It’s becoming more and more common for companies to conduct virtual interviews with candidates. You don’t need a shoulder-mounted camera, like in the old days! Often, these interviews are done via some type of video technology. A video interview typically involves the candidate answering a series of pre-determined interview questions using a webcam to record their interview. [Read more…] about How to ace a video interview
What to eat before your job interview
No detail is too small when you’re in the midst of a job hunt. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to decide what you’d wear to an interview, or what you’ll say when they ask, “Why should we hire you?â€
By the same token, you want to bring your “A game†to every conversation. Knowing what to eat to encourage peak performance may be as important before an important meeting as it is when planning to run a marathon. Athletes know how to load up on all the right foods and how to hydrate on a regular basis, in addition to right before a big race or game. Think of your job hunt from a total body perspective.
Have you thought about the fact that there are foods to help you:
- Think clearly and maintain optimal brain function
- Solve problems
- Reduce anxiety, control stress, stay calm
Consider the following suggestions to help improve performance in these key areas:
Web MD suggests anti-oxidant-rich blueberries, omega-3 essential fatty acids such as salmon, and foods high in vitamin E, such as nuts and seeds such as “walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and unhydrogenated nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, and tahini†may help improve brain functions. The article also suggests eating avocado to contribute to healthy blood flow and brain health. (Although, you may want to eat avocado in moderation, as Web MD notes they are high in calories.) Other good “brain foods†recommended in the article include: whole grains (oatmeal, breads, and brown rice), wheat germ, pomegranate juice, freshly brewed tea, and dark chocolate.
Health Ambition suggests walnuts (to increase oxygen to your brain), strawberries (for mental awareness), dark chocolate (for anti-oxidants) and drinking water (for better memory) to help improve your brain function.
Read the rest on my post at U.S. News & World Report.
photo by gezellig-girl.com
Prepare in advance for the job that may come knocking
Last week, a prospective client contacted me. He was thinking about solidifying his “personal brand” and thought he could use some help firming up his job search plans. We spoke briefly, I explained how I could help him identify the stories that would relate and appeal to his target audience and how I could teach him to propagate those stories via social media. I agreed to outline a strategy/proposal while he interviewed other coaches (!), but the next thing I knew, he was contacting me with an urgent email:
“My dream job just came knocking on the door.”
All of the sudden, a longer-term, “let’s think about it” plan became an immediate need — how to impress the telephone screener to land a chance at an interview for the job he’d been yearning to have. (Incidentally, this was the second client in a week I’d convinced NOT to offer to “scrub toilets” for the privilege of working someplace!)
Luckily, I was able to schedule a just-in-time coaching session and identified the salient points from the job description I believed would be most valuable to highlight and discuss in an introductory meeting. Success! The meeting went well; the client is waiting to firm a date for the second interview — and is ready for the next “just-in-time” session to help him hone in on what he wants to say.
Could this be you? Absolutely! Do you need to wait to the 11th hour to get some help to get you where you want to go? No! Start preparing now.
Are you ready to present yourself — in line with what your audience wants to hear? Could you pass an initial screen? If not, maybe it’s time for a coaching session?
photo by Feuillu
Why should we hire you?
“Why should we hire you?” It’s the underlying question inherent in every interview inquiry. Even if interviewers don’t ask this exact question, it’s what they want to know. Your job is to supply appropriate answers. You’ll need to describe reasons using concrete examples illustrating how and why you are a good fit for the organization.
Answering the question well requires two, equally important elements:
- Knowing what you offer.
- Understanding what the organization wants.
What You Offer
Why are you a good fit for the job? If you don’t know your skills, it will be difficult to land an opportunity. It’s imperative to understand what you have to offer when applying for positions. I tell my clients to post the question, “Why should we hire you?” on their bathroom mirror, refrigerator or anyplace they will see it during the day. I instruct them to answer, out loud, keeping different companies in mind each time. This type of rehearsal will help you hone in on what you have to offer.
What do you enjoy most about your job? It’s likely those aspects correlate with your strengths and may help identify reasons to hire you. For example, do you enjoy spending a lot of time negotiating, preventing problems (or solving them), or interacting with people from various backgrounds? Are you a writer, whose best time is quietly typing, alone at the computer? Or, is presenting in front of large groups your favorite thing? Make a list of what you would consider your best strengths.
If it’s difficult choosing your best skills, consider asking for help and doing some self-referential research. Dig out old performance reviews, read what people have written about you in LinkedIn recommendations, and ask your friends or colleagues about your strengths.
Need help articulating what you offer? Check out my new book:
100 Conversations for Career Success
Identify what is unique or special about you. How have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? What did you accomplish that no one else managed to do? Did you volunteer to tackle a problem and solve it? Give yourself credit — ideally, your past work will provide a strong, supportive platform for your next job.
Don’t underestimate the value of looking at yourself, your skills, and your accomplishments and outlining the key points you will want to share with a prospective employer.
What the Organization Wants
While the focus of “Why should we hire you?” is on “you,” the interviewee, it’s important to remember the answer isn’t all about you. The most successful interview responses focus on the hiring manager’s needs. Framing replies that demonstrate you understand their problems — or “pain points,” makes a big difference when competing with many other qualified candidates.
