Interview notes
I have a job interview on Monday and my recruiter gave me some great tips on how to take an interview. I decided to jot them down so I would have them for posterity. Here goes:
LOOKS & PRESENTATION
- You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The interview is 50% over in the first minute you walk in the door. Make that first impression count.
- Bring a bottle of water. You don't want to interrupt the flow of a good interview because you are thirsty and need to get a drink,
- Get to the interview 15 minutes early. Period. You are trying to show that you are prepared and a man who is ready for the job.
- Make and keep eye contact. If there are several people in the room, look at all of them while you speak and engage them.
- Look sharp, wear a dark suit with a tie. Make shoes your shoes are shined, shirt ironed, cuffs flashed.
- Groom yourself. Cut your fingernails, cut your hair, trim beard and moustache.
- When you shake hands let it be firm, but don't squeeze their hand. You'r going for middle of the road, not limp or he-man.
- Use the interviewer's first name often. Your goal is to make yourself informal, "like on of the guys."
- Have a strong closing statement. Don't leave at "It was very nice to meet you. I hope this works outt for the both of us." When you're leaving get up off your chair, shake their hand, and while shaking look them in the eye and say something like "This is the type of opportunity I am looking for. I am confident I can do the job."
ASKING QUESTIONS AND RESEARCHING THE COMPANY
Take a portfolio with you to the interview. In it bring with you all your extra materials detailed below.
Do research on the company. Find their press releases on the internet, find what products and services they offer. Find out the good bad and ugly. Take a couple of hours to do this and note everything down. Bring these notes (about a page) with you to the interview. It will help you recall things about the company as you are talking.
Take 3 copies of your latest resume with you.
Write down 6 to 10 questions you are going to ask and bring them with you.
Take some scratch paper to note things down as people talk.
Before the interview officially begins ask for some time to ask questions. During this time you will ask the questions you brought with you.
By asking the right questions you can begin to set the frame for the interview. There are three types of questions you can generally ask. You can ask questions about the company, the department you are working in, and the job itself. Below are some of the most important questions you can ask:
At the end of your questions ask: "Can you tell me about the opportunity? What are you looking for?" Then be silent. Even if there is a pause in their narrative, keep quiet until you are prodded to talk. Don't interrupt. Take notes. This information is what you will use as a guide to your answers to their questions. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU CAN ASK, DON'T SKIP IT.
Ask to see an organizational chart, and let them know where in the organization you fit in.
Ask "What are the biggest challenges your department currently faces?" From this you will have one of 3 reactions. 1) I'e done it and can do it again, thereby I am already adding value to your team 2) I haven't done it but it sounds interesting and would like to tackle it, you're showing enthusiasm, or 3) I've done it before, and don't want to do it again. Notice that you've never done it and don't want to do it is not an option here.
Ask "What would be the first project you would have me working on?" This helps place you in their minds as already in the position.
Answering Quetions
- Answer their questions as 2 or 3 minute stories. In these stories you want to make 3 main points.
Describe the project or problem
Describe how you dealt with or fixed the problem or project.
Show how your solution added value to the company. Make these points quantifiable. If you give a number, make it as close to an exact number as possible. People want to see results, not speculation.
Before the interview, prepare a statement about your biggest weakness as an employee. Turn this weakness into a strength. Write the answer down and memorize it. If during the interview they ask you what your greatest weakness is you'll have this answer already prepared and it will have a postive spin on it.
Same as the "greatest weakness" prepare a "greatest failure" statement, with what lessons were learned and how you prevented yourself from making that same mistake later on.
If they ask you about your salary, do not give them a number. The first person to give a number loses, the negotiation. Instead say "[First name], the most important thing for me is not the salary. I am looking for a good opportunity and this opportunity sounds great to me. I am sure that if am the person you want for this job, you'll make me a fair offer." If you have a recruiter, it's their job to negotiate for you, so if pressed tell them that "The reason I have a recruiter is to handle the negotiations for me." THIS IS ALSO A CRITICAL STEP, ESPECIALLY IFYOU HAVE A RECRUITER.