The importance of the interview in the overall hiring process cannot be overstated. It is where the “rubber meets the road.” It is where you have one opportunity to establish yourself as the candidate of choice to your potential employer. Too many talented and valuable candidates do not understand the value of preparation and practice for this important aspect of the selection process, and then wonder why they didn’t make the cut.
Successful professionals, especially extroverts with strong interpersonal skills, frequently dismiss the notion of preparing and practicing for their interviews, feeling that they can probably “wing it.” While that may be true in some cases, it is advised to consider these important aspects which will enhance your interview experience and give you a competitive edge.
UNDERSTAND HOW THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WORKS.
There are many excellent books at the local library or bookstore on interviewing techniques. This foundational preparation is a necessary step to give you specific insight as to what the employer is looking for. It is important to understand the dynamics of the interview process, including what questions are likely to be asked of you, and what some effective responses might be.
Learn how to interpret the interviewer’s question-behind-the-question. Know about behavioral interview questions and why they are important to a prospective employer. Understand the process from the interviewer’s side of the table. Be aware of proper interview etiquette, and know the kinds of questions that you need to ask the interviewer.
RESEARCH THE COMPANY, THE HIRING MANAGER, AND THE CULTURE.
Researching companies is much easier today with the help of the Internet. Most companies have websites where you can get such information as the company’s history, product lines, annual sales, and, in publicly held companies, their annual report. To meet with a hiring manager and expect him or her to provide you with this basic information about their company will start you out on the wrong foot. You will be expected to have taken the initiative to research this information prior to your meeting.
To find out about the hiring manager and the culture of the company, you may need to tap your network to find people who work there or who previously worked there. Their experience and perspective will give you an additional frame of reference. It will also be a possible guide to develop your own list of questions that you will want to ask during the interview process.
KNOW YOURSELF, YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.
One of the most common “stumpers” that surprise many professionals is the typical opening question, “Tell me about yourself.” Prepare and practice a segment that will be about three to six minutes in length. It should be business-focused, with an overview of your career from the beginning, or when you graduated from school.
The interviewer will be listening for the following in addition to the content of your response: how well you know yourself; how organized and articulate you are in presenting yourself; your verbal communication skills and self confidence; your general attitude; and your personal and career motivators and satisfiers. They will be looking for what circumstances prompted your career moves – around, up or out of your previous organizations, including why you are on the market at this time.
Expect to be queried in some form about your strengths and weaknesses. It is best to think beforehand what assets you bring to the position and the organization. These are your selling points, which should be directly related to the skills, traits and strengths needed for the position you are applying for. When asked about your areas in need of development, don’t sabotage your candidacy with true confessions. Talk about an aspect of yourself that you are working to improve, preferably one that will not be perceived as a liability in the open position or the company’s culture.
PREPARE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS, USING ANECDOTEL EXAMPLES.
It is easiest for most people to think of their work in terms of their job description or the responsibilities that they had in various positions. While this is good foundational information for the interviewer, it is not enough. Employers want to know not just what you were responsible for, but also how your being in that role made a difference or made improvements to the job, department, or organization. Your resume was developed in a way that focused on these accomplishments. The interview offers you the opportunity to expand on them.
The next step is to think of specific examples of real-life work or customer situations which will give the interviewer an anecdote or “story” that brings your accomplishments to life. The employer knows that when you present yourself in terms of specific ways you contributed to past employers, that this will be a fairly good indicator of what they might expect from you in their organization. Remember that no employer wants to hire someone who merely puts in his or her hours to collect a paycheck each week. They want to hire someone who will make a difference, who will add value, and will provide results.
