INTERVIEWING
Now that you have a good resume out there, you can expect invitations to interview. The interview will be your opportunity to personally present the benefits of employing you to a prospective employer. There are two basic types of interviews: the Job Interview and the Informational Interview. Always remember that an interview, no matter what type it is, is a two way street. The company is interviewing you as to whether they want to have you as a member of their team and you are interviewing the company as to whether they are a worthy recipient of the best that you have to offer. Expect that there will be some interviews where the lack of fit is so apparent that you will want to run rather than walk out of them. Your attitude is critical to success
Your attitude concerning all of those things surrounding the fact that you are in transition is a vital key to the success of the interview process. You can never entirely forget the pain of being laid-off, fired or forced into early retirement. However, an interviewer can perceive your anger and bitterness even when you think you’ve hidden it. There is no room for negativism during the interview. What you can do is visualize yourself moving forward into an exciting future. Never forget that you have something of unique value to offer the employer. Your demeanor will speak louder than your words. Keep in mind that actions as simple as incorporating daily exercise and sufficient sleep into your schedule can help you project a positive attitude.
Develop a “consultative sales” approach to find out the prospective employer’s needs. Encourage the interviewer to describe the challenges the organization is facing and its hopes and expectations for the position for which you are interviewing. Then listen attentively, avoiding the mistake of tuning out to think about what you intend to say next. What you learn can help you communicate how your talents, experience and accomplishments have prepared you to deliver value to the interviewer’s organization. The “consultative salesperson” listens to the client’s (prospective employer) needs, and then presents the function, features and benefits of the product (you) as the best solution to the client’s needs, creating the desire to buy.
Make a critical examination of your personal appearance
Attention to detail makes a critical difference. While some companies encourage individualism and permit casual attire after you are hired, most are still very conservative when it comes to how they expect you to present yourself at an interview. Your appearance is an expression of your professionalism and your respect for yourself and the interviewer. The book Dress for Success is “must” reading. Here is a checklist for assuring that you appearance is consistent with the image you need to present to impress most interviewers:
• Hair (including nose hairs) should be trimmed and in current style; fingernails should be manicured and free of dirt; and you should always use breath mints.
• Men should limit jewelry to wedding band and watch. Women should wear simple earrings and a single strand of pearls or a gold or silver necklace, but nothing that is extravagant or distracting.
• Women should avoid “stiletto heels,” choosing a classic style that permits them to walk comfortably and safely on an office or plant tour.
• Glasses should conform to current style to reinforce your message that you and your skill set are current.
• Inspect your interviewing outfit before putting it on for dry cleaning tags, loose threads and undiscovered dirt. It is easy to brush against a salt covered car without being aware.
• If you have gained or lost weight, put on your interviewing outfit and appraise your appearance in the mirror. If you are overweight, wearing clothes that are tight send the message that you are not accepting of yourself. Invest in outfits that fit properly.
• The tie is the centerpiece of a man’s visual presentation. Invest in a tasteful silk tie that is wide enough to conform to current fashion. An old tie sends the message that you are out of date.
• Purchase a quality leather portfolio in which to carry business cards, copies of your resume, your Company Profile Sheet, and anything else you may want to have at hand for the interview. It makes a far more professional impression than walking in with a manila file folder or envelope.
SPECIAL NOTE: While your resume has presented an image of you, you need to make sure that the image you present in person meets the expectation created by your resume. CHECK YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A MIRROR BEFORE YOU GO THE INTERVIEW.
C. Research prior to the interview
There is an absolute need to do the proper research on the employer and individual with whom you will be interviewing. Given the ease with which information can be obtained via the Internet or at your public library, there is no reason to go into an interview without knowing the background and reputation of the employer and the people you will be meeting
Arriving at an interview with in depth knowledge of the company, its management and the people who are interviewing you will certainly convey to the interviewer(s) your depth of interest and organization.
Your research has two other equally important purposes. Going to work for an employer is an investment of your energy, creativity and time. There is an opportunity cost to accepting any job in the sense that it forecloses other employment opportunities that might offer more stability, a more promising career path, a higher salary or better benefits. Thus you should treat your investigation of an employment opportunity as akin to an investment in a business opportunity and prepare an investigation checklist (lawyers and accountants call it “due diligence”). Finally, your research enables you to tailor your presentation of your features, benefits and accomplishments to the company.
