Interview Preparation

Interview Preparation Dear Candidate, Congratulations for considering this dynamic opportunity. As every interview process is different, we have put together some tips, suggestions, and worksheets to prepare you for this opportunity. We want you to determine if this position is a right fit for you. Before the Interview: 1. Know the Employer Before you enter an interview, you should know everything about both the company and the role you are considering. This will demonstrate your genuine interest in exploring their career opportunity. In today's world of mass communication, there's no excuse for lack of research. Your recruiter will be able to brief you on the company, the hiring manager and the selection team, but you should research multiple sources for additional information. After you've studied the company, generate a list of company specific questions to ask the employer (see worksheet provided on page 7). 2. What to Bring Printed directions to the interview as well as your recruiter s phone number and the client s phone number (in case you run late) A pad of paper and pen (preferably a folio) Examples of work i.e. completed project, if relevant and appropriate. Never discuss or show proprietary information. Copies of degrees, diplomas, certification or licenses Three copies of your resumé (make sure the resume is identical to the one supplied to the interviewer) complete with a specific, targeted cover letter relating to the position. Your prepared questions for the interviewer (see worksheet provided on page 7). List of your professional accomplishments and achievements (see worksheet provided on page 8). Often individuals don t recall things significant during a stressful interview situation, having these written out to reference are beneficial. 3. Attire What's the appropriate dress code for an interview? The first impression you make on a potential employer is the most important one. Statistics indicate that 55% of another person's perception of you is based on how you look. You'll want that first impression to be not just a good one, but, a great one. It's not so much that you're trying to be considered with what you wear; it's more a matter of not taking yourself out of contention with your presentation. P a g e 1

A good rule of thumb is that you dress one level higher than the career that you're going for. By dressing a notch above what's standard apparel for the position you're interviewing for, "you're definitely showing that you care about this position, and that you know the game." Therefore, it does make sense to consider how successful individuals in this industry dress for success, regardless of the dress code at the organization. If you're not sure, check with your recruiter and ask. Attention to detail suggests that you have made the effort to create the best impression. Think about your hair (well-groomed), nails (clean and subtle), your accessories (limited), your shoes (polished and in good repair). Nothing is less impressive than a pair of scuffed shoes teamed with a crisp and professional outfit! Avoid colognes or fragrances completely. Always have a collar on a shirt. Men, even if you don t wear a tie, put on a jacket. Please note - Do not take your cell phone into the interview, or if unavoidable, make sure it is off/silent and ignore it until you are completely out of the office area. For ladies, avoid oversized purses if possible. 4. Your Arrival Arrive no earlier than fifteen minutes, but no later than five minutes prior to the interview. Late attendance is never excusable If you re late for an interview. Just say, I m sorry I m late. If I ve thrown off your day I will be glad to reschedule whenever it s convenient for you. Take ownership, don t make excuses, and offer ways to make things better. Nothing ever goes perfectly, and knowing you will take responsibility and work to fix problems is impressive. Prior to entering the building, chew mint gum or a breath mint but do not chew gum during the interview. Allow adequate time for traffic, parking, and a last minute appearance check. Treat everyone you meet as if they are the decision maker, including the receptionist. During the Interview: 1. Things to DO: Immediately express your thanks for the interview and state your excitement. The interviewer wants you to be glad you re there and wants you to be excited to explore their opportunity. If you re not thankful and excited now you definitely won t be thrilled after six months on the job. Plus an overt let me see if this job is a good fit for me interview can often be painful for the interviewer; even if over the course of the interview you realize you really want the job, you probably already lost the advantage. Emotion positive emotion is good. Try to maintain a 50/50 balance between talking and listening. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation. Ask questions throughout the interview. With any open-ended question, clarify what specifically the interviewer would like you to cover. For example, if the question is tell me about yourself, your response could be, I d love to! Is there a specific area you d like me to start? P a g e 2

