You have been asked to come in for an interview. Do not minimize the importance of this encounter: unless you impress the interviewer in person, as well as on paper, the job will be offered to someone else.
Can you take steps to avoid this unfortunate outcome? Remember, unless your qualifications are exceptional or the position offered requires only minimal skills, you’re probably not going to get the first few jobs for which you apply. However, you are gaining experience which will stand you in good stead in future interviews. This factor, plus the application of some of the suggestions in this guide, should enable you to turn job interviews into job offers.
PREPARING FOR THE JOB INTERVIEW
Your primary task is to relate your qualifications to the requirements of the position by assessing the employer’s needs and analyzing what you have to offer.
SELF ANALYSIS
In preparation for each interview you will have to decide which qualifications you want to emphasize.
ASSESSING THE EMPLOYER’S NEEDS
Research the company. Don’t go into the interview “cold”. Learn as much as you can about the company you hope to be working for, so that you can discuss intelligently various aspects of its operations. This information can be found in the brochures and annual reports available from the company’s personnel and public relations department and business periodicals and directories often available on the internet or at local libraries. If you know anyone who works for the company in which you are interested he/she may be able to provide information on the day-to-day workings of that particular enterprise.
Scrutinize ads. Attempt to match your qualifications with the requirements of the position.
For example:
Examine the ad below, underline key words and make a list of the qualities the successful applicant will possess.
Outstanding Sales Opportunity
Sales representative required for a large and rapidly expanding company selling frozen foods to retail and institutional accounts. The company offers training and is asking for one year of direct selling experience.
From this information you might surmise that the employer will be impressed with someone who:
- has a lot of potential for sales, although not necessarily much experience
- is highly personable, a fast learner, with good communication skills
- has knowledge of the food industry or a related industry
- has knowledge of retail and institutional purchases and practices
- has a driver’s license and is open to the possibility of relocation
- is committed to a career in the food industry
Although you may not meet all of these qualifications, you should, if you apply for the job, meet most of them.
You’ve been invited for an interview? Go back and analyze the ad carefully.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Finally, the night before the interview, sit down and list the five or six points about yourself you wish to emphasize. Focus on fundamentals and don’t try to memorize anything in great detail. The stress associated with any job interview may cause you to forget what you memorized and leave your mind completely blank.
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
For many positions applicants will undergo two interviews. Often, the first interview will be with the personnel department. This is sometimes called a screening interview. This interviewer is mainly interested in your direction, your attitude and your personal qualities, rather than your technical expertise, (which was described in your resume and won you an interview). The subsequent interview might include the manager of the department in which you hope to be working. This person will want more specific information about your technical skills. Also, during this interview, you will be able to learn more about the specific department and the details of the position.
Before coming to the interview it is important to find out how many interviews the successful candidate might expect and the positions of the people interviewing you. This information will help you gauge your behavior.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Although qualifications are important in getting an interview, surveys show that the single most influential factor in the interview is not your experience or your qualifications, but your personality – how you present yourself during the interview.
QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER
Your goal is to decide whether or not the job is the one you want. The information you gather through active questioning will also help you to relate your skills to the employer’s needs and make you appear more interested in the position. It’s absolutely essential to have questions to ask the interviewer and it’s not satisfactory to dismiss this invitation to participate with a “Well, you’ve really answered all of my questions.”
By the way, it is customary to allow the interviewer to raise the issue of salary and benefits. If this has not been mentioned by the end of the interview, feel free to ask (assuming that this is the last interview).
QUESTIONS THE INTERVIEWER MAY ASK YOU
The success of your interview depends upon your ability to answer the interviewer’s questions effectively. Therefore, you should try to prepare the answers for commonly asked questions prior to the interview. Use a tape recorder or have a friend ask you typical interview questions.
60 Common Interview Questions
Why did you decide to apply for this position?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
List three of your most important/proudest accomplishments.
What kind of work environment do you prefer?
What motivates you? Have you used these motivators with others?
How are you qualified for the job?
What supervisory or management experience have you had?
How would you characterize your supervisory style?
The person in this position needs to be innovative and proactive. Can you describe some things you have done to demonstrate these qualities?
How would you rate your communication skills and what have you done to improve them?
What else besides your school and job experience qualifies you for this job?
What have you read lately, and what are you reading now?
While this position involves some specific skills (language, computer, administration,etc…), it is more of a generalist position. How do you feel that your background fits into this?
What are the personal characteristics and qualities that you would bring to this position that would be particularly helpful in fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?
Tell us about yourself.
What professional groups are you a member of, and how active have you been in those groups?
Do you prefer to work independently or as a part of a team?
What appeals to you about this position and/or this company?
What are some aspects of your present (or most recent) position that you like?
