How to Prepare for an Interview

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?

Vickie Austin, author of Your Golden Rolodex, is teaching a seminar, Creating Your Networking Game Plan: A Workshop. Get the details here.

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.

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

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.

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

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

When you sit down with an interviewer they are trying to ascertain whether you are a good fit for the position they are trying to fill. A skilled interviewer will know what criteria they are looking for and be able, through their questioning, to gather the information that they need to determine if the candidate meets their desired profile. Your job is to anticipate what criteria the interviewer is looking for and position yourself as the best available candidate. To accomplish this you must learn how to prepare for an interview.

Let’s look at the key areas an interviewer will look at and how you can prepare for them:

1. Your professional experience. Or, are you who you say you are? The experience, skills and accomplishments presented on your resume have identified you as a viable candidate for the position. The interviewer will try to validate if the candidate is indeed the person who the resume has profiled. A skilled interviewer will probe with multiple questions, often at different times in the interview, to determine to what extent the candidate meets the criteria they have identified. You need to prepare in a number of ways. First, you must know your resume inside and out. There should be nothing on your resume that you can’t explain in detail and back up with success stories. Also you must be prepared to relate significant experience and accomplishments that are not on your resume. You do this by preparing success stories and anticipating questions that you may receive.
2. Proficiency in a job’s “technical” skills. All jobs have certain skills requirements that are essential for that job to be performed at a high level. So whether you are a software engineer, accountant, salesperson, administrative person, etc, you need to know what “technical” skills are required and prepare to demonstrate that you possess these skills at the highest level possible. The interviewer will ask how to questions in order to gauge your level of expertise. For example, if the use of Microsoft Powerpoint is important for the job you are applying for you may be asked a how to question around its use. How well you answer this will determine the skill level that the interviewer believes you possess. In certain cases, you may want to have a sample of your work that you can show if appropriate during the interview.
3. Creativity in job performance. The hiring manager will attempt to determine the extent a candidate will bring creative and individual skills that will add to the expertise of the team. You don’t want to be perceived as someone who will only bring supportive skills and not be able to contribute new ideas. If you are prepared with success stories that highlight your creative talents you can relate them as the opportunity arises. Just by being prepared for the interview will demonstrate your leadership abilities. Don’t miss this opportunity to shine.
4. Are you a fine person? A hiring manager wants to find someone who is 1) a fine person, and 2) capable of performing the job. The important tip for job interview success is to understand that unless you pass the fine person test your capabilities on job performance will be greatly diminished. Most job applicants understand that they must present their capabilities and skills, but many do no interview preparation on how to present the image of a fine person. Briefly a fine person is someone who; is optimistic, a good communicator, honest, has compassion for others but is not egotistical, and appears healthy, attractive and tasteful in dress. This is about your image, and a poor image can overshadow your real abilities to get the job done.
5. Does the attitude you convey fit in? The interviewer will try to determine your attitude in regards to important issues such as team work, communication style, how you handle stressful situations and interpersonal relationships. They want to know if you will fit in with the team. Your interview preparation should include trying to understand the dynamics of the current team and how you might fit in. This can be learned through talking with existing and former employees, clients and or suppliers.

By being prepared to address these key criteria you will be perceived as head and shoulders above your competition. It is not always the best candidate in terms of capabilities that gets the offer, it is usually the candidate who best presents their overall combination of experience, skills and attitude that wins.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Job Interview Questions to Ask, Tips for Job Interview Success

According to the U.S. Department of Labor we are in the worst job market in over 25 years. The unemployment figure rose to 10.2% in October of 2009, the highest since April of 1983. Looking for a job in this market can be a long drawn out frustrating and demoralizing endeavor. So in offering tips for interview success, it may seem trite to recommend that you stay enthusiastic and keep a positive attitude. But that’s exactly what you must do!

Here’s why; If you are down and carrying around a negative attitude, this negative energy will be felt by those you interact with. You may not intentionally be trying to exude this negative energy but it will come through. Just think of your own interactions with others and how you can feel someone’s positive or negative enthusiasm come through. Hiring managers want to add employees who will bring enthusiasm and a results oriented approach to the job. Those candidates who can come across with unstoppable energy will have a clear edge in the interview process.

Try these practices to increase your level of enthusiasm and energy.

• Focus on those activities that you can control, such as networking or interview follow up.
• If something doesn’t go your way, like not getting chosen for the next round of interviews, let it go. Keep moving forward, because in this tight market it is natural for your job search to be slower.
• Get involved with an outside activity. Volunteer, coach your kid’s sports teams, or help someone else in need.
• Hang out with others who generate enthusiasm and have a can do approach to life. Their energy will be imparted to you.
• Get some exercise as this will increase your energy and help burn out some frustrations.
• Ignore the talking heads on TV who highlight the doom and gloom.

