Joey V. Price Never Miss The Mark

Career search strategies provided by HR Pros
1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-1-61842-498-3
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 95 Seiten

For the past few years, I've had an opportunity to work with individuals that sit at both sides of the hiring manager's table - both the hirer and the candidate. The purpose of this text is to take all that I know and help equip job seekers with their own personal HR Department. I want to help you understand different strategies to employ in your search as well as how to respond to the conditions of the market.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Joey V. Price, MS, PHR

Leseproben

Never Miss The Mark On Your… Interview

How to Gain Position in an Interview: Ways Candidates Gain Points or Gain the Employer’s Interest

An interview, in most cases, can be the deciding factor in whether or not you are hired. Because the interview can be so important, you want to make sure you are hitting the mark and gaining position from the minute you walk in the office up to the moment you conclude.

Here are a few tips on how to gain position and keep the employers interest during the interview process:

Arrive early. Most interviewers will not wait on a late candidate. Do what you have to to get to the interview at least 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled time. If that means waking up an hour early to navigate traffic and find the actual location for the interview, then that’s what you need to do if you really are interested in the job.

Dress Appropriately.  Of course you have heard it before, but this point cannot be driven home enough as there are still prospective candidates showing up for interviews in what they would wear for a trip to the grocery store. Don’t give the interviewer the excuse of being distracted by what you are wearing. You want him or her to focus on your communication skills and not on your wardrobe.

Bring an additional copy of your resume. Clearly, the interviewer looked at the resume you submitted and that’s why they called you in for an interview. It doesn’t hurt to have a copy on hand, though. The interviewer may have received tens if not hundreds of resumes (and their organizational skills may not be the best). Save them the trouble of having to look for your resume by offering them a copy at the beginning of the interview. That lets the interviewer know you are a thinker and have the ability to plan for contingencies.

Just like you can gain points and the employer’s interest in an interview, you can also lose them. Don’t lose ground. Be as prepared as possible. Relax, and let the interviewer know you are the candidate they need to hire.

How to Lose Position in an Interview: Ways Candidates Lose Points or Lose the Employer’s Interest.

You have sent in your resume and been called in for an interview. You feel like you are half way there, right? Well, you are technically, HALF way there. You have not landed the job yet. You still have to make it through the interview. The face-to-face interview may be the true test of whether you actually land the job you seek. However, there are a few ways potential candidates can lose points or the employer’s interest and possibly lose out on the job altogether.

Here are a few sure fire ways to sabotage your interview:

• Showing up late. You were successfully able to get the interviewer’s attention with your resume. One of the fastest ways for the interviewer to lose interest and for you to lose points is to show up late and have the interviewer waiting for you. (That is if they are kind enough to wait). More than likely, you are not the only person that was called back, and if you miss your allotted time slot, you may very well miss your opportunity all together.

The night before the interview, map out the fastest way to arrive at your destination. Have your clothes ready, and get a good nights rest. The morning of get up early, eat a good breakfast, and leave your house in plenty of time to arrive at your interview at least 15 minutes ahead of schedule, which will give you plenty of time to find the interview location and compose yourself before meeting with the interviewer.

• Talking Excessively. True enough, an interview is a two way street, with you being asked questions, and posing questions. A definite way to lose points and possibly the interviewer’s interest is to ramble and talk excessively. Be clear, concise, and succinct in your answer as well as any questions you pose. You don’t want the interviewer writing out their grocery list because you are taking 5 to 10 minutes to answer or ask every question.

• Last, but certainly not least, chewing gum, being dressed inappropriately, and being unprepared (for obvious reasons) will most assuredly help you lose any ground you may have gained with your resume. Don’t miss the mark! Hold the position you gained and earn some additional points by being prepared for your interview.

Top Questions Interviewers Ask and Why

There are a number of questions any interviewer may ask at any given time. Each individual interviewer has his or her own set of specific questions he or she asks as well as their own specific reasons for asking them.  Job candidates tend to come up with all sorts of different reasons they feel they’re being asked the dreaded “questions”. However, for most interviewers, there is a method to the madness! The way you answer, these questions actually tell the interviewer certain things about you.  Since it is virtually impossible to list all the questions, you may be asked during an interview, here are five of the top questions most frequently asked.

Question 1:  What is your greatest weakness?

Some believe a person’s greatest strength is knowing what their weaknesses are. This question can give the provider insight as to whether or not you are cognizant of not only your strong points but also areas you recognize that may need improvement.

Question 2: What is your greatest strength?

This can be a straight forward question to let the interviewer know if you have the skills that match the position; not just your personal strengths in general, so be careful in how you answer this one.

Question 3: What do you see yourself doing in five years?

The way you answer this question will let the interviewer know if you will be happy in the position or if you are just looking to do this job until something better comes along, as well as whether you have given any serious thought to your future.

Question 4: Why should we hire you?

The interviewer wants to see what you have to offer the company, and whether you can succinctly summarize your skills and how they match company needs.

Question 5: Do you have any questions for me?

By saying no to this question, you may leave the interviewer wondering whether you are able to think on your feet, whether you are confident, and/or what your general level of interest is in the company and not just the position. FYI…you always want to answer “yes” to this question and ask an intelligent question in the area the interviewer may not have covered well. Another option is to summarize the position and inquire if you have gotten the facts correct.

“Tell me about yourself?” (How to answer that question)

There are not too many things worse than being asked a question in an interview you cannot answer. What’s really bad is being asked to tell the interviewer about yourself and being absolutely stumped; or worse, delving into a 5 minute diatribe about where you were born, where you grew up, your favorite foods, what you like to do in your free time and so on and so on.

The only possible way to avoid this embarrassing situation is to step into the interview prepared.  Yes, unfortunately preparing for an interview is like studying for a test and if you don’t study, you are sure to fail.  This is certainly not the test for which you want to receive a failing grade.  You have to be prepared for your interview and to be able to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself?”

Since this question is typically asked at the beginning of the interview, you can look at it as an opportunity to highlight your qualifications in relation to the job for which you are applying.  Remember, time is money. The answer to this often-dreaded question should not last for more than a few minutes and should be a quick summary of your experience and qualifications.  Discuss your education, work history, recent career experience and future goals as it pertains to the position you are for which you are interviewing.  Conclude your answer by advising the interviewer of your desire to contribute to the continued success of the company.

Remember, the interviewer is attempting to figure you out on a professional level.

Keep in mind that the interviewer is not only attempting to test your level of confidence but also he or she wants to see how well you communicate.  You are being evaluated to see if you are a worthy investment; so prepare to answer this question ahead of time and set a good tone for the rest of the interview.

Responsible Interview Attire

Showing up at an interview dressed inappropriately is a great way to guarantee continued unemployment.  Dressing for success when you go on an interview tells the employer you are serious about the job and that you take pride in your appearance.

The very first thing an interviewer will notice is how you look and what you are wearing. As such, it is up to you to make sure they see a well-dressed, neatly groomed job applicant and not someone who looks like they are either on their way to a nightclub or on their way home from some outdoor adventure.

Even if you are interviewing for a position that has a casual dress code or even a uniformed position, you still want to dress professionally for the interview process. Your interview attire should convey that you are a mature, organized candidate and that...