Cv For Interviews

Posts Tagged ‘Interview Questions’

A job interview is stressful. The person who hasn’t made a lot of changes isn’t practiced at what is involved (nor should they want to be), and the person who has made a lot of changes doesn’t have any idea as to what’s involved either, or they wouldn’t be making so many changes!

Preparing for the interview de-stresses the situation considerably. Yet, 78% of all candidates - regardless of the level for which they are interviewing - wing it! And frequently cause themselves to be weeded out in the process.

Like so much of the interview, seemingly innocent questions can trip you up. You think you are answering them in a way that puts you in the best light, but you’d be surprised at how many people completely miss the boat. Merely to hope an interview has a positive result is not enough. That’s basically forfeiting your ability to drive up the percentage of a positive outcome.

For instance, in response to the question, “Why do you want to work here?” some people will say things such as:

“I’ve worked in this industry for 15 years and been very successful. I feel I can make a difference in your organization. I have a proven track record of leadership. I’ve read in the paper that your company is having some problems, and with my experience as a Director of XXXXX, I can help straighten those out.”

That answer may sound good and appear to suffice, but on a scale of 1 - 10, it ranks about a 4!

Why? The answer shows no research, no thought, no consideration. It sounds stock and could suffice for any number of companies. Overall, unimpressive.

In my experience as a recruiter, I’ve found that while mid level management tends to UNDERanswer the question, upper level management will often OVERanswer the question. One group doesn’t provide enough information because of a limited lack of experience. The other group has been around, worked their way up the ladder in more than one company, and in their attempt to sound thoughtful, intelligent, and wise, end up saying very little at all.

Let’s look closer.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?
Here’s where you get to show off your research. Tell the interviewer what you’ve learned about the company, and why it’s appealing to you. SPECIFICS are the key here.

Relate those specific examples from your experience to what you’ve learned about the company, their focus, and their market. Look to your personality and what motivates you and how that relates to any details you learned from the ad, your recruiter, your friend who referred you, or from where you learned of this opportunity.

For instance, perhaps their ad stated that they were looking to establish a marketing department from ground up. If you thrive on growth, challenges, making things happen - there’s your answer - along with examples of how you have grown, established, or done market research in a parallel situation.

And you might ask, “What if it’s not a high profile company? What if it’s on the small side and local?” Right. Not every company is the size of General Electric or even a regional public powerhouse that you can look up in Dun & Bradstreet.

But most librarians are more than willing to help you find any information that might be present in any of their research books. Local newspapers may have done stories on the company, and the library would have those too. And these days, most companies have a website.

Share what you can do and why you feel you can make a contribution and benefit the company. This question is about how YOU can benefit the company, not how the company can benefit YOU.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
Some interviews are lost right at this point. This is not an invitation to go on ad nauseum about everything that has happened to you since you were five years old or since your first job out of college. Nor is it the time to shrug your shoulders and give an unplanned, one-sentence answer.

Some people, especially those who haven’t prepared and have a tendency to talk when they get nervous, find themselves rambling. Put together a nice little 2 - 3 minute verbal bio about your career, your qualifications, and why you are interested. Know what you’re going to say in advance.

A FEW POINTS TO REMEMBER
In recruiting we used to say, “‘A’ candidates for ‘A’ companies, ‘B’ candidates for ‘B’ companies and ‘C’ candidates for ‘C’ companies,” and a ‘B’ candidate is not only some one who’s talents and track record is only so-so, it’s also an ‘A’ candidate whose poor interviewing skills MAKE him a ‘B.’

Knowing who you are, what you want, what you have to offer and what you’ve accomplished - and having it all on the tip of your tongue - can make or break you for a job offer - not just for your perfect job, but sometimes for even finding ANY job.

Being able to sell yourself, your skills, how you can benefit a potential company and then being able to close the deal necessitates taking the time to research and learn the company. It means knowing yourself well enough that you can apply aspects of your capabilities to the individual facts and details of that INDIVIDUAL company - and that you can do it smoothly without groping for words or just winging it.

And last, but not least, the words of Peter Handal of Dale Carnegie Training, echo the importance of interview preparation, including what strikes most people as silly - role playing. But as he said, “you only have one chance to make a really good impression,” and if you don’t take it seriously enough to study and thoroughly prepare, someone else will, and that’s the person who will get the job!

Do your homework before EVERY interview! There’s no chance to make a second good impression!

Many people feel that the interview is the single most stressful part of the job search process. Any number of things can go wrong, and a big part of being successful is avoiding simple mistakes.  The things you should avoid doing are as below:

1. Trying to wing the interview: Practice! Get a list of general interview questions, a friend, a tape recorder, and a mirror and conduct an interview rehearsal. Practice until your delivery feels comfortable but not canned.

2. Not being yourself: Be yourself and be honest! Don’t pretend to understand a question or train of thought if you don’t. The interviewer will pick up on this. If you don’t know an answer, say so. Relax and be yourself. Remember you’re interviewing the company as well as vice versa.

