Great Tips From Your Recruiter - Interviewing Techniques
Hiring decisions are most often made in the first five minutes of an interview, it's crucial for candidates to have their act together from the moment they set foot in the door. "We systematically coach our candidates on how to make the best use of this brief amount of time, both for the sake of the applicant and for the sake of the busy hiring manager."
PREPPING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much about the company and the position as you possibly can. If you found the position through a recruiter, he or she should be able to provide that information for you. Even so, study their web site, search the web or go to the library. In today's world of mass communication, there's no excuse for lack of research.After you have studied the company, write out a list of questions to ask the employer. Sample questions follow:
Why is this position available? What is the #1 priority in this position? What type of support will be offered to the person in this position? What are first year's goals in this position? What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this positionto succeed? Expand on your background to support how you have overcome similar obstacles.
How will my performance be evaluated? What opportunities are there for growth in the next 12 months? Two years? Five years? What growth do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?DO
Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is never excusable. Clarify questions. Be sure you answered the questions the employer really asked. Get the interviewer to describe, in their own words, the position and responsibilities early in the conversationso you can relate your skills and background to the position throughout the interview.
Give your qualifications, however give them in story form, not just clicking them off as on a resume. Stressthe accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job, again in a story format. People love
stories and this is a major point. Prepare two or three anecdotes-use names and detailed
specifics-which illustrate specific accomplishments, skills or your value to a previous employer.
Practice telling these mini-stories so that they convey quickly and concisely the point you're trying to make.
Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact,don't slouch and maintain composure.
Anticipate tough questions. Prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths. Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one. Ask questions throughout the interview. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not aone-sided conversation. You should have already reviewed their website, therefore prepare a min.
of 5 questions, good, intelligent questions to ask and get answered.
Listen. This is probably the most important ability of all. By concentrating not only on the employer'swords, but also on the tone of voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on the
employer's style. Once you understand how a hiring authority thinks, pattern your answers accordingly
and you will be able to better relate to him or her.
THE NEVERS
Don't answer vague questions. Rather than answering questions you think you hear, get the employer to bemore specific and then respond.
Never interrupt the employer. If you don't have time to listen, neither does the employer. Don't smoke, chew gum or place anything on the employer's desk. Don't be overly familiar, even if the employer is doing all of these things. Don't wear heavy perfume or cologne. Don't ramble. Long answers often make the speaker sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don't answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain whenever possible and tell the story.
Never ever, ever lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible. Do not make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies. Please, this is a cardinalrule that so many break. DO NOT TALK BAD ABOUT YOUR FORMER COMPANY REGARDLESS
OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE. If there is something negative that needs to be related, then I will relate the story. Taking
the high road leads to respect.
Do not discuss salary....."As much as the position is worth", or along those lines. MAJOR; Do NOT give a $ figure.
WHAT TYPE OF QUESTIONS TO EXPECT
Make a list of every job you've had with columns for the component tasks the job required you to do, an assessment of your performance at each task and what the result was from the employer's perspective. This is absolutely crucial to being able to talk about your skills and accomplishments. Most people have never taken the time to examine the components of the jobs they've had until asked in an interview. That's the wrong time to start a self-assessment. While no one can predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask. Write out answers to the toughest questions an interviewer could ask. You'll know what these questions are because they'll be exactly the ones you hope don't get asked. A confident bearing, an immediate answer and lack of embarrassment or awkwardness in answering such questions is vastly more important than what the answer is. Don't think about what you'll say only once confronted with the question.To prepare, think about how you would answer the following questions:
When asked, "Tell me about yourself." (spend 2-3 minutes) Keep your answer in the professional realm only.Review your past positions, education and other strengths. Speak to their needs.
What do you know about our organization? Research the prospective employer. This is the area most oftenneglected by candidates who do not have the resources of a professional recruiting organization
to rely on. The Internet is often a great place to start. Product lines, recent press releases and
management structure are usually found there. The public library is also an excellent place for this.
The more knowledge you demonstrate of the company, the better you look to the interviewer. Why are you interested in this position? Relate how you feel your qualifications really match the requirementsof the job. Also, express your desire to work for that company.
What are the most significant accomplishments in your career so far? Pick recent accomplishments that relateto this position and its requirements.
Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. Focus on how you solved the situation and how youbecame a better person because of it.
How would you describe your personality? How do you perform under pressure? What have you done to improve yourself over the past year? What did you like least about your last position? Reason you are leaving (did leave) your present (last) company? What is your ideal working environment? How would your co-workers describe you? What do you think of your boss? Have you ever fired anyone? What was the situation and how did you handle it? Are you creative? What are your goals in your career? Where do you see yourself in two years? Why should we hire you? What kind of salary are you looking for? What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?CLOSING THE INTERVIEW
Too many people second-guess themselves after an interview. By closing strongly and asking the right questions, you can eliminate the post-interview doubts that tend to plague most interviewees.If you feel that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, express your interest to the hiring authority and turn the tables a bit. Try something like the following: "After hearing more about your company, the position and the responsibilities at hand, I am certain that I possess the qualities that you are looking for in the (title) position. Based on our conversation and my qualifications, are there any issues or concerns that you have that would lead you to believe otherwise?"You have a right to be assertive. This is a great closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, this is a great opportunity to answer those objections. At the end of the interview ask for the job. While it's a tough thing to do for many people, it significantly increases your shot at getting it. Employers want to know that you are eager to work for them. You have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on positive note.
A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER DURING THE CLOSING PROCESS
Don't be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the office first, or interview other applicants, before making a decision.
Make sure you answer the following two questions: "why are you interested in the company?" and "what can you offer?."
Express thanks for the interviewer's time and consideration. Ask for the interview's business card so you can write a thank you letter as soon as possible.FOLLOW-UP
When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. Call your recruiter! Follow-up now is critical.I tell every candidate that a follow-up thank letter is essential. If you have done your job properly and you have the business card, you have the email address. If not, then I will give it to you. A thank you email followed up by a hard copy is a key to successful interviewing. While I tell all about this, only the very best actually follow this crucial piece of advice. A "thank you" letter should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview.
CALL ME IMMEDIATELY.
ESSENTIAL THAT YOU MAKE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INTERVIEW. I WILL BE TALKING TO THE HIRING AUTHORITY 30 MINUTES AFTER THE INTERVIEW. I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE SO THAT I CAN ASSIST YOU TO MOVE TO THE NEXT STEP OR CLOSE FOR AN OFFER.
SAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER
Date
Employerâs Name
Employerâs Title
Name of the Organization
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. (name of the employer):
I certainly enjoyed our meeting on Friday regarding the sales position with ABC, Inc. Thank you again for taking the time to explain in detail the duties and responsibilities for this position. I believe I can combine my background in the ABL/Factoring industry with my 12 years of sales experience to achieve heightened name recognition and increased sales for ABC, Inc. Over the past 12 years, I have consistently reached or surpassed all sales goals set by employers. I attribute my success to developing a territory utilizing aggressive cold calling strategies, coupled with the ability to quickly determine the customer's true needs. I would like to put my experience and skills to work for you. I am truly interested in your sales position. ABC, Inc. is just the type of dynamic and innovative organization that I am looking to join. I would like to arrange a second meeting with you again soon so we can begin to set the groundwork for my employment with ABC, Inc. I can be reached during the daytime at (xxx)xxx-xxxx or in the evening at (xxx)xxx-xxxx.
Thank you again for your time and interest.
Best regards,
