Interview

Interview Preparation

Short of landing a job, obtaining an Interview is the principal objective of all your preparation. With limited time to prepare after receiving an interview invitation, it would be a good idea to have already spent time in front of a mirror practicing your interview skills.

Explore the dynamics of a solid interview with the material presented at the right, which are presented in logical sequence.

Perfect Practice

Ready - Set - Win

Their questions

Wait for it…Timing is Everything

$$ Negotiation $$

Telephone Screening Interview Success

Phone Interview Questions

Great Start – Job Fair Interviews

Back

Perfect Practice

Adapted from Ashford University

http://careers.ashford.edu/interviewprocess.php

As you prepare for your interviewing, be aware of your potential answer to a negative situation which may occur in an interview. You cant just ‘wing it’ in an interview nor can you just start your rehearsal the day before.

Craft answers to negative situations, but frame them in a positive light. Review your experience and write down relevant examples that show how you overcame adversity and gained new insights.

Practice, practice, practice!

Practice answering all of these questions until you feel comfortable and at ease. Don’t just say what you think the interviewer wants to hear; be true to yourself. Otherwise you could be hired under the wrong expectations for a position that’s not a good fit. Your goal is to prepare answers that best reflect your skills and personality. Remember to be sincere, professional and show how you’ve excelled in your career.

Give the job and phone interview tips a test run and stage a mock interview. Ask a colleague, friend or relative who is a manager or familiar with the job interviewing process to do a “mock” interview with you. Have them ask the same thought-provoking questions they would ask their candidates. Even if they don’t work in your field, their interviewing experience is still relevant. Don’t let them go easy on you; the tougher their questions the less stumped and more prepared you’ll be when it comes time for the real interview.

You should also practice greeting your interviewers with a smile and a firm handshake, either with friends or in front of a mirror. Keep at it until you exude the warmth, confidence and professionalism that you want. It may feel strange at first, but it can help you alleviate jitters and appear more polished on the day of the interview.

Don’t forget to get plenty of sleep the night before your interview to help you look rested and feel more alert

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Ready – Set – Win

Posted By: Deborah Brown-Volkman In: Job Seeker – Interview

http://www.businessworkforce.com/articles/article.asp?id=4235

Getting an interview brings on two emotions. The first is excitement, especially if you will be interviewing for a position you really want. The second is fear; especially if the stakes are high and you really need the job. An interview is about two parties, you and the prospective employer, getting together to see if there is a match.

The process is skewed in the employer’s favor, particularly now because job supply is low and demand is high. So, it’s important that you use the interview as your chance to stand out and make the best impression possible. In order to ace an interview, you have put yourself in the shoes of the employer. By understanding their thinking, and the three phases of the interview, you can do well.

Phase I: The Invitation.

If an employer thinks you can do the job, you will be brought in for an interview. Many clients say to me that they hope a perspective employer believes they can do the job. They already do, or you would not have received the invitation to interview with them. To get to Phase I, make sure your resume matches the bullets in the job description as closely as possible. Employers are looking for a match of skills and abilities. If you have too few qualifications on your resume, you will be seen as being under-qualified. Too many, and you will be seen as overqualified or all over the place. Close matches have the best chance of being brought in.

Phase II: The Meeting.

During the interview, it’s all about having your personality shine though. Jobs are won and lost based on personality.

The employer is thinking the following:

Do I like you? Are you normal? Will you get along with everyone else? Can you get up to speed quickly? And, will you make me look good?

This is your time to show your passion, what makes you unique, to handle objections, convey how committed you are to the job, and how you will make your boss look like a star. Don’t overdo it. Quiet confidence will set an employer at ease; arrogance will cost you the job.

Phase III: The Follow-Up.

After an employer interviews several people, the choice in many situations comes down to two candidates. Both can do the job well, and both are very well liked. At this point, it becomes, “Who is the best match?”

If you are hoping that an employer will see why you are the perfect candidate on their own, you have already lost the position. You have to lead them there from the start.

For example, if you are switching industries, tell the interviewer why the industries are similar. If you are going after a different job title, show how your background has prepared you for that role. If you were unable to get this across during Phase II, contact the employer and see if they will have another conversation with you before they make their decision. If never hurts to ask and they might just say yes.

The interview is simply your opportunity to make sure you come across as the best candidate for the job. If you can get through these three phases effectively, the job you want can be yours.

Their Questions

The following are popular behavior based questions you may encounter in an interview. You can expect to get these or some variation of them in the face to face meeting.

Don’t rely on being fast on your feet; develop answers to these questions before the interview. Thoughtfully identify a personal situation that applies and practice relating it verbally.

You won’t have all the answer to their questions. If you can make a correlation between your ‘Practiced’ response and the question, give it and ask ‘Does that answer the question, did I understand it correctly? Can I clarify?’

On the right, the interviewer could easily ask “Tell me about a time when you …”

· Worked effectively under pressure.

