How to Prepare for an Interview » interview success stories

Tips for Job Interview Success – Master Critical Basic Skills

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:10:59 +0000

The gist of my blog is to talk about techniques and strategies that apply to preparing for an interview. But it is also important to master some underlying skills that will help you immensely in your job search. Briefly they are:

1) Become a master of time management and productivity enhancers.

You need to do this so that you are not wasting valuable time and are putting your efforts into activities that will move you ahead towards your goals. There are many ways you can do this, but I like to use mindmaps to keep me on track. A mindmap is a visual diagram of the project you are working on, or the tasks that need to get done. Once you create it can be referenced easily and keep you on track. You can get a no cost copy of Freemind mind mapping software HERE.

If you know where you want to go you can accomplish more in less time.

2) Improve your networking skill set

26.7% of external job hires are filled by candidates who were referred to the hiring company. This is by far the largest source of external hires. This statistic is courtesy of the February 2010 CareerXRoads 9th annual Source of Hire study.

To capitalize on the largest source of external hires you need a solid networking strategy. This will allow you to find out about what opportunities are available that the masses aren’t seeing. Many people are afraid of networking because they feel strange going to meetings and events to meet new people. But guess what, you can be great at networking just by focusing on the people you already know. How easy can it get?

3) Creating information products about yourself.

You need to be good at creating resumes, cover letters, follow up letters, thank you notes and success stories. This communication skill is important. You can increase your success rate dramatically if you become more proficient in this area. You need to incorporate key words into your various means of communication that tie to the specific job that you are interested in. You need to leave the person who sees or listens to your various forms of communication with the impression that you are a candidate who can make things happen.

The above skills are the building blocks to a successful job search campaign. Mastering the skills of productivity enhancement, networking, and targeted communication will help you in all areas of your life. They will set you apart from the average person.

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Tips for Job Interview Success – Do you possess the attributes of a high performing employee? – Part Two

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:06:59 +0000

In a previous blog post the question was asked; Do you possess the attributes of a high performing employee? Today we will examine 6 more success attributes.

Companies want to hire people they feel will outperform the average worker. The candidates who can position themselves as someone who can over deliver will greatly increase the probability of a job offer. A tip for interview success is to understand what the attributes of a high performing employee are. Once you understand these attributes you can devise a strategy for exhibiting them in an interview.

We will examine 12 important attributes. The discussion will be broken into two parts, each looking at six attributes.

Today’s 6 success attributes are:

7. Fit Both Physically and Mentally.

The successful employee is fit both in the physical and mental sense. People who are fit are better able to perform under stress and in conditions that are ever changing. A person who is fit in both senses will exhibit more energy and accomplish more than their more sedate counterparts.

8. Approach Their Work as a Career Rather than as a Job.

The most valuable employees are looking at what work they do from a career perspective. They see beyond the scope of the “job” and are willing to do what it takes to add value and thus enhance their career. A job focused individual more often than not will not go beyond the scope of their “job” description. These people are much less valuable than the career minded person.

9. Take Pride in Helping Others be Successful.

The outstanding employee makes others around him/her more successful. And their ability to accomplish this gives them great satisfaction. The successful person’s efforts are not centered around themselves. There efforts solve problems for their customers and or co-workers. With this approach the over-achiever becomes invaluable, and is rewarded appropriately.

10. Dedicated to Excellence

The top performesr are always striving to succeed at a high level. They are not satisfied with just getting the job done, they want to their efforts to make a big impact. They are aware of all of the details, are great listeners and go beyond the call of duty.

11. Has Written Goals and is Focused on Their Achievement.

The most successful people have written goals. They are constantly reviewing these gaols and determining where they are in achieving them. A study by Gail Matthews, Ph.D., Dominican University concluded that the positive effect of written goals was supported: Those who wrote their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not write their goals.

Write down your goals for the long term , medium term and short term. I have my longer term goals, but then create monthly, weekly and daily goals to keep me on track. This process helps keep me moving towards my goals in a more straight line.

12. Demonstrates a Positive Attitude Everyday.

The top performers believe they will be successful. They are not thrown of course by the potholes that show up each and every day. They figure out how to navigate through the roadblocks by taking positive actions. The successful individual does not stop to complain or make excuses, they just get it done.

We all possess some or all of these attributes to some degree. Take stock of where you fall on each of this attributes a make a plan to improve in each. As you prepare for an interview, incorporate these attributes into your success stories. It will make a great impact on the interviewer as you tell him/her of your accomplishments.

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Tips for Job Interview Success – Do you possess the attributes of a high performing employee?

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:13:59 +0000

Do you possess the attributes of a high performing employee?

Companies want to hire people they feel will outperform the average worker. The candidates who can position themselves as someone who can over deliver will greatly increase the probability of a job offer. A tip for interview success is to understand what the attributes of a high performing employee are. Once you understand these attributes you can devise a strategy for exhibiting them in an interview.

We will examine 12 important attributes. The discussion will be broken into two parts, each looking at six attributes.

Today’s 6 success attributes are:

1. Great Communication Skills - The top performers are not just good communicators, they are great communicators. They communicate in a way that causes others to take notice and take action. They are clear and concise and their communications carry energy and enthusiasm. In the interview process you will be demonstrating your communication skill set.

2. Intelligence – The overachievers are smart enough to make decisions on the spot as situations arise. Their intelligence allows them to handle most situations they are thrown into. The top performer understands that they don’t know everything. During your interview preparation you can create success stories that demonstrate your ability to think intelligently.

