Interviewing Tips, Tricks and Traps

Interviewing
Tips, Tricks & Traps

Interviewing is a skill that can be learned. Salespeople start out with minimal skills & polish them up to a fine shine…that's when the ca$h starts to roll in! This is all about how well you can convince the folks at the interview that your "product" fits their needs by learning how to:

Make the Sale,

Close the Deal, and…

GET THE JOB !!

Try hard to hold just one thing high & clear: your role for an interview is SALES!!

Here are the 3 simple steps for a successful interview …

1) Preparation – the most critical phase, where you make a plan that helps to knock their socks off!

Note that many links are scattered throughout this web page…if you click on one of them, use the browser <Back> function to return

2) Execution is the key for the day of your interview, and finally

3) Follow-up, which allows you to remind them how perfect you are for the job!!

Also see the summary section for a quick wrap-up & the specifics section below for several interesting & useful web sites.

Prepare for the Interview

You can make a complete ass (aka “arse”) of yourself at the actual interview by assuming that you already know everything that you will need! Preparation is exactly like the work you did for your final exams – staying up 1/2 the night cramming!! Just rushing around the day before virtually guarantees a poor performance & likely failure, just like lack of sleep/double-dosed caffeine does at the exam.

Make a plan:

· Go slow

· Make notes

· Read, re-read & rehearse the plan & the notes

· Get a good night’s sleep…Relax!

The Resume (aka CV)

If there's an important thing to worry about, this is it! The first impression you give to them is on this piece of paper so spend lots of time making it perfect. The pre-screening HR people (and their eScanners) are trying to weed out anything that's not a good fit to help the hiring manager, so it's pretty important that you get thru the first gate!

Key points…

· One-page summary (plug your Global skills!) & a cover letter

· Use another 2-3 pages of backup data to support the details

· Get this stuff out to the job search folks

· Put it on the Internet if you can & send an eLink

· Customize both cover letter & first page when you're set up for an interview, either directly or thru the job search folks; mail it to the personnel office at least a week ahead!

The Company that you're planning to sell yourself to…

Research this one until you know a whole lot more about the company than you think you'd ever need. Remember that this will probably still be not enough!!

Visit your local library & check the business reference section as well as the business news.

Use a stock market web portal site like MSN Money (used GE as an example) to get easy access to online background info and the company website address. Be sure to click on the Analyst & Company links (menu bar) and others.

Call up the folks at the personnel office a couple weeks ahead of the schedules interview & ask them to mail you some information… a copy of the annual report, other company/corporate info, details about division of business & the program/project you're interviewing for.

They may not be able to do all of these (restricted info) but you're showing interest! Also ask them if you can have the names & roles of the folks who will interview you "to help you prepare".

Your personal career vision

You need to think about where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow & what you want down the road. You should spend some time with The Ball Foundation for their view on careers.

When your thoughts are generally clear on what *your vision* should encompass, sit down and set up a page (to take along) that shows these 3 windows:

When	What	Why?
3 years from today	Some short-term goals & objectives for the interview assignment	Helps the interview process
5-7 years	Where your career is headed in the medium term	Helps you think about the future
7-10 years	"What you want to be when you grow up"	Goals in life, as well as those at work!

Also create your list (again, on paper to take along) of 3-5 specific strengths & weaknesses. Strengths must include:

· Details of your PC skills (tech, Internet, computer languages, study projects, etc)

· Your Global value (languages, cultural advantage, "IQ", etc)

· Identify the fact that you are "A Quick Study"

When you write out your list of weaknesses, be sure to add this one:

· You're not very skilled at Interviewing in general & would appreciate their direct feedback… Make notes about the replies!

Some other important things to do here

· Check out some free professional eGuidance at the Resume Writing Services page & at Dr. Karen’s CV Rules page

· Get a Global perspective from "How to Conquer the World"

· Spend some time to think about how you should approach answering tricky questions!
Here are some real ones that may help you form your strategy…

o "Describe your biggest success." Reply, & expect How? Why? etc to follow

o "OK, so tell me how you handled a personal failure." Reply…Why? etc

o "What do you like best about yourself?"… Why?

o "Tell me what you dislike the most about yourself."… Why?

o "Describe your best ever…" Why?

§ class, teacher, boss, project team, etc

o "Describe your worst ever…" Why?

§ class, teacher, boss, project team, etc

o Watch out for the "Why are we here today?" question. This is often a trap & can be very complex. Understand what the interviewer is looking for before you answer!!

o Here are a few more from the Monster's Interview Traps site…

1. Would you rather have structure or flexibility in your job?

2. How often do you forget important details?

3. How often do your decisions have unexpected consequences?

4. In the past, what approach have you chosen to solve difficult problems?

5. How would you react to working without direct supervision, setting your own goals & meeting them?

6. In what type of work environment are you most productive?

7. In the past, when you have been assigned numerous tasks with little direction, how did you react?

The Rehearsal

If there's another really, really important thing to think about, the rehearsal is it! Every successful politician spends literally hours preparing for important speeches by having the speech written out & prepared, revising it as many times as are needed and reading / re-reading the speech again & again, sometimes to a mirror, sometimes to a friend.

You can & should do the same for the interview, several times. Think about the questions you may encounter, both technical & tricky (!) ones and walk thru with the mirror and then with someone that you trust.

