So you’re sitting at home frustrated because you keep applying
for jobs and all the applications seem to be online these days, but how is that
even fair? I mean really, how are you supposed to stand out from the crowd when
one key word is the difference between your resume coming up in an applicant
search and getting forever lost in the cyber resume morgue? And then there is
the interview. I know I’ve spent way too much time stressing out about how to
prepare myself to be grilled on my strengths and weaknesses and for that
inevitable “Why did you leave your last job?”
Well today, my words of advice will detail how to present yourself in an interview in such a way that you are the best candidate for that position. If you are interested in learning how to write an eye-catching resume, leave a comment below and I would love to make a follow up post discussing resume writing.
To make for easy reference I’ve written today’s post in a
bulleted format.
Enjoy!
First Contact-Phone Interview
·
Establish continued interest in the position and set up the
interview time
o The call may be
coming from a secretary or secondary employer (assistant manager) but every
communication with the hiring company is an opportunity to impress.
o If possible,
schedule the interview at the earliest time the company can sit down with you.
I’ve conducted several interviews and employers decide pretty quickly who they
want to fill the position. Time is money, so save the employer time and
interview early!
·
Identifier questions
o It is possible
that even in the first phone call you will be asked important questions regarding
your weekly availability (for part time job) and date you can start. Know the
answers to time sensitive questions; the more specific the better.
Now you have set up your in-person interview, so what’s next?
Read below…
In-Person
Interview
·
Come prepared
o Have past
experiences in mind
§
Every interview will include questions that ask you to describe
past experience. In the best-case scenario, you will have related work
experiences that you can share.
§
If this is your first time job searching, school and even
relationship experiences can be very helpful to highlight your interpersonal
and self-management skills.
§
Almost without exception, you will have to deal with other
people at your new job. Whether it is face-to-face customers, on-the-phone clients
or just your coworkers and management; hiring managers need to feel confident
in your ability to handle conflict and work with others.
§
Make sure to highlight your positive aspects in whatever past
experiences you share.
·
Know your start
date and availability
o Not all job
vacancies are predicted. What does this mean to you? The employer may have lost
2-3 very important employees and need to fill the positions quickly. The sooner
you can start, the better.
o This may not be
the case with retail companies hiring in advance for seasonal and summer jobs.
Just be sure to give an exact start date that an employer can document and look
back to.
o ASAP should never
be the answer to “So when can you start?”
§
Yes, you may be desperate. You may be available “TODAY!” “RIGHT
NOW!”, but desperation is not an alluring quality.
§
If you’re hiring for a typical office job, you can give the date
of the soonest Monday. If the job is more flexible on hours just pick a date a
few days away.
§
If you’re looking to be hired full time, availability shouldn’t
be a problem. But if you’re trying to balance school or another part time job,
go in knowing that your hiring employer is expecting you to work around
whatever hours they need you.
§
Make your availability reasonable to work with or unfortunately,
most employers will just move on to the next candidate.
·
Describe your
strengths and weaknesses
o Similar to
preparing experience stories
o Share strengths
that make you valuable to position you are trying to fill
§
For example, “As an office assistant, I am very efficient at
managing all clients with an empathetic demeanor, guaranteeing them a positive
experience with the company I work for”.
o Yes, you do have
weaknesses. Give employers an example of something you had to improve on at a
previous job and have actively turned into a stepping-stone.
§
For example, “When I worked at HEB I realized prioritizing daily
tasks was an important aspect of the job I wasn’t prepared for. For future
jobs, I now know learning what’s most important from the beginning will make me
a more successful employee.”
·
Have an idea of
how you are going to contribute as an employee
o Give at least one
significant reason why hiring YOU is going to benefit the company. Are you
great at time management? Do leadership skills benefit you in solving conflict?
o Be confident in
your abilities and capitalize on them!
·
Familiarize
yourself with the history and purpose of the company and position you’re
interviewing for
o Take an hour or so
and look through the company website. No matter what your degree or experience,
there’s just something impressive about an interviewee who knows the current
CEO or the company’s mission statement and values
o Looking over the
website also gives you a clue into common jargon the business uses.
o Most companies
have acronyms and key terms for how they succeed. If you are able to work those
into an interview answer discreetly, more props to you.
·
Bring a pen and
notebook to take notes
o Don’t over do this
one and show up with a briefcase and 300-page journal. But I guarantee you,
there will be things the employer says you will want to remember.
o It’s also a sign
of organization, which is a plus to any hiring employer.
·
Present yourself
as an employee (part of the team)
o Always have a
confident demeanor. From the moment you walk in, know the name of the person
you are meeting and carry yourself with peace and power.
o Use professional
language. This is not the time for sarcasm, jokes, or verbal hashtagging.
o Wear formal
clothing that is not distracting. As a hiring manager, clothes don’t matter
unless you make it a problem. Think conservative yet bold. Ladies, don’t wear
short skirts or printed materials. Gentleman, you can’t go wrong with a dark
colored polo or buttoned long-sleeve.
o Adapt to the
environment of the interview. Although I just said this isn’t the time for
joking, there are some managers that love to be humored. Feel out the mood and
setting, and never be anyone but you.
·
Present yourself
as an individual contributor
o Do not
misrepresent who you are or what you know
§
I promise, if you claim to have skills that you really don’t, it
will come back to haunt you. Like the time that I said I was fluent in
Spanish…turns out I’m not and now I’m having to study Spanish banking terms
every day because that’s the main reason I was hired.
o Come prepared with
2-3 questions (not pay/benefits related) that help you decide if this is the
right job.
§
At the end of most interviews you will get asked “What questions
do you have?” I’m willing to bet that most people just say they don’t have anything to add.
So be different! Ask a question about what your specific job title requires of
you or how the training process works.
Bottom line is, if you are knowledgeable and coachable most jobs
will be available to you.
How you prepare for the interview is the best chance you have at
securing your desired job!
Best wishes in your job search; I would love to answer any further
questions you may have regarding interviews or resume writing.
Leave your comments below