· Handled a difficult situation with a co-worker

· Were creative in solving a problem.

· Missed an obvious solution to a problem.

· Were unable to complete a project on time.

· Persuaded team members to do things your way.

· Wrote a report that was well received.

· Anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures.

· Had to make an important decision with limited facts.

· Were forced to make an unpopular decision.

Wait for it… Timing Your References

Posted By: Candace Davies In: Job Seeker – Interview

http://www.businessworkforce.com/articles/article.asp?id=5214

Your references are an important tool at your disposal that can be very useful in helping you to secure your ideal job. This is because there isn’t a much more effective marketing resource for yourself than your references. Although a strong resume and cover letter are your best chance of initially attracting an employer’s interest, your references are so powerful due to the fact that they provide positive information about you from someone other than yourself. This is invaluable information to a potential employer. So, with such a powerful tool in your back pocket, it is important to know when exactly the best time to release this information to an employer is.

Often, an employer will ask you to supply them with a list of your references prior to offering you a job. They will want to contact your references to make sure the information you’ve supplied them with is correct, and also to find out what type of worker you are and what your past accomplishments entailed. So, make sure that your references are ready to sing your praises because this is a very important part of the employment process.

Since the main reason an employer should contact your references is to verify information you’ve provided them with and to delve deeper into what you have to offer, your references are meant to be used after an interview. This means that you should not be handing out your references until asked to at an interview. Your references are your secret weapon, so you should protect them until the moment they’re needed.

If you give out your references too freely, even place them on your resume, you may run into trouble with the people you’ve asked to speak on your behalf. If your references are contacted too often, they could get annoyed or upset and you don’t want to upset the very people that are helping you out. As your reference information is somewhat private contact information, you will want to be protective of this, only revealing them at an interview for an employer for whom you really want to work.

Another advantage of holding onto your references until later is that you will be able to select the best people for that particular position or company you are interviewing with. You may have multiple references from a variety of professional experiences where some are more tailored to one position than others. This way, you’ll be sure to provide an employer with the most appropriate references. So manage your reference data carefully.

Lastly, if you happen to run into a job ad that asks for your references with your application, simply state that you will be more than willing to provide your excellent references at an interview. Or, you can provide the names of your references but withhold the contact information, stating that you will provide this information at an interview.

Remember that your references contain confidential information and that your references’ contact information is not something that you should be handing out to anybody. It is also one of your most powerful marketing tools, so use them with caution and release them at the appropriate moment- at an interview.

$$ Negotiations $$

Adapted from: How to Respond with Confidence by Kim Lankford

It’s the question many job applicants dread: What are your salary requirements? If you’re responding to an ad that asks for this information up front, what should you do?

Job postings that ask for salary requirements use the information to weed out potential candidates. “If many people are applying for the job, they’re looking for an excuse to filter the resumes,” explains Christopher Elmes of human resources consulting firm DBM in New York City.

If you ask for too much, you’ll take yourself out of the running. But ask for too little, and you could doom yourself to a salary that’s too low. The key is to respond forthrightly to the question without being overly specific. Follow these tips.

Offer a Salary Range

Instead of giving a specific number, provide a salary range, suggests Mike Worthington of ResumeDoctor.com. Remember it’s impossible to give an accurate answer before you know the details of the job’s duties and employee benefits. “A lot of factors have to be considered: healthcare coverage, the commute, 401k, child care and vacations,” Worthington says. “There are so many factors involved that aren’t going to be answered in a job description.” You can explain this to the prospective employer while still providing a general idea of what you’re expecting in a simple sentence like this: “My salary requirement is in the $xx to $xx range, based on the job responsibilities and total compensation package.” That way, you still have plenty of room for negotiation after you learn more about the job.

Instead of providing salary requirements in a separate document, Worthington recommends mentioning them in your cover letter. There, they will be next to key bullet points explaining how you can bring value to the company, which helps justify what you’re asking.

Research Your Salary

First, do your research to provide some realistic numbers. See how much similar jobs with your level of experience are paying in that city or town. “Don’t respond to an ad without doing your homework and knowing roughly what the position pays and what you could reasonably expect in terms of compensation,” says Elmes. “It’s getting caught unaware that can get you into trouble.”

Worthington says it can’t hurt to call the company and ask for salary information. Talking with friends who work for that company also may help. “It’s like detective work,” he explains. “A lot of it is asking the right questions.”

Your bottom end should be slightly higher than your absolute minimum. “That gives you negotiating power and flexibility,” says Worthington. Be reasonable on your top end. “Some companies put that question in to see honest and reasoned responses,” says Elmes.

Salary Requirements vs. Salary History

If the employer specifically asks for your salary history rather than salary requirements, you can add that information to your resume at the end of each of your job listings. Be careful about providing these numbers if you’re moving to a new city with a different cost of living. Explain this difference in your cover letter or mention you’re moving to a more-expensive city and you prefer to discuss salary requirements at an interview.