D. Scheduling – Effective Use of the Phone
The purpose of the phone call is simply to set an appointment. Always identify yourself beforespeaking. Be professional and enthusiastic. Your voice will project better if you are sitting up straight or standing during the conversation. Until you feel comfortable making calls, you may want to refer to a script of what you want to say. Of course you must personalize the script to meet the specific situation. Simply be yourself on the telephone and act like the person you are speaking with is sitting across the table from you. Overly familiar presentations also do not work. Practice your telephone technique with your friends and family members until your technique feels natural. They can also point out things you may not be aware of, e.g., saying “yeah” or “OK” instead of “yes”, or saying “uh huh” periodically while the other person is speaking.
Speaking to a Secretary or Receptionist. It is important to quickly establish rapport with the secretary or receptionist who can either be a facilitator and valuable business contact or an obstacle. Ask for and use the person’s name and don’t be afraid to ask for help in scheduling a time to meet with her boss. Always be courteous and positive. If you seem hesitant or unsure, you may be put on the defensive which may decrease or chances of getting through to the person you are calling. Expect to get through and get the interview.
Be prepared for questions concerning who you are representing and what your call is about. To answer these, be prepared with an answer such as:
a. You want to obtain some perspectives about the industry from [boss’ name].
b. You want to obtain information from [boss’ name] about a specific job.
c. You want more information on ______and were told that Mr. [boss’name] is the expert.
d. ______suggested that you contact Mr. [boss’ name].
If you are too vague, the secretary might perceive you as a salesperson trying to penetrate her defenses. Sometimes a very specific question is the best way to communicate your purpose and avoid being perceived as evasive.
If the executive is unavailable, find out the best time to call back or request that the secretary schedule
Speaking to an Executive. After identifying yourself, state that Mr. X has suggested that you speak with him. This referral may be the only link you have with this individual so stress it at the outset of the conversation. State that you sent a letter and ask if the executive had an opportunity to read it. Have your appointment calendar available and mention two specific dates and hours that are convenient for you. Do not say “any time” because that makes it appear that you have nothing going on in your life. The executive should either agree to one of your proposed times or suggest an alternative. At this point, do not begin a long explanation as to why you are calling. Your letter has explained your purpose. It is critically important that you be respectful of the executive’s time and avoid rambling.
If your letter has not been received or read, in most cases it is advisable to offer to call back the next day. If the letter has not been received by then, send another copy and follow through in the normal way. If your letter has been misunderstood, briefly explain that you are not expecting the executive to have a position available or even know of one. However, you do need some important information, and Mr. X “indicated that you would be in the best position to provide it.” End by indicating your enthusiasm for the meeting.
Conducting the Informational Interview
1. Begin the interview with a brief but enthusiastic introduction. Thank the interviewer for taking time to meet with you and reassure her that you are not expecting her to offer you a job or know of a specific opening. Next state your purpose as currently seeking information regarding alternative uses of your skills. Make reference to your strengths as illustrated on your resume. Unless the interviewer sees who you are and where you are going, he will not be able to provide relevant information.
2. Control the interview by asking open ended questions. Tailor your questions for each interview based on the interviewer’s area of expertise. If your interviewer brings up a specific obstacle to your finding a position within her industry, ask her for advice on how to overcome it.
3. Throughout the interview, look for “green lights” that signal interest in you for a job within the interviewer’s company. Indicators are:
Length of interview (more than 30 minutes) and interviewer extends it by her actions.
Interviewer gives you tour of facility.
Interviewer introduces you to her boss or peers.
Interviewer tells you that the company has an opening or is aware of a position coming open.
At these indicators, ask if you should pursue employment possibilities with her company. If she encourages you, ask what the next step in the process would be and get a personal introduction to the next interviewer. Schedule the job interview for another day so that you will have time to properly prepare.