With any confusing or multi-angled questions, seek to confirm if you are responding with the type of information they are looking for. For example, if the question is tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a supervisor, your clarifying response could be would you like me to discuss my relationship with my last supervisor? If you are even slightly unsure about a specific question, or need time to formulate and process your response, ask for clarification: Can you be more specific? I want to make sure I respond accurately to what you are asking for. Be aware of body language; maintain good posture, lean forward slightly to indicate interest, and maintain eye contact. Smile. Maintain your composure and professionalism. Although they will want to hear from you first, try to get the interviewer to describe the position and responsibilities early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and your background to the specific position throughout the interview. Discuss your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are related to their sector, their industry, the company culture, and the job. Anticipate difficult questions, prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths. Listen. This is probably the most important skill of all. By concentrating not only on the interviewer's words, but also on the tone of his or her voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on their style. Once you understand how a hiring authority thinks, pattern your answers accordingly. You will be able to relate better to him or to her. DON T: Speak negatively about your past or current situation, boss, or working environment Ask questions about or share information regarding current or expected compensation Interrupt the interviewer. If you don't have time to listen, then neither does the employer. Place anything on the employer's desk without approval. Be overly familiar, even if the employer is. Ramble. Long answers can make you sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don't answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain yourself in clear and concise responses whenever possible. Lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible. Be unprepared. Have your resume and everything else you need all set to go. Hit the ground running and immediately focus on the interviewer. Work is a verb. Make interview a verb too. Take over. Feel free to subtly shape the interview and lead the conversation into areas that showcase your strengths, but don t try to take over. Employers need people who can lead and follow. Trying to take over is really irritating. Get too comfortable. We want you to be relaxed and at ease during the interview, but we also want you to show the interview matters to you. Kicking back says you don t really care. When asked if you have any questions, don t just create a few to try to impress the interviewer. If you have no questions, say so. Don t ask about something you could have easily learned on your own. Don t ask questions designed to make you look good. In short, don t ask what you think the interviewer would want to hear. Interviewers can tell, and it ends the interview on a down note. (Please refer to Page 7 for some suggested questions). P a g e 3

2. Questions to Expect No one can predict the exact questions an interviewer will ask, but your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor and a few examples of important questions that the employer is likely to ask. When responding, it is best to provide concrete examples, where possible, to support your statements. Consider how you might respond the following questions: o Take me through your resume. The interviewer is trying to assess the following: your career transition and personal growth, where you were best leveraged / challenged / under challenged, your levels of responsibility, any employment gaps, etc. o "Tell me about yourself." Keep your answer in short and in the professional realm only. We encourage you to address former experience, your education as well as any other strength pertinent to the sector. o "What can you tell me about our organization?" If you've done your research correctly, you should have no problem answering this one. Be positive. o "Why are you interested in this position?" Employers are interested in candidates who can clearly articulate how their skills or competencies relate to their sector! Explain how you feel your qualifications really match the requirements of the role. Communicate your passion for this type of work and express your desire to work for that company. o "What have been your most significant career accomplishments to date?" Select some recent accomplishments that relate to this position and its requirements. o "Describe a situation in which your work was criticized." Focus on how you resolved the situation and let the interviewer know how what you learned as a result of it. o "How would you describe your personality?" Discuss and emphasize your most positive personality traits. o "What are your weaknesses?" o "How do you perform under pressure?" o "What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?" o "What did you like least about your last position?" o "Why are you leaving your present company?" o "What is your ideal working environment?" o "How does your background and qualifications match this opportunity?" o "How would your co-workers describe you?" o "What do you think of your boss?" Avoid making derogatory remarks about present or former employers. o "Have you ever fired anyone? What was the situation, and how did you handle it?" o "What are your long term career goals?" o "Where do you see yourself in five years?" o "What will you bring to the organization and why should we hire you?" o "What kind of salary are you looking for?" o "What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?" P a g e 4