Approach every opportunity with enthusiasm, not just the ones that interest you the most. This positive energy will be seen and felt by all you interact with. The positive aura that you transmit will give you an edge versus your competition. It might just be what gets you that job offer.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Tips for Job Interview Success

John Lucht, in his bestselling book Rites of Passage, discusses how that when on an interview you must prove yourself on two levels. You must be perceived as someone who is 1) a fine person, and 2) capable of performing the job. The important tip for job interview success is to understand that unless you pass the fine person test your capabilities on job performance will be greatly diminished. Most job applicants understand that they must present their capabilities and skills, but many do no interview preparation on how they will convey the image of a fine person. Let’s look more closely at what “makes” someone a fine person.

The hiring manager wants to hire a fine person because that someone will be working closely with him/her. How the new hire is perceived by others in the organization will also reflect on the hiring manager. So the interviewer is wanting to identify someone who:

1. Has good communication skills, especially listening.
2. Is optimistic and believes that he/she can make a difference.
3. Coveys honesty and openness.
4. Is a logical intelligent person who doesn’t “shoot from the hip”.
5. Can make a commitment and take responsibility.
6. Appears healthy, attractive and tasteful in dress.
7. Has compassion for others and is not egocentric.
8. On the whole is an interesting enthusiastic person who people want to associate with.

The above points may seem to be more about image than substance, but they should not be overlooked. If you come across as someone who hasn’t mastered common social graces than your ability to do the job will often be overlooked. So when preparing for an interview take an assessment of how you are presenting yourself on the traits that help define a fine person. Make any necessary modifications that will help position you as the most desirable candidate.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Tips for Job Interview Success

The current job market is a difficult one with more job applicants than positions available. In times such as these is does take more interviews to get an offer than in times of full employment. But if you have been on a number of interviews and haven’t received a job offer, you must evaluate why this is so. Don’t take the easy way out and blame your lack of success on the economy or other factors. Somebody else received an offer, so why not you? You must evaluate your interview performance objectively in order to make improvements to insure future success. Poor performance in the following four areas are reasons that many candidates don’t measure up against the competition. A tip for job interview success is to improve in these areas and greatly enhance you job offer conversion ratio.

1. You are not relating your accomplishments to the company’s needs. This is critical, the hiring company wants to know how you will be able to contribute to their bottom line. The best way to demonstrate this is for you to relate success stories that highlight specific results that you have achieved. These success stories should have been prepared in advance and then used at the appropriate time during the interview. See How to Prepare for an Interview for more information.
2. You do not demonstrate any knowledge of the company. Many candidates do no research into the organization they are interviewing with. If you have prepared for the interview then you can ask questions that indicate your enthusiasm for the job and the company. You will leave a positive impression by doing your homework and you will stand out from the competition.
3. There is a disconnect between what you say and your resume. A red flag goes up when a candidate cannot adequately answer questions about their resume. You need to know your resume inside and out. You should have success stories planned to provide evidence to the accomplishments cited on your resume. By doing proper interview preparation you can anticipate questions and have a great response ready. Surprisingly, many candidates get tripped up by questions on their own resumes.
4. The image you convey does not match with that of the ideal candidate. Image is projected in many ways. Make sure you are projecting one that fits with the position and company you are interviewing with. You should not dress down, your attire should match that of the hiring manager at a minimum. If the position requires business casual dress but the supervisor wears a tie, then your interview attire should include a tie. Neatness matters, your shoes should be polished and your hair properly groomed. Your manners and way of speaking affect your image.

If you learn how to prepare for an interview you will excel in the above areas. Proper preparation will position you ahead of the competition and provide you with more job offers to choose from. So conduct an honest evaluation of your interview performance and make the necessary adjustments to stand out from the crowd.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Job Interview Questions to Ask, Tips for Job Interview Success

You have just completed an interview, one in which you feel you have done well in. Now is the time to take the follow up steps that will continue to set you apart from the competition. There are three action steps you need to complete after the interview. They are:

1. Send a thank you note
2. Send a follow up letter or email
3. Place a follow up phone call

A tip for job interview success is to immediately send an old fashioned thank you note. This is not an email, it is a personal hand-written note. When the hiring manager receives your note you will have accomplished a number of things:

1. You will have demonstrated that you are a gracious person, respectful of others time and attention.
2. You will now be foremost in that person’s mind. 
3. Your interest in the job will be reinforced.
4. This little kindness is so rare now, it really makes an impression. You will set yourself apart from other candidates.

I use the technique of sending thank you notes in all of my personal/business affairs. I know they work based on the positive comments I receive from those who get them. The notes open the doors when you call to schedule the next meeting.

How to write a thank you note

A thank you note should be between 3 – 5 lines, anything longer starts to become a letter. A good structure is to provide thanks for the interview, reference something positive that was discussed, and indicate a future interaction. Here is an example:

Notice that the thank you note is not a time to reinforce your skills and accomplishments. That can be done in a follow up letter or email.

