You spend a lot of time thinking of what TO say, but what not to say in an interview is very important. You need to be ready for anything, including weird interview questions.You don’t want to blurt out something inappropriate and send all of your hard work down the toilet. Avoid these inappropriate comments during your interview. [Read more…] about What not to say at an interview
How to win at a phone interview
Companies often use phone interviews to screen candidates before meeting in person. Seize your chance to impress the interviewer so he or she can’t help but want to meet you in person. Consider the following do’s and don’ts.
How to have winning phone interviews
Don’t miss the details. What time is the interview? Is the interviewer calling you, or is it up to you to place the call? Does everyone have the right phone numbers? Who will be interviewing you? (Make sure to get the correct spelling of their names and also their contact information so you can easily follow up with thank you notes.) When the interview is remote, it’s very easy to muck up the key details, but if you are waiting for a call and the interviewer expected you to initiate the conversation, you’ve lost an opportunity. It’s wise to send an email to confirm all the specifics so everyone is on the same page.
Don’t take the call from a noisy place. There is nothing worse (for you and the interviewer) than trying to have a serious conversation when there is a lot of noise in the background. It does not matter if the noise is your daughter’s soccer game or the cappuccino machine at the local coffee shop; it’s up to you to find a quiet place to take the call. If you don’t, the interviewer will question your judgment, and no employer wants to hire someone who doesn’t make good decisions.
Don’t forget to tell your friends and family you’re on a business call. Even if you are in your home office with the door closed, if your roommate or family members don’t know you’re on an important call, expect to be interrupted.
Don’t schedule an interview when you have other responsibilities. Needless to say, it’s not a good idea to schedule an interview while you’re at work. Other bad times: when you’re in charge of children, driving or expecting a service person or visitor. Make sure you can give the interviewer your complete attention, or you may regret it later.
Don’t interrupt for a call that’s waiting. Just as you would never answer your phone during an in-person interview, don’t ever be tempted to ask the interviewer to wait a minute so you can pick up the call that’s waiting. Not only is it rude, but it’s possible you’ll get disconnected. When you are in an interview, give the interviewer all your focus and attention.
Do write some notes and refer to them. Be ready for the interview. Take advantage of the fact that the interviewer can’t see you and keep a few notes handy to help you remember to say all of your key points. Use bullet points, not complete paragraphs. (You don’t want to read them word-for-word.)
Do prepare as you would for an in-person meeting. Just because the meeting is over the phone doesn’t mean the employer isn’t serious about your candidacy. Return the favor and prepare and research as you would for an in-person interview. Learn all you can about the organization, their successes and their concerns. Be prepared to explain exactly why you are a good fit for the job.
Emote. In a phone interview, you need to be extra attentive about your tone and enthusiasm. If necessary, stand up when you’re on the call. Smile and gesture as you would in person to help make sure you verbally project your interest in the job.
Use a phone that won’t drop the call. You do not want to lose the interviewer in the midst of your conversation. Be sure to take the call on a reliable phone in a location that isn’t typically problematic.
Listen carefully and take notes as long as it doesn’t distract you. Just as it’s OK to refer to your prepared notes during your interview, you can take advantage of the phone interview setup to write down things during the interview so you’ll remember them later. It can be helpful to jot down a few things so you can write detailed thank you notes. Don’t feel compelled to transcribe every word, but some well-placed notes may help you later. You’ll be glad when you get the job.
A phone interview can be a great opportunity to shine, and without the pressure to shake hands well or dress in exactly the right thing, it can be a lot easier than an in-person meeting. Don’t blow your opportunity to make the most of this chance.
Are you blowing the interview before it starts?
Finally, it’s happened—an invitation to interview for a job. Have you already blown your chance before you put one hand on their office’s door? [Read more…] about Are you blowing the interview before it starts?
Use your holiday party to help you get a job
Do holiday parties leave you hapless and hopeless? Maybe you’re between jobs and not really feeling the spirit? Don’t despair! With a little preparation and the right attitude, you can turn festive occasions into opportunities for you to meet new allies for your job search. Follow these tips to turn your not-working into effective networking. [Read more…] about Use your holiday party to help you get a job
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