What are some aspects of your present (or most recent) position that you dislike?
What do you see yourself doing five or ten years from now?
Starting with your last job, would you tell me about some of your achievements that were recognized by your superiors?
What are some things you would like to avoid in a job? Why?
What are some of the things on your job that you have done particularly well?
What does success mean to you? How do you judge it?
Who or what in your life would you say influenced you most with regard to your career objectives?
What traits or qualities do you feel could be strengthened or improved?
What kinds of things do you feel most confident in doing? Somewhat less confident in doing?
What are some of the things you are either doing now or have thought about doing that are self-development activities?
Tell me about a time when you had work problems or stresses that were difficult for you.
Customers frequently create a great deal of pressure. What has been your experience in this area?
What types of pressures do you experience on your current job? How do you cope with these pressures?
Describe a time when you were under pressure to make a decision. Did you react immediately or take time in deciding what to do?
What types of things make you angry? How do you react?
How do you react when you see co-workers disagreeing? Do you become involved or hold back?
Do you prefer to have a job in which you have well laid out tasks and responsibilities, or one in which your work changes on a frequent basis?
In your current position, what types of decisions do you make without consulting your immediate supervisor?
What types of experiences have you had in dealing with difficult customers?
Describe a problem person you have had to deal with. What did you say or do?
What have been your experiences in dealing with the general public? When have people really tried your patience?
What important goals have you set in the past, and how successful have you been in working toward their accomplishment?
What things give you the greatest satisfaction?
How would you describe yourself?
In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our department?
Describe your most rewarding experience.
What do you know about our company?
Why do you think we should hire you?
What will your last supervisor tell me are your two weakest areas?
If you were hiring someone for this job, what qualities would you look for?
What does the term two-way communication mean to you? When have you successfully used two-way communication?
How did you organize your work in your last position? What happened to your plan when emergencies came up?
Describe how you determined your priorities on your last job.
Describe how you schedule your time on an unusually hectic day. Give a specific example.
Are you a person who likes to “try new things” or “stay with regular routines”? Give an example.
If we had to contact your staff from your previous position, what do you think they would say about you?
What do you do on your days off?
If you had $10 million, what would you do? (do NOT say retire or live on the coast)
What would you do if your staff comes to work late regularly?
What makes you happy?
What was your greatest work achievement?
APPEARANCE
Rightly or wrongly, most interviewers are influenced by what they see. Appropriate apparel may vary from one type of work to another. For most people, business clothes are prescribed. Usually you can’t go wrong by leaning toward the conservative side. A plain suit or dress is appropriate. However, don’t wear clothes that would make you feel uneasy in the interview. It is important that you feel relaxed and confident.
PERSONAL RAPPORT
Attempt to establish a comfortable atmosphere. Smile and be prepared to shake hands firmly. Make good eye contact going in and out of the interview. Sit comfortably and make your expression pleasant.
At first the interviewer will do the talking. He or she will often begin with some small talk. You can contribute to the ice-breaking chatter by making a brief comment on something of mutual interest (e.g. sailing memorabilia on the interviewer’s desk) or on a particular event (e.g. the weather). This may seem a very subtle point, but it immediately establishes a comfortable atmosphere.
Don’t ignore the person who takes you in to the interview. Many interviewers ask their secretary or receptionist what they thought of the applicant. Thank the assistant for his/her help at the end of the interview, using their name if you happen to know it. It is also important to learn the interviewer’s name. Use it more than once during the interview. People like to hear the sound of their own name.
COMMUNICATION
How you sound is just as important as how you look when you apply for a job. Have you ever talked to someone who uses words or phrases that grate on your ear? Try to identify any “wince” words or phrases you might use, such as “you know”. Ask a friend, family member, or a teacher to help you spot your mistakes. Tune your ears to them and work at eliminating them.
Another important part of communication is good listening. All too often we concentrate on our response, not what we are asked. If you do not fully understand an interview question, ask for clarification.
ENTHUSIASM
Be enthusiastic within the bounds of your personality. If you are not a “rah-rah” type of person, don’t try to be. Just remember that some applicants who are really interested in a job don’t get it simply because they don’t let their enthusiasm show.
HONESTY
Always tell the truth. Your objective is to communicate what you would be like as an employee, not what you think will get you the job.
ATTITUDE
Always emphasize the positive. Even when faced with tough questions, try to steer the information away from a possible negative picture of yourself to one that accents the positive.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
PARTICIPATE
Don’t make the common mistake of waiting until the end of the interview to start asking questions. Getting involved earlier will take some of the pressure off. The interview will seem less like a one-sided interrogation. You may also learn more about what the interviewer is looking for.
