Sucessful Interviews

You are judged on many aspects during a job interview. It is not enough to simply possess the required skills-most applicants will have at least that much. You have to be professional in your appearance, show poise, courtesy, and be friendly and personable- and all before the interview even begins.

But even before the interview, you sent in your resume. Did you do any research to determine where it went? Are you sure this really is the company for which you want to work? Does it hold to your work philosophy? Is it good to its employees? Does it offer you a future? Before you apply, find out where you are applying. What good is the best interview if the company that wants you is not what you want? The first step to ensure a good interview takes place before you ever mail a resume. It starts with research.

Research

Find out about the company. Is it expanding? Does it have more than one location? Does it have a mission statement? Who are its competitors? Do you know anyone who works there who is willing to tell you more about the company? Does it have high employee turnover? Does it have a company Web site?

One of the best sources of company background information is the Internet. Whether or not they have a Web site, it is sometimes interesting to enter the company name into a search engine, such as YAHOO! to see what you find. You may find that they are listed as one of the best companies to work for in a business magazine, or that they are in the midst of an ugly lawsuit that could bankrupt them. Make sure the company profile represents an environment where you will be happy working. Later, if you interview, having knowledge of the company might be an impressive point that the interviewer will remember. It shows you have real interest in the company.

But what if they do not list their company name in the ad? "Major medical institution seeks…" I guarantee you they have a fax number listed. Try running the fax number through YAHOO! It often yields a company Web site, or listings for that company at other Web sites. I once used this method to track down a company to see if it was the type of place where I would want to work. Not only did I find the site, I actually found the manager of the department for which I was interested in applying. I e-mailed my pdf resume straight to the department head from that Web site. It was a risk. The department manager could have seen it as insubordinate to bypass the instructions in the employment ad for submitting a resume. As it turns out, I got the interview, and the manager mentioned being impressed and wondering how I had tracked him down. When I explained, he thought it was resourceful.

But what if he had not appreciated my methods? In that case, I would not have gotten the interview. But I am a resourceful person. I do sometimes take risks in order to test different, and possibly better, methods. If an employer admires this quality, he/she will appreciate that I was able to track down the source and submit my resume directly there. If an employer does not admire this quality, then I probably would not be happy working for this person or company. And the company would not be happy with me and my methods as an employee. This was the logic I used to decide whether to submit my resume to human resources or the department head. While I cannot recommend this technique of bypassing proper channels as a suggestion for job seekers, I do offer it as an illustration of being yourself and making sure potential employers know exactly who you are and how you perform.

The best advice is to make sure the position you are interviewing for and the company you are interviewing with is a good match for your skills. You are not interviewing to get hired. You are interviewing to make sure they understand your skills so that they can make an informed decision as to whether or not you are the best fit for their open position. Show them what you have got; but do not feel rejected if you are not chosen. Your skills may be better utilized in another environment; and the interviewer may simply be wise enough to see this. In most cases, you should be, too.

For this same reason, never pad your resume. While it is good to frame your skills and experience in a positive light, highlight the positive, and downplay the negative, never use inaccurate or even exaggerated information. This can only get you into trouble, either by an employer checking into your false claims, or by getting you hired into a position where you lack the experience and knowledge to do the job well.

Interview

But lets say you are called and asked to make an appointment for an interview. What happens next? Here is some information to help ensure the best interview possible.

Be prompt

Better than being on time is being early. Arriving just 10 minutes early gives the interviewer the message that you are not only prompt, but that you understand the importance of leaving yourself some margin for error. You illustrate that you did not just leave yourself enough time to get to the interview, you gave yourself enough time to deal with potential obstacles as well, such as traffic problems or possible difficulties with following directions to the office.

Be professional

When you arrive, introduce yourself to the receptionist and explain why you are there. Be courteous. Once, in an office where I worked, interviews were being held. One applicant came in and proceeded to treat our receptionist as though she were a personal servant. The applicant did not realize that in our office the receptionist was a longtime employee, a well-liked team member, and regarded with respect. News of her attitude preceded her into the interview when her potential new boss received her application from the receptionist. Needless to say, the applicant was not hired. Always treat everyone with courtesy and respect.

While you are waiting, keep in mind that office personnel can see you. Do not slouch in your chair, chat on a cell phone, or fidget. Try to relax and think about the upcoming interview and what you might offer this company.

