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Many people find interviewing to be very stressful.  Typically it is because they don’t know what to expect or understand how to give the interviewer the information they are looking for in the format that is desired.  Most companies have moved to a behavioral style of interviewing that focuses on understanding how you have handled specific situations.  The implication being that the best indicator of how you will handle a specific situation in the future is how you have handled them in the past.  So how do you convey all of this information about you in a format that makes sense?

The first step in preparing for an interview, whether in person or over the phone is writing out your top 5-7 accomplishments.  Each should cover at least a half page. Anything less and you are not thoroughly considering all of the appropriate details to the accomplishment.  I tell my clients that all companies, regardless of industry, have the same problems.  If you can describe how you have solved those problems at one company, the implication is that you will be able to do the same thing for the company you are interviewing with.  This seemingly small, but significant step of preparation will differentiate you from the other candidates.

The first step in the interview process is typically a phone interview.  The phone interview is now a way for employers to avoid the time and expense of bringing in additional candidates.  The added emphasis on screening requires better preparation in the form of researching the company and the interviewer.  Make sure to ask enough detailed questions so that you have a very good understanding of the issues you would face in the position.  Selling to those needs will significantly set you apart from the rest of your competition.

Most interviewers will develop an opinion of the candidate within the first 5 minutes.  So how do you quickly develop a rapport with someone that you have never met?  Prior to the interview you need to research each of the people that you will be interviewing with on Google and LinkedIn.  This information will give you a feel for the interviewer’s professional accomplishments and consequently what has been important to them in their career.  If the interview occurs in the individuals office, take note of all of the pictures, awards, and other items hanging on the walls.  People will often hire individuals that they like.  By asking sincere questions that show a genuine interest in someone’s accomplishments and activities, you will build great rapport.   Other ways include giving a firm handshake, maintaining good eye contact, and expressing a positive attitude by smiling.

As mentioned earlier, most companies have begun using behavioral interview questions as part of the interview process.   These questions start with “tell me about a time when”.  In order to successfully answer a behavioral interview question you need to keep a few things in mind.  First, formulate your answer using the STAR method, which breaks down as Situation, Task, Action, and Result.  The situation is a high level overview of the issue or project.  The task is the specific piece of that issue or project that you are responsible for carrying out.  Action refers to what you actually did to resolve the problem or complete the project.  Result is the most important part of the answer and refers to the final outcome.  The most successful interviewers are able to tie the positive results they have accomplished during their career with the interviewers current needs to demonstrate how they can have an immediate impact.  Finally when answering a behavioral interview question keep in mind your use of ‘I’ versus ‘we’.  To a behavioral interviewer, the term ‘we’ means that you are part of a group that did everything.  The term ‘I’ shows that you were responsible for a given result.  A company is not hiring the team they are hiring you, so be careful to use the appropriate term in order to convey your intended meaning.

Now that you know how to answer questions, let’s look at how to ask good questions.  Many hiring managers have told me how they can tell just as much about the quality of the candidate from the questions they answer as they can from the questions they ask.  Based on the research you have done on the company and the information you have gathered, ask quality well thought-out questions.    The more information you have about the position and the company, the better you can sell yourself for the role.

You have done everything right up to this point.  Make sure to finish it off by closing the interview appropriately.  At the conclusion of each interview express your interest to the interviewer in a short one to two minute statement.  Upon concluding the conversation with the hiring manager, make sure to also ask for the job and the timeline for next steps.  I have had numerous occasions of excellent candidates interviewing for a role that don’t get the offer simply because they don’t ask for job. Finally, follow up with each of the interviewers with a thank you note.  Although a written note is great, it will rarely be able to get to the interviewers before they make a decision.  As such, email is your best bet.

Follow the steps above when interviewing and you are sure to stand out as a preferred candidate.  Best of luck with the interview!

For more information on Career Search Strategies contact Steve Gray at 704 877 5522 or check us out at www.careersearchstrategies.net

Stay positive and I wish you much success in you search.

Steve Gray

Career Search Strategies

704 877 5522

sgray@careersearchstrategies.net

www.careersearchstrategies.net