Do it again. And again… And, yes, again. When you're getting bored with repeating this, you can start to feel good because you're close to starting to be…READY TO SELL!!!

Prep Summary

Preparation is the cornerstone to your interview success. You can skip or skimp on this but it's your next job that's at stake! Take the time, make lots of notes. Read, re-read. Rehearse. Again…

Go look at the preparation section to plan how to knock their socks off, recheck the execution of the plan for the day of your interview,
think about your follow-up from the interview, see the summary for a wrap-up & check the specifics for interesting & useful sites

Execute the Plan!

So, here you are, on your way to the job of your life. Just remember a few things & you're off!

· Go to the restroom (toilet) as soon as you get there… take a few liquid moments, regardless of the urgency (!) & then check yourself in the mirror: hair, clothes, teeth, etc. Test the water taste/color/etc so you know what you might be getting! And, turn your PHONE *OFF*!!

· Don't be afraid to return for 2 minutes between interviewers!!

· Ask for a glass of water (if it was OK!); ask for iced tea or soda if not. Decline anything with caffeine as best you can because you're already stressed!

· Be careful if you're invited to lunch or breakfast… Order something that will NOT spill or splash on your clothes – avoid alcohol of any kind. Again, stay clear of caffeine.

· Make sure you give each person you meet one of your business cards & ask for theirs; get a name, mail-code & phone if they don't have a card. This lets you get to them directly in the follow-up.

When you're actually in the interview, remember the following points…

· Don't rush or take forever to answer the questions!

· Think about what you will say in reply to a question

· Take & make notes as you go!

· Ask for clarification when needed

· Don't be afraid to say, "I really don't know how to answer that. Can you take a minute to help me understand what I'm missing?"

· Breathe… Sip your water if needed?

· Speak clearly & slowly - DON'T RUSH!

· Control your body language & your eye contact…

ü Lean forwards a little when you listen & answer – body language tells your interviewer much, much more than just your words.

ü Eye contact is also critical. Study this (and others) & learn here…

· Offer to draw a sketch of the frame that your answer occupies, if appropriate

· The lunch interview is less formal but just as valuable. Use the time to probe for any complexities you might not hear inside the building or in the interview office. Be careful!

Have a set of specific questions to ask when they let you do so…

"Can you tell me a little about…"

· more details about your job and/or position (the interviewer)

· the project/program goals, timing, value to the company, etc

· the Company, Business, Corporation, Division, etc

· the Competition

· growth of business in 5 years; local vs global

· promotion & growth opportunities with the company

You need a list of 5-7 questions written ahead of time (PREP) on your pad with space to take notes as people answer. Remember that you can ask the same thing of each person to get different viewpoints.

Some questions you should ask the Personnel office

· Working hours & overtime expected

· Benefits package, including holiday & vacation days, sick time off, etc

· Initial salary range for position

Never, ever ask…

· "Will you hire me?"

· "Do you think I'm OK for the job?"

· "How much vacation can I have?"

· Anything personal or non-professional!

The Final Day before the Interview

Before you leave for the trip, pack & take…

· Directions to the place with a map if needed

· The contact person & their phone number; a 2nd number if you can

· A pad of paper for notes & your questions

· 2 pens & an automatic pencil with spare leads & an eraser

· 2 copies of your customized resume & your cover letter

· Some tissues or a hanky; comb or hairbrush; lipstick/eye shadow/… if needed!

· Finally, don't forget that "Partridge in a Pear Tree" thing…

Execution Summary

This sounds like a lot to remember but it's all important. Think of this advisory as a way to get around some of the traps that are out there, as well as some interesting tips & tricks. It's really a major rush when you feel like you planned & prepared for everything that you encountered during the interview, especially when the SALE IS CLOSED & YOU GET THE JOB!!

Follow-up with the People you met

The one really important thing to remember is to follow up with the people you met! Spend a few minutes right after all the interviews are over & clean up your notes, capturing & clarifying everything you can while it's all fresh. Spend an hour the next day to hand-write a simple thank-you card to each interviewer or other important person you met to say:

· Thank them… they're BUSY PEOPLE!

· Tell them the value of what you learned from them

· Close with a positive spin like "I hope that you felt that I fit the needs well; please feel free to call me with any follow-up questions"?;

You are then "on hold" & waiting for a call. If you hear nothing for 2 weeks, don't be afraid to call the Personnel office & ask!

Remember: this is something that people skip, skimp or just forget about. Good follow-up can help convert a "no-go" interview into a 2nd round of interviews that turns into a job… Really!!

Summary

So that's pretty much everything that I know about for all of this stuff, along with what I hope are a couple of useful eClix for you… please send me an eMail (below) if any of them don't work?

Good luck!!

Points of Interest

Here are a few “final specifics” and points of interest…

· Internet resources are simply endless these days…here are a couple of sites that might bring you more help:

o See lots of sample Resumes & Cover letters at Monster

o See some more useful interviewing tips at the Career Consulting Corner

o Search out more with Google OR try some of the other great general search tools like Ask Jeeves, HotBot & MSN

· Take an afternoon and meander thru one of the big bookstores (Barnes & Noble) to search out some interview skill books. There are many, many offerings by many, many people. Read thru some chapters in a few and then buy the one(s) that make you feel good… they're probably different in approach than my collection, but varying views can & will help you CLOSE THE SALE!

· The reference section of your local library can provide further reading about the company as well as a very quiet place to assemble your thoughts. Become a member!