Remember that your first impression could be your only one. Casual dress implies a casual attitude. Show you care. Wear a professional dress or suit (solid colors are preferred), hose (nude or tan), and dress shoes. Avoid wearing stiletto, sling back, or open toe shoes. Men should wear a suit (navy, gray, or charcoal), crisp white shirt, conservative tie, belt, dark over-the-calf socks, and polished black dress shoes. Leave the jeans, sneakers, pullover shirts, tennis shoes, and tongue piercings at home, and do not use this day to show off your tattoos. Your appearance should reflect a mature and discreet attitude that promotes confidence in your ability to be appropriate and serious in your work. But do not be stiff-let your positive and friendly attitude shine through.

Keep jewelry to a minimum. Avoid large earrings and things that jingle or make noise. Watches, school rings, and wedding or engagement bands are OK. Makeup should be kept light and natural. Hair should be conservatively cut on both men and women and kept out of the face.

Be wary of scents as well. Your favorite perfume may trigger an interviewer's allergy attack. And if you come in smelling like a cigarette, your potential employer may be wondering how many breaks you will need during the day. Clean and odor-free is sure to not offend.

Details

Bring extra copies of your resume. If you end up interviewing with more than one person, these will come in handy. A list of available references (both personal and professional) is also a nice touch.

When filling out your job application, fill it in completely. Do not use "see resume." The company has a reason for their application format. Do not make things difficult for them.

If the application asks for a desired salary, it is OK to put "open" or "negotiable." There is always the danger of asking too little or too much. Let the employer make the offer if he/she is interested. You can always try to negotiate up to see how firm the offer really is. Most companies have a salary range for every position. And they have many reasons for wanting to start you lower rather than higher. Profit is not always their only motivator; often they are trying to work in room for bonuses and raises down the road. The lower they can start you, the more generous they can be before you finally reach their salary cap. Still, there is room to negotiate in most cases. Remember this and do not pin yourself down to a stated amount. If you are asked point blank what you would like to make, you can address the issue by saying, "I am currently making $______, but I am more interested in the opportunities this position can offer me."

When you meet the interviewer, give a firm handshake, a bright smile, and maintain eye contact. Show you are positive and enthusiastic.

While researching the company, you may have come across items of interest or questions you would like to ask. Have them written down and ready to ask. It is also not only appropriate, but wise, to ask the interviewer questions about the position. "What are the most important aspects of this position?" "What do you like most about working at this company?" "What type of support will I have in this position? Who can I go to with questions?" I had an applicant once ask me what my qualifications were to manage the department. I respected his right to have a better understanding of my abilities and background as his potential manager. I also felt good explaining my education and work experience to him, knowing that it allowed him to gain some respect for me as a manager. He is now my senior project manager and has done a fantastic job for me for more than two years.

In asking questions of your employer, however, it is important to remember that now is not the time for questions concerning salary, benefits, or breaks. Those questions during an interview are inappropriate and should be saved until the company calls to make you an offer.

Questions

If the information on your resume was sufficient, interviewing would not be necessary. Think of your resume as an outline, and be ready to give the whole story. Do not parrot what is already on paper in front of the interviewer. "Yes, I worked for Company X for 4 years, from 1990 to 1994." Be concise, but tell the whole story. "I worked as operations assistant from 1990 to 1992, but was promoted to manager at the end of that year. I was one of only five people in the department, and by 1994, when I left, we'd increased our profitability by more than 25%."

Listen. It is important to relax and be sure you have heard the question fully before you begin to answer. If you are not sure you understand the question, it is OK to state that. "I'm not sure what you are asking. Could you restate the question?" If you have an idea of what the interviewer is asking, try restating the question yourself, with "Do you mean…" or "Are you asking…" It is better to make sure you understand and answer appropriately than to guess and answer inappropriately.

Expect behavioral and ambition questions. Employers will want to know your career goals in addition to understanding how well you work within a team, handle interpersonal conflicts, or deal with unreasonable clients. Questions will be open-ended and not "yes" or "no." Take a moment before you answer to construct what you are about to say. Try to keep answers positive, well-thought-out, well-structured, and honest.

If you are currently employed when you interview, you can expect to be asked why you are leaving your present situation. Make sure you do not say anything negative about your employer. Try to frame the answer positively. It is OK to want to "work for a larger company that can offer more financial compensation and better benefits," "be part of an organization where there is greater opportunity for professional growth," or "want more responsibility than my current position allows." It is not OK to "hate my job" or "think my boss is an idiot." Be positive, but provide valid reasons for leaving.

Rather than negativity, it is best to show pride and passion regarding your past positions and accomplishments. Talk about your promotions, helpful input or management on projects you have been part of, awards or appreciation you have received. You do not have to hate your job or be relocating to be applying elsewhere. It is acceptable to preface one of the statements in the previous paragraph with "I love my current job. The people I work with are professional and positive, and I've learned a lot from my manager. But now I'm ready for more responsibility, a growth opportunity my current employer can't offer under its current departmental structure." This is a fair reason for leaving. It also shows motivation to work, achieve, and improve-qualities any employer will admire.