Closing the Interview Too many people second-guess themselves after an interview. By closing strongly and asking the right questions, you can eliminate the post-interview doubts that tend to plague most interviewees. Unless you are absolutely certain you would not like to move forward in the interviewing process, close for next steps. Ask how they perceive you fitting in to the organization and if there are any areas that haven t been covered that are important to the hiring decision. Try something like the following: *** What would be the next steps? *** I like what I have heard today and am very interested in moving forward. I understand you are looking for someone in this role who has (A, B, and C) and as we ve discussed, I have (specific experience with A, B, and C). Before I leave, are there any more questions about my background or qualifications that I can answer or clarify for you to better assess my fit within your team? You have a right to be assertive. Create great closing questions as this opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, this is a great opportunity to overcome them. You have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on positive note. A few things to remember during the closing process: Paraphrase and summarize. Don't be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the stakeholders first or interview other applicants, before making a decision. Make sure you have answered the following two questions: "What can you offer?" and "Why are you interested in the company?". The employer wants to know what s in it for them. Express thanks for the interviewer's time and consideration. Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can write a thank-you letter as soon as possible. Following the Meeting When you get in your car: Immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is seeking and match your strengths to them. Call your recruiter within 24 hours! Follow-up at this stage is critical. We will discuss what you liked, what questions you still have, what questions you perceive they have about you, and your interest in next steps. Finally, write a thank-you email no later than 24 hours after the interview has ended to each person that you met, thanking them for their time. Cite specifics from the meeting and cover any areas further you think may need supplementation. Call the interviewer within 2 days to confirm your interest and intent to proceed. It will show you are eager to work for their company. P a g e 5

Good luck in your interview! The Grasslands Recruitment Specialists Team P a g e 6

Interview Preparation Worksheet Sit down and put some thought into the initial list of questions that you would like to ask during your interview. To get started, think about what questions do you need answered to know if this is the right opportunity. What areas do you need clarified to feel comfortable that this environment is one in which you can thrive. Example Questions: How do you measure success in your company? Tell me about the best person you have ever had in this position and what made that person unique. What are some of the common denominators that exist with the more successful employees of this company? What are the biggest challenges one will face in this role? What are the two most important problems that need to be addressed/corrected in the first six months by the person in this position? What are the key responsibilities for this position and which are most important? What results are expected of this position? What are examples of the best results produced by people in this role? Why did my predecessor leave this position? Tell me about your background and what attracted you here. What advancement can a person expect, in this company and in the industry at large, after doing this job well? What are some of the company s short and long range objectives? In what areas does this company excel? In what areas does this company have some limitations? What are the company or department goals for this year and next? How will I be evaluated, and how often? Additional Questions: P a g e 7

Interview Preparation Worksheet List your professional accomplishments and achievements, as well as the strategy behind those results, below. Start with your most recent company and any other organizations in recent history. Company: List your Accomplishments/Achievements since holding your role or being with the company: Position: List the strategy, implementation, and development processes used to bring about these results: Company: List your Accomplishments/Achievements since holding your role or being with the company: Position: List the strategy, implementation, and development processes used to bring about these results: Company: List your Accomplishments/Achievements since holding your role or being with the company: Position: List the strategy, implementation, and development processes used to bring about these results: P a g e 8

Think Through: Did you help increase sales, productivity, or efficiency? What was the percentage or dollar contribution? How did you do this? Did you have a unique approach or different results than others? Did you institute any new systems or changes? What was the situation that led to the change? Who approved that system? Why was this system selected over others? What happened as a result? Were you ever promoted? Why were you promoted? How long between promotions? Did you do something outstanding? How much more responsibility? Did you get to manage people? How many? Were you promoted by more than one party? Were you given significant salary increases or raises? Did you train anyone? Did you develop training technique? Compare your results to others. Is your technique being used by others? Why is that? Did you help establish any new goals or objectives for your company? Did you convince management that they should adopt these goals or objectives? Why were they adopted? Did you change the nature or scope of your job? Why or how did you redefine your position? Have others with similar positions had their positions redefined because of you? Were there responsibility changes because of this? What were they? Did you ever undertake a project that was not part of your responsibility because you like the problem?