MAKE YOUR POINTS
Get across the points about yourself you want to make. Don’t make the interviewer draw the information out; he or she may not have good interviewing skills.
PRESENT YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS
Be prepared to relate the skills you have acquired through your work experience to the employer’s needs. The job of selling a product may require such technical skills as persuasiveness, product knowledge, good verbal communication and so on and so forth.
PRESENT YOUR PERSONAL STRENGTHS
In many ways, this is the most important part of the interview. You were invited to the interview because the employer assumes you can do the job by reading your resume. They want to confirm this at the interview, but even more importantly, they want to figure out just who you are. What it will be like to work with you. In all likelihood, the discussion that takes place after you leave the interview is not about whether you have the ability to do the job, but whether or not they want you to do the job. Your personal strengths include your professional attitude about work (e.g. reliability, sincerity, commitment, enthusiasm) and how you handle yourself (your people relating skills). There are two problems in this area. First of all, many job applicants are not convincing when they present their personal strengths. We’ll take care of this in the coaching session. Secondly, many job applicants do not have a sufficiently developed vocabulary skills. Simply, they don’t know how to describe their personal strengths. This is why I’ve included a self-assessment page on this site. The process of self assessment will give you some useful vocabulary to use at the interview.
“Now, Do You Have Any Questions?”
There are great questions, dumb questions, and, worst of all, no questions at all.
The interviewer’s last question is frequently the most important one. That’s when the interviewer smiles and says: “Now, do you have any questions for us?” Your response at this point often determines if you continue as a job seeker or transform into a job getter.
Bur first, a quiz.
Of the following five behaviors candidates exhibit in job interviews, what behavior do you think recruiters find most unforgivable?
Poor personal appearance
Overemphasis on money
Failure to look at the interviewer while interviewing
Doesn’t ask questions
Late to the interview
The answer is number 4. Surprised? Candidates who do not ask any questions represent the number one behavior that causes recruiters to lose confidence, according to my admittedly survey of over 150 recruiters, job coaches, and hiring managers. Still, it’s not too bold to make this statement: you cannot succeed in a job interview without asking a number of well-considered questions.
Of course, even great questions will not get you a job offer if you come with other problems. Here, in order, are the ten attitude strikeouts that most often condemn job candidates.
Doesn’t ask questions
Condemnation of pas employer
Inability to take criticism
Poor personal appearance
Indecisive, cynical, lazy
Overbearing, over aggressive, “know it all”
Late to interview
Failure to look at the interviewer while interviewing
Unable to express self clearly
Overemphasis on money
THE FOUR TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO ASK-
Questions that allow the employer to visualize you in the position.
“What did you see on my resume that made you think I was a good fit for this position?”
Questions that allow you to understand the scope of the job
What’s expected, how are you assessed, who supports you, and who you support
Questions that give you a sense of what this job means for your career
“Why is this position open?”
“What happened to the last person in this position?”
Questions that explain the next step in the hiring process
“How many people have made it to this level of interviewing?”
“When do you expect to make a decision?”
Fifteen Rules for Framing Better Questions
The art of asking questions is considering what responses you prefer and framing the questions to maximize your chances of getting the answers you want. Here are 15 rules for asking better question.
Ask open-ended questions
Keep it short
Don’t interrupt
Getting to yes
Use inclusive language
Ask questions the interviewer can answer
Avoid questions that are obvious or easy to determine
Avoid “why” questions
Avoid asking questions that call for a superlative
Avoid leading or loaded questions
Avoid veiled threats
Avoid questions that hint of desperation
Ask questions that focus on what the company can do for you
Don’t ask questions that are irrelevant to the job or organization
Relax and smile
TEN GREAT QUESTIONS TO ASK
What’s the makeup of the team as far as experience? Am I going to be a mentor or will I be mentored?
What does this company value the most and how do you think my work for you will further these values?
What kinds of processes are in place to help me work collaboratively?
What can I bring to Company XYZ to round out the team?
Do team members typically eat lunch together or do they typically eat at their desk?
What’s the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment?
Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to perform this job?
When top performers leave the company, what are their reasons and where do they go?
What do you see in me? What are my strongest assets and possible weaknesses? Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top candidate?
Who are the “coolest” people on my team? What makes them “cool”? Can I meet some of them?
THE DUMB DOZEN
12 Dumb Questions Candidates Actually Ask
Is it possible for me to get a small loan?
What is it that your company does?
Can I see the break room?
What are your psychiatric benefits?
How many warnings do you get before you are fired?
Can you guarantee me that I will still have a job here a year from now?
Would anyone notice if I came in late and left early?
What does this company consider a good absenteeism record?
The job description mentions weekend work. Are you serious?
What is the sign of the company president?
How do you define sexual harassment?
Will my office be near an ice machine?
