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Make
Your First Impression Count
Volume
II, Issue II
Congratulations!
You have an interview. Whether a recruiter assisted you in
obtaining this interview or you earned it through your own
efforts, now is the time to put your best foot forward. Many
of you have not interviewed for several years and your interviewing
skills may be rusty. The following is the first in a two-part
series of how to prepare for an interview and make sure your
first impression counts.
Initially,
you should think of the interview as both an information-gathering
session and a sales presentation with you as the product.
While visiting a prospective employer, you have the opportunity
to peek behind the public image of the company and determine
if it is the type of organization in which you see yourself
working. When evaluating a potential employer, there are several
points to consider. Will you feel comfortable working with
the hiring manager and the rest of the staff? Does the company
espouse values you believe in? Would you be challenged and
have the opportunity to grow?
In addition
to information gathering, you should think of your interview
as a sales presentation. The company you are interviewing
with created this position to solve a business problem, and
the solution could be you - provided you have what it takes
and can communicate your talents to your interviewer. Your
sales presentation should communicate how your experience,
skills and credentials can solve the company's problem.
Before
the interview you should be prepared to answer the proverbial
question, "Tell me about yourself." Your answer
should be a 60-second introduction to your talents and accomplishments.
Limit your answer to work-related topics. While hiring managers
may be interested in your personal life later in the interviewing
process, your answer to this question speaks volumes about
how you view your skills, accomplishments and career aspirations.
Next,
you should be prepared to describe your most significant accomplishments
as they relate to the position. You should be able to explain
the why, when, how and what of your accomplishments. How did
you help your company expand internationally? How did your
team
bring three new products to market in 6 months? How did the
changes you made on the production floor increase output by
20%? Be prepared to answer who was involved, the steps taken,
the results and the lessons learned, as well as your specific
involvement. Be able to talk about your successes and your
failures. Hiring managers appreciate individuals who have
learned from their failures as well as their successes.
Realize
that not all hiring managers are experienced interviewers.
If the interviewer does not ask questions pertinent to the
job, then you may need to take control of the interview and
direct attention to your skills, experience and credentials.
Part of the sales process is ensuring that you describe your
background as it relates to the position, even if the hiring
manager doesn't ask specific questions.
Before
your interview, make sure you adequately research the company.
Take time to learn about the company's products, services,
organizational structure, customers, competitors, culture,
parent company, locations, sales/revenue, growth, etc. This
information can be found on the company's web site, through
its annual report, in business directories and trade publications.
The more time you take to understand the company, the better
you will be able to demonstrate how your background and credentials
are the solution to the company's problem.
In addition
to investigating the company, make attempts to learn the background
of the interviewer. If you are working with a Sanford Rose
Associates search consultant, that person should be able to
provide information about the interviewer, such as how long
that person has been with the company, where they came from,
their educational background and traits they may be looking
for during the interview.
Finally,
you should prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer.
A list of well-thought-out questions demonstrates that you
have carefully considered the position, the company and the
challenges of the job. The interviewer will appreciate the
time you spent researching the company and industry. Your
efforts will be rewarded when you become a finalist for the
position. Again, your goal when preparing for the interview
is to ensure you make the best possible first impression.
In the
next Candidate Chronicle, Part II of Preparing for an Interview,
we will review common interview questions.
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