I hope this message reaches you well. This post is probably
the most important post I’ve had on the site. These
tips have helped hundreds of people get their dream job. I hope it helps
each one of you. One of my business partners & good friends wrote a great
article about Interviewing & Preparation. His name is Brett Cotter &
his company is called Stress Is Gone. I strongly recommend that you take a good
look at what he can do for you. They are on the cutting edge of stress relief
& specialize in coaching people to get through stressful times in their
lives….
Their website is www.stressisgone.com
Here is Brett’s article regarding interviewing &
preparation :
How To Prepare For An Interview
Being prepared
helps you do a great interview. When answering questions be simple, clear,
and stay on track. Two to four sentences can provide a clear answer, just
choose your words wisely. If you can quiet your mind to actually listen to the
complete question (most of our minds nervously start thinking of an answer
before the interviewer finishes the question) and deliver a clear answer
calmly, you are 10 steps ahead of the game. Over prepare days in advance. Then
when you get there, clear your head and be yourself. The right words will come.
General Preparation:
Prepare and rehearse the answers to the below questions
until your answers flow clearly, confidently, and calmly.
1. For each bullet point in your professional experience
section prepare a clear and concise answer (of approximately three sentences)
to the following question, “Tell me exactly how you did this?” Make sure you
explain the situation, your action, and the result.
2. For each line in the job posting prepare a clear and
concise answer (of approximately three sentences) to the following question,
“Tell me exactly how would you approach doing this?”
3. If you are asked to provide an example of a situation you
have encountered at work, ALWAYS use a recent example that directly applies to
the question and include three steps to your answer. One; the situation. Two;
your action steps. Three; the result. Allow 2 sentences per step.
4. Be able to answer the following question effectively,
“Tell me a little bit about yourself?” Just mention 3 things from your
professional background and 1 or 2 things from your personal background. Make
sure what you mention relates to the job somehow. Points you can mention: years
of total professional experience, years of relevant experience specific to the
job, years of industry experience, certifications, any awards or career
achievements, place of birth and place of residence. Basically you can speak
from your resume’s summary section with adding a personal touch to it. Keep it
simple, clear, short, and sweet. Do not ramble on. The purpose of this question
is to see if you are prepared, are going to babble endlessly, or bore the
interviewer to death. So be prepared.
5. “What are you looking for?” Mention 1 or 2 things that
you are looking for which directly relate to the job you are interviewing for.
Example: If you are interviewing for a programmer position you can say, “I am
looking to further develop and grow my programming skills in a company I can
lay my roots in long-term.”
6. Effectively answer questions about aspects of the job
posting that are not in your background. Do 20-minutes of online research on
these areas and take some basic notes. If asked about these areas you can say
something like, “I haven’t done that hands-on yet but from what I understand
xyz is very important to keep in mind.” If the interviewer says something is
missing in your background that they need for the job, provide an example of
how you learned a new responsibility quickly on the job. Express a simple
3-step process of how you went about it, and site one or two areas from your
resume where you did this successfully. Finally you can say something like, “I
understand I don’t have all the skills, all I can say is I don’t leave until I
get the job done and I’m a fast learner.” If you get the job, be ready to put
the work in, and deliver.
7. “What are your 3 to 5 year goals?” Mention realistic
attainable goals that should be reachable for someone doing a good job in the
role you are interviewing for. Avoid having the interviewer think you will want
to move out of the role in less than 3 years. Avoid lofty short term goals and
goals that imply no ambition. Saying something like, “I would like to really
hone my skills throughout the next three years in this job, and as time goes on
I would hope we could figure out how I could add more value to the
organization.”
8. “What are you looking for in a base salary?” Say exactly
what you are making (or if unemployed what you were making in your last job) in
terms of base salary and bonus, then follow-up with something like, “… I am
looking for a fair offer but what’s more important then money to me is working
for a company that can be a long-term fit.” If you know the range of the
position never say anything higher then the range and never increase your
expectations above what you previously entered in an online or written
application for that company. Expectations that are unrealistic or increase as
time goes on during the interview process are extremely frustrating for hiring
managers, HR people, and recruiters. Stay consistent. Identify the money range
you are willing to accept before stepping out on interviews, do research, and
keep an open mind. Ultimately, as in real-estate, the market dictates what you
are worth by the offers you receive.
9. “Why are you looking to leave your current employer?” or
“Why did you leave your previous job?” Never say anything negative about
current or past employers. Steer away from answers based on money, being called
by a recruiter, etc. Acceptable answers have to do with excessive work travel,
a daily commute over 90-minutes each way, the company is unstable, changing
business model, laying people off, has been acquired, etc. It’s always good to
start off your answer with a smile and say something like, “I love working over
there, the people are great, but unfortunately the company started laying
people off, and it’s the right time for me to find something long-term.”