3. Not listening: Focus on the question that is being asked and don’t try to anticipate the next one. It’s OK to pause and collect your thoughts before answering a question. Pay special attention to technical or work process related subjects that are unique to a given firm or organization. The interviewer may have provided information you will need to answer the question earlier in the conversation. Employers will be looking for your ability to assimilate new information, retain it, and, most importantly, recognize that information as useful to you later in the interview.

4. Not providing enough details: When answering case questions, technical questions or solving technical problems, take the time to “talk through” your thought process. Recruiters are much more interested in seeing how your mind works and how it attacks a given type of problem, than the answer itself. Articulate your problem solving process and verbalize your thinking.

5. Lack of enthusiasm: Maintain eye contact, greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake (not too weak, not too strong), and show common courtesy. Don’t be afraid to display your passion for the job/industry and to show confidence.

Interviewing is a two-way street.  Obviously, the organization is using the interview process to evaluate you and your credentials to determine if you are a solid fit for the company’s needs.  But the interview is equally important for the opportunity it affords you to evaluate how well the company and the position match what you are seeking.  Formulating a series of well-thought out questions in advance of the interview will not only help you draw out pertinent information form the interviewer, but also demonstrate your intelligence and sincere interest in the position at hand.

The best questions are those that arise from the initial research you will conduct of the organization while preparing for the interview.  Whenever possible, questions should be tailored to the position and company.   The following questions will provide you with some ideas and get you started thinking about potential interview questions you may want to consider asking employers during the interview.

- Fit for the Position

What are the most important skills and attributes a candidate needs to be successful in this position?

What are the characteristics of a successful employee in your organization?

Describe the work environment.

What are the challenging facets of the job?

What would be a typical work day in this position?

What is your management style?

What is your preferred method of communicating with your team?

What is the next step in the interviewing process?

- Company Culture

How would you describe your company culture?

What is the organization structure of your department?

Who are the primary parties that you are responsible to support: shareholders, customers, employees, etc.?  How do you go about making decisions when the needs of these groups are at odds with each other?

- Measures for Success

What are your expectations for new employee hires within their first 90 days on the job?  Within the first six months?

How and when will my job performance be evaluated?

What metrics are used to measure whether or not you are achieving your predetermined goals?

How will my success in this position be measured?

How is success measured in this department (or organization)?

- The Future of the Organization

What is your vision for the organization (or department) over the next two years?  Next five years?

What current major challenges are you facing as a manager?

What is the organization’s biggest challenge currently?

What is the organization’s competitive advantage in the marketplace?

Not all interview questions are acceptable.  There are certain topics that should not be
brought up and information that a potential employer has no right asking for.  Some of
these questions are not legal and others while legal may leave you feeling uncomfortable. 
You do not have to answer certain questions, but how you let the interviewer know this
can determine if your application will continue forward.

For more information on questions that should not be asked or that you do not have to
answer, contact your local government office that handles labor relations.  They can
provide these guidelines to you at no charge.  If questions are being asked about your
private life (and you are uncomfortable answering them), you do not have to.  You can
mildly tell the interviewer that you plan on devoting the time you spend at work to work
and your personal life stays in your personal life.  And try to leave it at that.  If the
interviewer keeps pressing, you will have to decide if the job is worth it to you.

It is your decision to provide the information you do – know your rights beforehand – but
you can still decide to answer a question that should not be asked.  Keep in mind that if a
potential employer wants details about how you spend time outside of work it may be
because they expect their employees to put in a lot of extra hours and they are trying to
gauge if you have commitments that would prevent you from doing this.

Other questions, such as sexual orientation, past relationships, and other lifestyle choices
have no business in an interview setting.  If there is a physical aspect to the job and a
medical evaluation is necessary, this is typically done by a doctor or other medical
professional who will give you clearance.  You do not have to provide details to the
interviewer.

Before attending an interview, you should have your references lined-up and ready to
provide to the interviewer when asked.  More than just writing down names and phone
numbers of previous employers and bosses, you need to do additional preparation. 
Finding out how a former employer views you and your work history with them is vital
before providing that information to a potential employer.  Even if your memory of your
time spent there is positive, you don’t know how you were remembered or what will be
said unless you ask.

Your first step should be to contact everyone that you are considering using as a
reference.  You will want to confirm they are working for the same company and if their
phone number is the same.  If a boss has moved to another company, you can still utilize
them as a reference provided you can track them down.

When you reach a potential reference, don’t assume they will remember you and
everything about you – remind them.  Things you say during your conversation can have
a positive outcome on what they have to say about you later on.  Ask them if they are
comfortable providing you with a favorable reference and if there is any feedback they
have for you.  If you are very comfortable you can flat out ask how they felt about your
time working with them and what they would say about you if someone called to ask.

If you are not comfortable with providing a direct supervisor or boss you can use other
employees in the company that old a supervisory position.  Think of people you have
worked closely with on projects or such – they are valid and reputable people to provide
as references too. 

But if you have made it through the interview process, a reference would have to go quite
badly for it to affect a possible job offer.