3. Self-motivated - The boss doesn’t need to tell the A performer what to do. The great performers know what to do and they take action all day long. These performers do more than their job description, that’s why they are so valuable to an organization. During the interview you need to describe situations from your past that demonstrates your self motivation.

4. A Constant learner - In order to stay on top the outstanding performer understands the importance on continued learning. They are always looking for ways to improve themselves. When a new opportunity presents itself they are ready for it. There is a great difference between the person who thinks he/she knows it all and the person dedicated to lifelong learning. Reinforce what you’ve done in the past that will position you as a constant learner.

5. Computer Knowledgeable - In today’s business world one cannot be successful without knowing how to leverage the power of the Internet. Those that do not understand this will be left behind. If you are not above average in this area you should create a plan to improve your computer literacy. Do this now!

6. Track Record of Success - The top performer has a proven history of success. It is these successes that are the building blocks to future achievements. Success comes not only from prior jobs, but also from academic, community and outside organizational achievements.

How do you measure up in relation to these six attributes of success? After your analysis you need to take two action steps. The first is to prepare how you will convey these attributes in the interview process. And the second is to put a self improvement plan in place to improve in each of these areas. After all you are a constant learner, aren’t you?

In the next blog post will will discuss six more success attributes.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, interview, interview success stories, interview success tips, Tips for Job Interview Success

Tips for Job Interview Success – Do You Know the Source of Job Hires?

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:10:59 +0000

If you become proficient in how to prepare for an interview you will increase your chances of receiving a job offer. But to use your interview skills you need to be able to source opportunities and get invited for an interview. In February of 2010, CareerXRoads released their 9th annual Source of Hire study. I’d like to share some of the major findings of the study, as they may give you some new ideas of where you should be spending your time hunting for opportunities.

Interesting Findings from the 2009 study are:

51% of all job openings were filled by internal candidates. This high number is influenced greatly by the poor economic conditions that have existed over the past few years. In “normal” conditions this number would be about 35%. It is expected that hiring should start to move back to the 35% range in 2010. This is positive news for job seekers.
75% of all external hires are attributed to just five sources: Referrals (26.7%), Job boards (13.2%), Company Career Site (22.3%), College (6.3%) and Direct Sourcing (6.9%). It is my experience that too many job seekers rely primarily on job boards, like Monster and CareerBuilder, for their job search. I feel that it is not appropriate to spend the bulk of one’s time on an area that is only responsible for filling 1.3 out of every 10 openings.
Referrals account for the largest percent of external hires at 26.7%. To be referred you must network. Networking is a skill that few take the time to understand let alone master. Learning how to network effectively will pay huge dividends in a job search campaign. Many jobs are never advertised, so the only way to learn about them is through talking with others in the know. Learn more about The Networking Game.
The career job boards source only 13.2% of hires. This figure has been flat for years and most survey respondents reported that they were reducing their reliance on career boards during 2009. The key point here is that if you are one who relies heavily on career boards for your job search you need to diversify. If not, you will miss out on most of the quality job opportunities.

Again, the source of the above data is the CareerXRoads 9th annual Source of Hire study. CareerXRoads is a staffing strategy consulting firm.

The above date strongly suggests that you need a diversified approach when searching for job opportunities. The data also suggests that if you are not using networking in your search you are missing out on 26.7% of the jobs that are filled externally. Make appropriate changes to your strategy and see the number of interviews you get increase.

If you are looking to increase your interviewing skills check out Terry Truscott’s Job Interview Success System.

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Tips for Job Interview Success – How to Energize Your Success Stories

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:28:59 +0000

As we near the end of spring 2010 it remains a very tough job market. In tight job markets, hiring companies hold the upper hand as there are more individuals seeking employment than there are jobs available. With more candidates after the same job, it takes more interviews to get an offer than it does in a normal job market. So the challenge is to learn how to set yourself apart from the competition. Remember, the most qualified person does not necessarily get the job. It is the candidate who best convinces the hiring manager of their capabilities to make an impact in the organization. Learning how to prepare for an interview is a critical skill in today’s job market.

One way to set yourself apart from the competition is to create and relate success stories in an impactful manner. The key is that your story must evoke emotion and interest from the hiring manager. A success story told without enthusiasm, using passive words will not register with the listener. Inject energy into your voice as you relate your successes using action oriented words.

Some examples:

Passive – My responsibilities include communication between marketing and sales.
Active – I re-energized communication between marketing and sales.

Passive – I received the employee of the month award.
Active – My superior performance earned me the employee of the month award.

Passive – I am the call center manager.
Active – As the manager, I orchestrate the activities of the call center.

The action oriented statements will catch the attention of the interviewer. You would then explain, again using words of action, how you re-energized communication, earned the employee of the month award, and orchestrated call center activities. This strategy ties your actions to the accomplishment, further building your credentials in the eye of the hiring manager. To get you started, here is a small list of action oriented words:

    Solve(d)
    Create(d)
    Design(ed)
    Led
    Close(d)
    Author(ed)
    Resolve(d)
    Implement(ed)

Brainstorm some of your own. You will be surprised how they make your success stories come alive. You will be perceived as a doer and someone who gets the job done. Most candidates talk in generalities about their previous job responsibilities and skills. You can set yourself apart by relating the specific results that you have achieved. If you do this effectively your job offers will come more frequently.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, interview success stories, interview success tips