Write your notes on quality cards, avoid preprinted cards as they often do not fit the situation. Write in black or blue ink, using bold strokes, to make a strong impact. Never use computer generated text. Hand address the envelopes and use real stamps.

Try this tip for job interview success and I guarantee you will improve your follow up success rate.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Tips for Job Interview Success

In our previous post we discussed that learning how to prepare for an interview is not about applying a magic formula that works every time. The goal in preparing well for an interview is to give yourself a competitive advantage and increase the number of job offers resulting from successful interviews. There are eight steps to successful interview preparation. Today let’s look at steps 5-8.

Step 5 – Create Your Success Stories. Once you have created a portfolio of success stories you will decide which ones to use for each person you are interviewing. Those selected should match you to the needs of the position you are interviewing for. A success story should have the following format; describe a situation or opportunity, explain what you did, and then talk about the specific results achieved. Explaining the results achieved is what is important. Most people describe responsibilities or skills but don’t relate them to results.

Step 6 – Prepare Questions to Ask. Based on your research formulate 15 -20 questions that you can ask during the interview. Asking thoughtful questions will set you apart from the competition. By asking questions you can also influence the flow of the interview. Ask questions that will then open the door for you to tell an appropriate success story. You are showcasing your intellect, interest in the job and level of preparedness with this step.

Step 7 – Practice Your Interviewing Skills. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because you’ve been on many interviews you don’t need to practice. You may have been on many interviews but if you don’t know how to prepare for an interview you have just been reinforcing bad habits. A key step is to practice your interviewing skills. For the best results, work with a partner who can provide feedback to you. But even practicing by yourself has great benefits. Say your success stories and prepared answers out loud. Get them down pat so that in the interview you are answering without hesitation. You will project a confidence that will make a strong impression.

Step 8 – Prepare to Make a Great First Impression. Dress the part, exude confidence and treat the interviewer with courtesy and a smile. By doing a complete interview preparation your confidence will shine through. You will be able to interact without hesitation clearly establishing yourself as a desirable candidate.

Implement these steps along with the steps learned in Part A to increase your interview success rate. Learning how to prepare for an interview is a competitive weapon in today’s tight job market.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Interview Questions and Answers, job interview, Job Interview Questions to Ask, Tips for Job Interview Success

Learning how to prepare for an interview is not about applying a magic formula that will result in a job offer every time. Preparing for an interview is following a series of proven steps that if implemented well will provide a competitive advantage over other job candidates. The reason that these techniques work is that most people put in minimal preparation and are in react mode during the interview. Those that take the time to prepare will clearly stand out above the rest. Master the following eight steps and you will be well on your way to improving your interview success rate.

Once you have gotten an interview (no easy task) its time to prepare. Today let’s look at the first four steps.

Step 1 – Research the Company. Find out about the company and position you are interested in. Learn about the company’s culture, its products and services. How well are they doing financially and who is the competition. Don’t just visit the company’s website, search for articles and news items about the company. Visit a financial site to get relevant data. Talk with people who work there, former employees or with customers. This is the foundation for the doing the other steps effectively and it is often totally ignored or done haphazardly.

Step 2 – Know the Interview Logistics. This is knowing the who, what, when and where of the interview. Learning who you will be interviewing is the most important. Many times you will interview with multiple people during one visit. In order to prepare effectively you need to know their title, role in the company and role in the hiring process. Ask what the format of the interview will be. Is it a group interview or a series of one on one interviews. The when and where might seem obvious, but many companies have multiple locations or multiple buildings in a campus location. Not knowing exactly where to be at the stated time could cause you to be late. You don’t want tardiness to be your first impression.

Step 3 – Analyze Your Resume. Your resume will be the basis that the interviewer will use to formulate questions to ask you. You need to be able to answer in detail any questions about the information that is on your resume. Also review your resume for questions that may come up, i.e. gaps in your employment history, a short job stint or a job change that may appear to be a demotion. You should be able to provide answers to these types of questions without hesitation. Uncertainty will raise red flags in the interviewers mind.

Step 4 – Prepare Answers to Common Questions. Most hiring managers have received no training on how to get the most out of an interview. They are also very busy with their jobs and put little effort in preparing for an interview. Because of this they tend to ask a series of common interview questions, such as “tell me about yourself?” Preparing creative answers to these stock questions will differentiate you from other candidates. A good reference resource to help formulate your own answers is The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers.

Remember, it’s not usually the most qualified candidate who gets the offer, it is the one who has interviewed the best. So thorough interview preparation can set you apart from the competition and land you the job offer you want.

In the next post we will review the remaining four steps necessary in how to prepare for an interview.

Technorati Tags: How to Prepare for an Interview, Interview Questions and Answers, job interview, Job Interview Questions to Ask, Tips for Job Interview Success