10. Prepare two good questions to ask the interviewer. Ask
questions if the interviewer provides the opportunity towards the end of the
interview.
For Human Resources – Does the company offer any long-term
benefits for employees that stay for over 5 to 10 years?
For HR or the Hiring Manager – What is the potential career
path for this position if someone is dedicated and does a good job for 3 to 5
years?
For HR or the Hiring Manager – In this position, how do I
best add value to the team?
For the Hiring Manager – What types of behaviors do the most
successful people in this role exhibit?
For the Hiring Manager – What is the most important quality
you look for in a person?
TIP: Research the company to find out what their business
is, what’s going on in the news, and a little bit of the history.
TIP: Prepare for an HR interview by knowing the dates and
addresses of your previous employers and educational facilities, have the
emails and phone numbers for three confirmed professional references ready to
go, be able to have a clear calm conversation about money especially having
your previous salaries handy, let them know you are interested and at least 3
reasons why.
TIP: Have a recruiter you trust check your references before
handing them to a company. One or two may not be as good as you think, and
weeding that out early is better. Only supply stellar references to companies.
Phone Interview Preparation:
1. Ideally take the call on a land-line. If not, make sure
you are located in a place that has great reception. Make sure your phone is
charged. Plan your call so you are in a place with zero background noise.
2. Have a positive upbeat tone in your voice. Do your best
to get your energy level up for the call. Avoid being monotone or flat. You
want to come across well spoken, professional, and interested. Plan to take the
call in a place you can speak loud and clear. Do not take the call in a place where
you need to keep your voice down and hide the fact that you are interviewing.
Many employers screen for a confident tone of voice during the phone screen.
3. Show Interest and enthusiasm. The perfect time to do this
is after the interviewer explains something about the company, job, or project.
Always follow-up with, “That’s very interesting to me”, “That’s something I’d
like to be involved with”, “That is what I am looking for”, “That is very
important to me”, “Great, that’s exactly what I’m doing now”, etc.
4. If the interviewer asks a general or vague question such
as, “Tell me about your database programming experience?” Do not try to explain
all your projects. Provide a well-rounded summary answer like, “Well I have
10-years experience with database programming, mostly Oracle, Microsoft SQL
Server, and MySQL within the finance and healthcare industries. I am very
strong with writing T-SQL and stored procedures.” To confirm you gave the
interviewer what they wanted you can always ask the follow-up question, “Is
there any part of my answer you’d like me to expand upon?“
5. If the interviewer asks a very specific question provide
a very specific answer. If your words are to the point, you should be able to
answer mostly any question within 4 sentences. To confirm you gave the
interviewer what they wanted you can always ask the follow-up question, “Is
there any part of my answer you’d like me to expand upon?“
TIP: Always search for the person you are interviewing with
on LinkedIn and Google.
In-Person Interview Preparation:
Things to Prepare a Few Days in Advance
1. Your best blue or black business suit.
2. Map out your travel agenda giving time for traffic/public
transportation delays.
3. Print up copies of your resume to bring with you, in a
leather resume folder with notepad and a pen.
4. Practice the General Preparation tips.
Day of the Interview
1. Bring your resume folder and photo ID.
2. Plan on arriving to the site 30 minutes early and get
comfortable in the environment.
3. Let reception know you are there 10 minutes before
interview time.
Upon Arrival
1. Attitude – Show you are happy to be there by saying so.
2. Energy – Show you are in a positive state of mind by
smiling.
3. Presence – Show you are confident through eye contact,
openly initiating handshakes with a smile, etc.
4. Whenever filling out an application complete it
accurately especially; dates/$ for employment, education details, etc.
5. When handling money on an application, prepare to enter
what you were making at your last 3 to 5 places of employment (exact base +
bonus or hourly rate if you were contracting). Under desired salary write in
“open” or “flexible” if you are.
While Interviewing remain in report with the interviewer
1. Always greet and say good-bye with an authentic smile, a
confident handshake (don’t wait for the other person to extend their hand,
extend your first) and say “thanks for having me in.”
2. Be aware of your body language; keep your arms and legs
relaxed and uncrossed with your resume folder in your lap (if sitting in front
of a desk) ready to take notes. Confidently and attentively sit up straight in
the chair, use your hands to express at times. Keep from touching your face,
fidgeting in the chair, crossing your arms, or avoiding eye contact by looking
around the room. Make sure when someone is talking there is eye contact and
smile.
3. Show Interest and enthusiasm. The perfect time to do this
is after the interviewer explains something about the company, job, or project.
Always follow-up with, “That’s very interesting to me”, “That’s something I’d
like to be involved with”, “That is what I am looking for”, “That’s very
important to me”, “That’s exactly what I like doing”, etc.
5. Let the interviewer decide when the interview is over.
6. Always Always Always end with a solid handshake and an
authentic smile.
