Interviewing

In the past I have talked about interviewing from the interviewee's perspective. Now I will talk about the interviewer-what does this person need to do in order to fairly and accurately determine if a candidate is a good fit for the job opening?

Many employees who interview candidates have never had any formal training in interviewing techniques. Therefore, they tend to do a below average job when they interview candidates.

What do you think is the biggest mistake that many interviewers make?

Interviewing

After the interview has concluded, go home and write a brief handwritten thank-you note to each person that you met, and mail them that same day. In addition, consider doing something that very few job seekers do-within 48 hours after the interview , e-mail your main contact at the company and outline a plan to help him/her with some of the company's challenges. For example, lets say you are interviewing for a position as Director of Human Resources. One of the company's biggest problems is high turnover in their Engineering Department . Create a basic plan that you would implement to begin to successfully deal with this challenge. This is so effective-it makes a huge positive impression, yet few candidates do it.

The next several posts will deal with how to network successfully. I will review an example of my friend Mark and how he recently used networking to land a great job. Thanks for reading.

Interviewing

Questions that you as the interviewee should be prepared to answer include: 1) "What do you know about our company?", 2) "Tell me a little about yourself?", "3) "Why did you choose (human resources/accounting/ electrical engineering/purchasing,etc. as a profession?"), 4) "Why should I hire you instead of the other finalists for this opening?"5) Example of a past behavior question-"Tell me about in time in your past when you had a disagreement with a co-worker and how you resolved it."6) "What would your basic plan be for the first month on the job?" 7) "What have been the main reasons for your success in your past jobs?" 8) "Please give me an example of a failure in a past position and how you overcame it?" 9) Please give me an example of a personal or professional goal that you accomplished in the past and what you did to achieve that goal." 10) "What are the main reasons you are interested in working for our company?"

Interviewing

Don't be afraid to ask questions during the interview-wait for an appropriate time-it will come. Asking questions shows that you are fully engaged in the interview. Examples of good questions to ask your interviewer are-"tell me a little about your background", "why did you choose XYZ?", "please review your career here at XYZ Corp.", " what is the company culture like here?", "what do you like most about working at XYZ?", "what do you see as the greatest challenges facing the company?"

Interviewing

OK-the interview has begun and you are busy listening to the interviewer and taking notes. (By the way, if she interviews (10) people for the opening, you may be the only candidate that brings a notebook and takes notes during your interview). It is important for you to remember that an interview is simply a conversation between (2) adults. Guess what? She is interviewing you, but you are also interviewing her and her company. This attitude should increase your confidence and improve your focus. When you are preparing for the interview and during the interview, you should be saying to yourself: "If I receive an offer for this job, great! On the other hand, if I don't receive an offer, that is OK too-it is their loss if they don't hire me."

Interviewing

Why is it important to take notes during your interview? #1) It shows the interviewer that you are serious about the interview, that you are interested in what she has to say. #2) At the end of the interview, after quickly reviewing your notes, you may have important questions to ask the interviewer before you leave. #3) You will have written notes to review at home after the interview is over. These notes will help you decide if you are really interested in working for the company if you receive a job offer.

Interviewing

Much has been written about interviewing. I am confident that most of my readers know a great deal about the subject. Therefore, I will concentrate on what I consider to be the most important elements of a successful interview. First of all, make sure that your cell phone is turned off! You have been shown into the interviewer's office and have gone through the normal introductions. Most likely the interviewer will talk about the weather or some other general subject to help you relax. OK, now she is ready to begin the formal interview. Always bring a portfolio with you that includes a legal pad, pen, and at least (5) copies of your resume. At the beginning of the interview, ask the interviewer if it is OK for you to take notes during the interview. The answer will always be "yes".....

Interviewing

If the company has a receptionist, why is it important to treat that person with respect? Because if you go out of your way to engage her in conversation, there is a good chance that she will tell the person/persons that are interviewing you. She will tell them that you stood out among the pool of candidates as a positive, friendly individual. Who knows, you may be the only one of the interviewees who took the time to talk with her. Your gesture may prove to be one of the reasons you are offered the position. After a standard greeting, what else can you say to her? Ask her some questions about the company; "how long have you worked here? Are sales good? Who are your primary customers? Do you like it here?" Make sure that you also say positive things about the company;" your website is really first class, I enjoyed reading about your planned expansion in the local newspaper, your property is really well maintained."

Interviewing

Arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled interview time. If your interview is scheduled for 11:00 am, don't show up at 10:58 am. You may think-10:58 am is still "on time." However, the interviewer is thinking-"will this candidate cut it this close if I hire him?" Will he be a "last minute employee?" You also don't want to be too early-(example, an hour early), because they will not know what to do with you. Arriving 15-20 minutes early allows you to catch your breath/visit the restroom/engage the receptionist in a friendly conversation.

Interviewing

Let's talk about interviewing-your networking is starting to get results-you have several interviews scheduled to take place during the next few weeks. Many job seekers dread interviewing. Why? Because you are meeting with a total stranger-it can tend to make you nervous! However, think about this-what is an interview? It is simply an exchange of information between two adults. You have a problem-you need a job. The interviewer has a problem-he needs to find the right person to fill his opening. He is a little nervous too, because his performance is partially based upon the people he hires. And also remember this....you are interviewing the company too.