What are the skills to focus on when you apply for jobs? It’s usually not very difficult to identify what employers are looking for; their 2,000-word, in-depth job descriptions don’t leave much to the imagination. Many firms post videos, and manage Facebook sites and Twitter feeds touting their organizations and why you might want to work there. Skip these resources at your own peril — they are telling you exactly what you need to know to be a strong candidate.
To prepare to successfully interview — frame your answer to, “Why should we hire you?” to suit the employer’s needs. Print and highlight the job description, looking for the top three or four most important details. Do they include terms such as, “cross-functional team,” “team work,” and “team player” several times? If your answer to, “Why should we hire you?” (asked directly or as an underlying question) does not mention and focus on your abilities as they relate to teams, you are probably out of luck.
Does the company’s YouTube channel have a series of videos outlining its commitment to customer service? You’ll want to include details about your interest in client relations as part of the reason the employer should hire you. If an organization emphasizes a topic, it’s likely management will appreciate your letting them know why (and how) you are a good fit. Think of an interview as an opportunity to build a bridge between what the company wants and what you offer — and to figuratively lay a red carpet across the bridge, encouraging the employer to walk across!
Final Thoughts: What if There’s a Disconnect? You Know You Need to Emphasize a Skill or Accomplishment that’s not a Strong Suit?
The job requires leadership skills, for example. You know the interviewer will want to discuss it, but it’s one of your weak points. What should you say?
Give examples of non-work related leadership stories if your work history isn’t very leadership focused. Maybe you led a volunteer team and raised a lot of money, for example. It does help to be able to work in information about how you demonstrated leadership at work. To address this topic, break down the definition of “leadership” and identify some matches between what you’ve exhibited on the job and what the job requires.
For example, a leader:
- Takes responsibility for his or her actions
- Can think on his or her feet and make decisions
- Can convince others of a viewpoint or plan — and inspire them to cooperate
- Sees the bigger picture and makes suggestions to avoid obstacles
When the interviewer asks why the organization should hire you, include a leadership-focused reply, such as, “I know this job requires strong leadership experience. The best leaders think ahead, make good decisions and skillfully convince others to cooperate.” (Then, tell a story illustrating a time when you used those three skills.)
photo by b4b2
How to interview and illustrate skills that are a reach
What are the skills you need to demonstrate when you apply for jobs? It’s usually not very difficult to identify what employers are looking for; their 3000-word, in-depth job descriptions don’t leave much to the imagination. Many firms also post videos, have Facebook sites and Twitter feeds touting their organizations and why you might want to work there.
Skip these resources at your own peril — they are telling you exactly what you need to know to be a strong candidate.
But, what if most everything on the job description is a great match for your skills, but they want one or two skills or accomplishments you don’t really have a lot to say about? A good example? Leadership skills.
So many jobs are looking for people with leadership skills. You know you need to address how you are a great leader in the interview, but, truth be told — you haven’t had a lot of opportunities to lead. Maybe you’re an entry-level candidate or you’re trying to move into a leadership position. However, as far as specific stories about how you led a team to greatness, you don’t really have it.
Some things to consider:
It’s acceptable (and expected) to share non-work related leadership stories if your job isn’t very leadership focused. Volunteer work is very useful for this. Maybe you led a team and raised a lot of money for a cause. Or, you galvanized a lot of other volunteers and accomplished a big goal. Your leadership stories do not need to focus entirely on your paid work experiences.
That said, it does help to be able to work in information about how you demonstrated leadership at work. Focus on what skills are useful to have as a leader…Break down the topic of “leadership” and see if you can identify some matches between what you’ve exhibited on the job and your career goals. (Note: remember, you can break down the topic for any skill you want to illustrate.)
For example a leader:
- Shows (and takes) initiative — enthusiastically
- Takes responsibility for his or her actions
- Has strong communication skills
- Can think on his or her feet and make decisions
- Is able to convince others of a viewpoint or plan — and inspires them to cooperate
- Demonstrates dedication and confidence
- Is comfortable with a certain amount of ambiguity
- Is focused on the best possible ways to get the job done
- Thinks analytically and focuses on the task at hand
- Sees the bigger picture and makes suggestions to avoid obstacles
- Hones strong relationships
- Shows good judgement
- Is imaginative and innovative
Consider addressing a question about leadership like this:
When I think of the best leaders, they demonstrate dedication and confidence, can think ahead and make good decisions and have strong relationships with their teammates. (Then, tell a story illustrating a time when you used those three skills.)
Framing the definition of “leadership” and providing a story showing how and when you used those characteristics will help you answer a question that might otherwise have stymied you — if you were thinking of a very traditional example of you “leading” a group or a team, but you have not done that on the job.
What suggestions do you have to answer interview questions that might otherwise really stump you?
Resources for this list:
An article by Barbara White, who has over twenty years experience in leadership. She is President of Beyond Better Development, which specializes in motivation and training in interpersonal skills.
photo by Leo Reynolds