STEP THREE:
But a resume and cover letter by themselves can’t get you
the job you want. You need to “prep” yourself before the interview. Step Three in your job
campaign is “Preparing for Interviews.” First, let’s look at interviewing from the
hiring organization’s point of view.
What are the biggest “turnoffs” for potential employers?
One of the ways to help yourself perform well at an
interview is to look at the main reasons why organizations don’t hire the people they
interview, according to those who do the interviewing.
Notice that “lack of appropriate background” (or lack of
experience) is the last reason for not being offered the job.
Department of Labor studies have proven that smart,
“prepared” job hunters can increase their beginning salary while getting a job in half
the time it normally takes.
(4˚ months is the average national length of a job search.)
Here, from PREP, are some questions that can prepare you to find a job faster.
Are you in the “right” frame of mind?
It seems unfair that we have to look for a job just when
we’re lowest in morale. Don’t worry too much if you’re nervous before interviews. You’re
supposed to be a little nervous, especially if the job means a lot to you. But the
best way to kill unnecessary fears about job hunting is through 1) making sure
you have a great resume and 2) preparing yourself for the interview. Here are three main
areas you need to think about
before each interview.
Do you know what the company does?
Don’t walk into an interview giving the impression that, “If
this is Tuesday, this must be General Motors.”
Find out before the interview what the company’s main
product or service is. Where is the company heading? Is it in a “growth” or declining
industry? (Answers to these questions may influence whether or not you want to work there!)
Information about what the company does is in annual
reports, in newspaper and magazine articles, and on the Internet. If you’re not yet
skilled at Internet research, just visit your nearest library and ask the reference librarian
to guide you to printed materials on the company.
Do you know what you want to do for the company?
Before the interview, try to decide how you see yourself
fitting into the company.
Remember, “lack of exact background” the company wants is
usually the last reason people are not offered jobs.
Understand before you go to each interview that the burden
will be on you to “sell” the interviewer on why you’re the best person for the job and
the company.
How will you answer the critical interview questions?
Put yourself in the interviewer’s position and think about
the questions you’re most likely to be asked. Here are some of the most commonly asked
interview questions:
Q: “What are your greatest strengths?”
A: Don’t say you’ve never thought about it! Go into an
interview knowing the three main impressions you want to leave about yourself, such as
“I’m hard-working, loyal, and an imaginative cost-cutter.”
Q: “What are your greatest weaknesses?”
A: Don’t confess that you’re lazy or have trouble meeting
deadlines! Confessing that you tend to be a “workaholic” or “tend to be a perfectionist
and sometimes get frustrated when others don’t share my high standards” will make your
prospective employer see a “weakness” that he likes. Name a weakness that your
interviewer will perceive as a strength.
Q: “What are your long-range goals?”
A: If you’re interviewing with Microsoft, don’t say you want
to work for IBM in five years! Say your long-range goal is to be with the company,
contributing to its goals and success.
Q: “What motivates you to do your best work?”
A: Don’t get dollar signs in your eyes here! “A challenge”
is not a bad answer, but it’s a little cliched. Saying something like “troubleshooting” or
“solving a tough problem” is more interesting and specific. Give an example if you
can.
Q: “What do you know about this organization?”
A: Don’t say you never heard of it until they asked you to
the interview! Name an interesting,
positive thing you learned about the company recently from
your research.
Remember, company executives can sometimes feel rather
“maternal” about the company they serve. Don’t get onto a negative area of the
company if you can think of positive facts you can bring up. Of course, if you learned
in your research that the company’s sales seem to be taking a nose-dive, or that the
company president is being prosecuted for taking bribes, you might politely ask
your interviewer to tell you something that could help you better understand
what you’ve been reading.
Those are the kinds of company facts that can help you
determine whether or not you want to work there.
Q: “Why should I hire you?”
A: “I’m unemployed and available” is the wrong answer here!
Get back to your strengths and say that you believe the organization could benefit by a
loyal, hard-working cost-cutter like yourself.
In conclusion, you should decide in advance, before you go
to the interview, how you will answer each of these commonly asked questions. Have some
practice interviews with a friend to role-play and build your confidence.