4. Toward the end of your interview, request additional sources that the interviewer would use herself if she wanted more information. The timing and wording of this question is crucial to your success. You don’t want to appear as if you are using her to get to friends. You may want to have a list of company names to see if this person knows anyone there. A good way to phrase your request is: “Can you give me the names of one or two people who can give me additional information or advice?”
5. Finally, in closing your interview, thank your interviewer for her interest in your career and the time she has given to you. You might also say that you would like to keep her informed as to your progress. Finally, since you will be actively campaigning during the next several weeks, ask for any additional thoughts as to how to improve your campaign.
6. A follow-up thank you letter should be sent within 24 hours. Confirm in the letter any follow up and timetable that is required. Mention one or two areas of your expertise that were discussed in the interview and how those talents could b e used in her company.
7. Record the events, outcome and follow up of each interview, using the Interview Report Form shown on the next page.
Types of Interviews
There are several types of interviews that can be part of an employer’s selection process.
1. The Human Resource Screening Interview: After reviewing dozens, sometimes hundreds of resumes, the human resource recruiter selects candidates for a screening interview whose background and skills as presented in the resume, fit the job criteria. Anywhere from a handful to 20 candidates may be invited in or called for a telephone screening interview. The objective of this interview is to delve into your background to determine the degree to which your background fits the job criteria. These interviews tend to be short – no more than an hour and are comprised of an orientation to the company, a review of the job specification, and questions about your background and accomplishments. Listen carefully and positively to each question. Avoid rambling. They are looking at basic qualifications and usually do not have in depth knowledge about the job or exactly how stack up in your job specific skills with the other candidates. Save your “technical presentation”, including stories of your accomplishments for the management interview.
2. The Management Interview: The management interview is with people who understand your field and the requirements of the position for which you are applying. Because the management interview involves a substantial investment of management time, at most only 3 or 4 candidates, are invited to interview at this stage. The interviewer(s) will focus on your skills, accomplishments and potential for future contributions. This is the most important time you will spend in the interview process. There may be one or several interviewers and in some companies, you may be shuttled from one interviewer to another for an entire day, breaking only for lunch with one or more of your interviewers. The interviewers will want to know how you can add value but will also assess your confidence, articulateness and apparent intelligence. Seldom are all of the managers who will have input in the hiring decision in the office on the same day. Therefore, you may be called back for another round of management interviews. Your objective should always be to get the next interview and the next, until you have a job offer.
One approach is to ask each interviewer to give you his sense of the requirements for the position being filled and the most important personal attributes, skills and areas of experience that in their personal opinion, the successful candidate should have. Then tell them how your talents, experience and accomplishments are a superb fit for each of the requirements, telling stories that illustrate how capable you are. You will need to tailor your presentation to each interviewer in response to his stated perception of the characteristics of the perfect candidate. A job offer will be made to the candidate that the boss or the consensus of the interviewers perceives to be the one who can contribute the most toward meeting objectives, increasing profits or reducing risk. The differences between the skills and abilities of candidates at this stage are often microscopic. Frequently, personality and philosophical fit make the difference. Part of the interviewer’s thought process will include: “Will I enjoy working with this person on a daily basis?”
3. The Executive Interview: An interview with the executive responsible for the functional area in which you are seeking employment is often the final step in the process. Often only a single final candidate gets to this stage and by that point, the job is yours to lose. Executives often have outsized egos and prefer to run the show. The executive will want to confirm that you are compatible and as bright and capable as his subordinates who previously interviewed you told him you are. How can a candidate “blow” the executive interview? By exhibiting a lack of emotional intelligence. Before an executive interview, consult one of the management interviewers that you clicked with and ask him about to describe the executive’s personality and advise you on how to how to make a favorable
that he has already been told that you are the most qualified candidate so your objective is to look professional and create rapport.
4. The Job Offer Interview: The purpose of the interview is to persuade you to accept an offer of employment on terms that are within the employer’s budget. The discussion should cover salary, incentive compensation and non-cash benefits.
During the early stages of the screening and interviewing process, your purpose is not so much to secure an offer as it is to simply advance to the next interview. While the interviewer seeks to screen out undesirable candidates and reduce the number of qualified candidates to a manageable number, you strive to establish such good rapport with the interviewer that you are seen as a superior candidate for the job.