment or performance indicators.

1. Personality questions attempt to determine if you have qualities being sought "What kind of manager are you" "Are you creative?" Answer these questions in terms of the obvious answer supported by past or present experiences as proof of your claim.

2. Motive questions are asked to determine if you would enjoy the job. "Describe your ideal job." "Would you prefer to work for a large or small company?" "What did you like most/least about your last job?" Answer these questions in terms of the position you are interviewing for. Be specific and emphatic.

3. The salary question is a trap that most people innocently fall into. When asked what you desire, say, "I'm presently earning $_______. I am looking for an increase but I have not determined what that would be. If they ask again reply as follows, “ I am purposely keeping an open mind about the money because you want to consider the whole opportunity and if you think I’m the best person for the job then I’m sure you will make your best offer and I will give it full consideration.”

4. Prepare for tough questions. Anticipate what they will be. They will focus on: reasons for leaving, and/or quality of performance issues. Be brief but factual. Write out your answers, refine and memorize them. If you have someone to role-play with that will be a big help.

Asking Questions

Have a list but don't cross-examine, make it conversational and job related, ask questions that are open ended so that you get more input from your interviewer. Listen to his/her words and use them in the examples you share about yourself.

1.      Interest questions pertain to the job opportunity, the company, its people, and its products/services.

a.       “Mr. Employer how will this position help your department reach their goals?”

2.      Job satisfaction questions pertain to the importance of  the job; responsibility and authority; recognition and career potential.

a.       “Mr. Employer if a person does an excellent job in this position what do you see as their next step with in your organization?”

3.      Past performance questions concentrate on people who previously held the position, their performance and where they are today.

a.       “What made the previous person successful/not successful in this position?”

4.      Sales, questions help you determine the kind of person the employer wants to hire in terms of education, experience, future performance and personality.

a.       “For an individual to be successful in this position what particular activities will they need to be involved in?”

b.      “In order to excel in this position what skills will be important?”

                                                         i.      When you understand the kind of person the employer wants to hire, you can then bring up some specific examples from your past that demonstrate your ability to be successful in this position.

Ask For Concerns

Conclude the interview by first trying to identify any concerns they may have. Over the years I have seen many opportunities lost because of a misunderstanding. Ask in your own words but here are a couple examples:

“Mr. Employer, what aspects of this job do you think will present the greatest challenge for me?”

“Mr. Employer, now that we have spoken for an hour, in your opinion what aspects of this job do you think will    be the most difficult for me to adjust to?

When he/she tells you what you’re lacking you have two options:

1. Respond with specific examples from your past that demonstrate that ability.
2. If that experience is lacking then ask what percentage of the job it is and then ask them what you will need to do to get up to speed in that area, and then assure them that you will put in the extra effort to do what ever it takes to be successful in the job.

Concluding Your Meeting

Close by finding out what is the next step and when should you hear from them. Say your thanks and close the meeting.

There are several stronger closing techniques you can use if you already know you want the job and you feel comfortable in being conversational while doing it. Here are some examples:

1. “Well Mr. Employer this is an excellent opportunity and I am confident in my ability to be successful. I am prepared to consider and offer if you are ready to extend one.”

2. “Mr. Employer, I am excited about this position, How do I compare to the other people you have met with?”

3. “Mr. Employer, I feel very confident in my ability to fit in and make a real contribution to your team. Do you feel comfortable recommending me for the position?”

I don’t want you to use my words. If you do, they most likely won’t come across as sincere and will back fire on you. You have to read the situation and decide what will fit with the situation and the personalities. No one hires someone that makes him/her feel uncomfortable, so keep things conversational.

Post Interview

Immediately after your meeting if you are working through a recruiter, confer with him/her to discuss the position and strategize on how you want to proceed. If you are going on your own then sit down and make some notes. Draw a balance sheet with pluses on one side and negatives on the other. This will help you to clear your head and develop your own strategy. Don’t let emotions and fear of change rob you of an opportunity for advancement.

Sending a thank you note is a nice touch. I suggest to my candidates that they include one specific attribute that qualifies them for the job.