If they don’t ask about your salary at the beginning, don’t bring it up. “The last thing you want to do is to talk salary,” says Weitzman. “You want them to fall in love with you first. If they want you a lot, they’ll be willing to pay you more.”

Telephone Screening Interview Success

Robin Ryan

From the book “60 Seconds and You’re Hired! “

Better know how to get past the telephone screening interview since it’s growing in popularity among HR folks.

When an employer calls to say, “We’d like to discuss your qualifications a bit,” what they are really saying is, “We want to know more about your exact skills and verify your resume, before we offer you an interview.” Human Resources professionals refer to this interview as the Screening Interview. In today’s job market this kind of screening process has become very popular and is frequently used.

This initial employer contact is designed to narrow the pool of acceptable candidates, and you don’t want to be one who is not scheduled for the in-person interview.

Telephone Interview

The interviewer hopes they will catch you off guard with their initial call. Employers typically phone in the evenings or on weekends. I’ve personally conducted a lot of these for employers and I’m amazed at how many people say it is okay to talk when there is obviously TV, loud children, and other distracting events going on around them.

Preparation is the key to success. Remember that if you don’t pass this screening, you’re sunk.

When you get this type of call, tell the person you are just finishing something and ask if you can you call them back in ten minutes. Then prepare yourself. Find a quiet spot, get your resume out and think about the questions the interviewer will ask. The employer’s objective is to clarify experience and salary expectations. Mentally rehearse your answers. Have a pen and paper in front of you. Jot down the caller’s name and take notes as they ask you questions. Smile, so your voice sounds friendly.

The interviewer’s job is to validate an applicant’s background (after all, too many people lie on the resume). Employers need to hear that you have the experience needed to do the job. Demonstrate that you do with answers that offer examples of your past performance, and that reiterate your top strengths and key selling points. Be concise – keep answers less than 60 seconds and, above all, sound interested and enthusiastic about the job. The worst thing you can do is to sound monotonically robotic, uninterested, and dull. This can happen unconsciously if you get nervous, so actively work to sound self-assured and enthused.

The screening interview seeks to weed out the unqualified and overpriced. The disadvantage here is that the human resource person often is not specifically familiar with all the details of the job. They are generalists and seek to validate job experience, not job potential. Be sure to structure answers to demonstrate how you have done the work in the past and how you focus on self-improvement and making contributions to your employer. To move to the next level you must convince this person that you CAN do the job.

One Major Caution

Be ready for any salary questions. These are tricky. Revealing your financial desires can be used as a measuring stick to screen you out because they can clue the interviewer to your “real” skill level. It’s always best to avoid answering any questions on salary until you have been offered the job. If questioned, respond to the interviewer by inquiring, “What is the range this job pays?”

Keep this adage in mind:

Whoever mentions money first, loses.

Don’t let it be you.

Phone Interview Questions

http://www.bestjobtoday.com/phone-interview-questions.html

You never know what you will be asked on an interview. The following phone interview question list will help you prepare. You need to be able to answer all questions truthfully and professionally. Here are questions and answers:

Q. Why are you considering leaving your present job?

A. Regardless of the reason, do not bad mouth your current employer. Negativism will always hurt you. Good answers include: “There is no room for growth at my current employer. I am looking for a company with long term growth opportunities”. “Due to a company restructuring, my entire department is relocating to Florida. I was give the option of moving, but do not wish to relocate”. “My current company is not doing well, and has been laying off employees. There is no job security there, and more layoffs are expected”.

Q. What are your goals for the future?

A. “My long term goals are to find a company where I can grow, continue to learn, take on increasing responsibilities, and be a positive contributor”.

Q. How do you handle stress and pressure?

A. “I find that I work better under pressure, and I enjoy working in an environment that is challenging.” “I am the type of person that diffuses stress. I am used to working in a demanding environment with deadlines, and enjoy the challenges.”

Q. What do you know about our company?

A. This question is used to see if you have prepared for the interview. Candidates that have researched the company are more appealing. Companies like prepared, organized candidates.

Q. We have met several candidates. Why are you the one we should hire?

A. Give definite examples of your skills and accomplishments. Be positive, and emphasize how your background matches the job description.

Q. What are your greatest strengths?

A. Be positive and honest. “My greatest strength is maximizing the efficiency of my staff. I have successfully lead numerous teams on difficult projects. I have an excellent ability to identify and maximize each of my staffs strengths.” Give examples.

Q. Tell me about your greatest weakness?

A. It is very important to give a strength that compensates for your weakness. Make your weakness into a positive. “I consider myself a ‘big picture’ person. I sometimes skip the small details. For this reason, I always have someone on my team that is very detail oriented.” Another good answer: “Sometimes, I get so excited and caught up in my work that I forget that my family life should be my number one priority.”

Hopefully this interview question list will help you. It is important to customize the answers for your specific background and experience.

Now that we have gone over the tough interview questions and answers, you need to be aware of important resources that can make your job search easier and more thorough.

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