Some questions cannot legally be asked of you. Areas such as marital status, child bearing/rearing plans, and arrest records are off limits. If an employer strays into a prohibited area, it is completely appropriate to state that you prefer to discuss job-related issues during the interview.

You are human. You have weaknesses. Your interviewer knows this. Do not try to sell yourself as perfect and flawless. The test is to see if you can identify your own weaknesses, and find a positive application for them or creative and helpful ways to compensate for them. For example: "I have always envied people with fantastic memories. But I'm one of those people who has to write everything down. That's why you'll never see me at my office without a planner in my hand-it allows me to have everything I need to remember, literally, right at my fingertips."

People who will not admit their weaknesses will also not address them. An applicant who cannot name his/her weaknesses is a scary prospect to an interviewer. If you have never thought in depth about your weaknesses, give yourself some time before your interview to consider them. After you identify them, think about ways to improve. Ignoring weaknesses and hoping you will never need to use your weakest skills is a sure way to sabotage your own success. Show the interviewer that you can identify them, focus on them, work on them, and turn them into strengths. Instead of saying, "I can't write very good correspondence, so I usually ask one of our secretaries to write my letters for me," say, "I am currently working to improve my ability to express myself in written correspondence. I'm working with a highly recommended book on writing business correspondence, and I've signed up for an informal writing course offered through a local corporate training agency on Monday nights."

Do not be unnerved by silence. If the interviewer stops talking and you are not speaking either, it may be that he/she is simply formulating another question, or perhaps he/she is momentarily distracted. Give it time. If you would rather, you could also utilize the pause to ask one of your "questions to the interviewer" if you feel it is appropriate. If you experience a silence during your answer, a space where you must pause to think, do not fill in the gap with "uhm," "y'know," "I guess," or other such meaningless placeholders.

If the interview is interrupted, by a phone call for the interviewer for example, keep track of where you were in the questions and conversation. If the interviewer does not remember where he/she left off, you can show you are paying attention by recalling for him/her.

Sample Questions

Here are some questions listed as "most frequently asked interview questions" by several sources. Expect them, and be prepared to answer them.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Tell me about yourself.

How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position?

Where do you see yourself in five years? What are your goals? What are you doing to achieve them?

Why should I hire you?

What has been your greatest challenge?

What types of situations put you under pressure? How do you deal with pressure?

What was your greatest failure? How did you handle it? What, if anything, did you learn from it?

What are you looking for from your career and this job/company?

What motivates you?

After the interview

Do not forget to thank the people who took the time to listen to you explain what you have to offer. A personal, handwritten note on a formal note card will stand out in anyone's daily mail. And everyone loves a "thank you." A standard note would read something like this:

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you last week to explain why I would like to work for Company X. I enjoyed the interview, and after visiting your company site, I believe strongly that I can make a contribution to Department Z. Good luck in your search for the perfect candidate.

Jane Doe.

More than just a "thank you," the note reiterates your interest in the position and emphasizes your ability to contribute to the company.

Most information regarding interviewing skills and methods focuses on landing the job. But one important question to ask yourself is whether or not you want the job. While there are certainly times when a person needs a job-any job; that is not the best situation in which to be seeking a job. In cases where you are not desperate to find work, take your time. Be sure you want to work for this company. Be sure you will be happy in this management structure. Be sure the company will be happy with you. Sometimes we are so focused on getting the job, we forget to ask ourselves if we would really enjoy this new environment. For example, if you are on salary, and you enjoy the leisure feeling of coming in on weekends or staying evenings to test new ideas at your workstation, you might not like being put on hourly if your overtime hours will be restricted. If you love to work with people and tackle projects with teams, you may not want a position where you are closed in an office alone all day. On the other hand, if working with others is not your strong point, you may want to reconsider whether you would like to have more responsibility managing several people when you are only ever happy with work you have done yourself.

After the interview, ask yourself honestly if this is a job you would enjoy. And trust the interviewer's decision. After the interview, he/she now not only understands your qualifications, but also the job's demands. And the truth is that you can be very skillful, and still not be the best person for the position. Is it worse not to be selected or to find yourself hired into a position where your skills are not utilized to their full potential? Or worse, where you are in over your skill-level? You are not looking for any job. You are looking for the perfect fit, and so is the interviewer. A interview's success is not judged on whether or not you are hired, but on whether or not you have provided the interviewer with the information required to accurately assess your ability to performed the required duties of the position for which you have applied.