The Definitive Job Hunt - Part 3

Rowan Manahan, from Fortify Your Oasis, has tapped me to be part of his online collaboration: “The Definitive Guide to Clearing Job Hunt Hurdles”.

Step 3: Blowing them away in the interview (even without weapons of mass destruction!)

Much like "writing a better resume" there are tons of resources on effective interviewing. A shameless plug here for my firm's website and it's rather handy section: FAQ's for effective interviewing. (Can you tell I did our content development?)

In my time with a third party recruiting firm, I've heard lots of feedback from perspective employers. From that, here are my big no-nos:

Rambling, babbling and in general talking too much:
This is by far the most common bit of negative feedback we hear. How do you avoid it? Well, especially for those "nervous talkers", prepare in advance.
Most everyone knows the basic questions you're going to be asked in a interview, "Tell me about yourself" "Describe your experience with ..." etc. So, take some time to think about what your answers to those questions will be. Now, trim those answers down to NO MORE than 60 seconds, and you'll do much less inane babbling. Don't forget you can always ask if the interviewer needs more information.

Not knowing why you are there
Companies expect those seeking employment in their organization to know something about them. Know why you are interested in working for XYZ company, or what challenges attracted you to this position.

Acting like a Know-it-all, arrogant or conceited
Yes, you should "sell" yourself in the interview, but you wouldn't be there unless they already thought you could do the job. Stick to quantifiable examples of your achievements and discuss your role as part of a team (if that's the case.) Again, it's best to have the examples prepared in advance, so that you can articulate them clearly and evaluate your statements in advance for "bragging".

Not asking any questions
The best interviews are those where the interviewer does most of the talking. Ask relevant questions about the job, the management style, growth opportunities, company culture etc. Again, think about these questions in advance. (Sensing a trend here.)

Not "Closing the Sale"
This is a tough one, throughout the interview you should have learned what the company or department is "missing" as the job goes unfilled. At the conclusion of the interview summarize your understand of their needs and how you can bridge the gap. This is one you'll have to be working on throughout the interview. Brush up on your active listening skills and take notes if you need to (especially useful on phone screens!)

Overall, well prepared candidates are much more successful in interviews! Investing the time up front to prepare answers, research the company and position, and think about the questions you will have, pays off in the end.

Next Step: The dreaded pre-employment testing (it's more than just fill this specimen jar these days!)