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Written by: Paul Santello
Vice President, Carat in Los Angeles
May 14, 2004
If you’re looking for a job in today’s economy, you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief. After 2+ years of sluggish job growth, jobs are finally on the rebound. However, through good economies and bad, one thing remains consistent – exceptional employers demand exceptional talent, and often have trouble finding it.
So you’ve just landed an interview. Congratulations! You’ve received good coaching on preparing your resume, and an employer sees something there that makes them think you might be that exceptional talent they’re looking for. So what do you do now? Prepare and practice for your interview. Don’t be one of the many people who look good on paper but disappoint during the interview. Don’t disappoint. Dazzle!
It all comes down to what you know and how you act. You can be the smartest, most qualified and most capable person, but if you act poorly during the interview you will turn off the interviewer. Conversely, you can be the nicest, most confident and most energetic person, but if you don’t know your stuff, you will also turn off the interviewer. Here are some tips on what you should know and how you should act to make sure you dazzle the interviewer:
1. Know Why You’re There – employers want people who genuinely want to work for the company for a good reason. Are you passionate about the product or service? Are you impressed with management? Are they in a growth industry? Do you have natural skills that are perfectly suited for that company’s business? Whatever the case, make sure you’ve really thought about why you want a job with that particular company and can express it clearly and succinctly. And remember, never talk about needing a job or needing to leave a bad situation at your current employer. These are not good reasons and cast a negative cloud over the interview.
2. Know The Company’s Business – no matter what level job you’re seeking, you will know the company’s business if you’re exceptional. Study the company’s website and annual report (if publicly traded). Do this for the competitors as well. Do research on the Internet. Buy a trade journal or check one out of a local library. Use the product or service, or talk to people who do. If you have contacts in the industry, go on informational interviews and pump people for information on how the business works. Offer to take them to lunch or coffee for their time. Candidates who have a good handle on the business of the company impress employers.
3. Know The Company – Now that you know the business, make sure you know the company itself. Know what makes them better than their competition. This is called their competitive advantage. You can often find this in a company’s mission statement, which you can find in an annual report or on the Web site. On a company’s Web site, also look for the “About Us” section and/or the “Investor Information” section. Do an Internet search for articles on the company. Look for language which states who they are, what they do well, or where they want to be in the future. Not only will this make you appear smarter, but also it will help you determine if this is a company you really want to work for in the long term.
4. Know Yourself – Think of yourself as a brand, and think of the other candidates as competitive brands that have some of the same qualities as you. Where do you want to be in 5 years? Think about the specific job and responsibilities that would make you happy 5 years from now. Also, what makes you most qualified? Do you possess unique skills or qualities that can help you stand out among your competition? This exercise can be difficult since you will most likely not know the other candidates, but imagine what other types of people they might be talking to. Thinking about these questions will force you to examine yourself and your academic/career history so you can clearly outline your desired career path and identify qualities and/or skills that make you stand out. Candidates who know who they are and where they want to go really impress prospective employers.
5. Be Relaxed – During the interview; try to have a good time. Typically anxiety comes from a lack of confidence and lack of preparation. If you’re well prepared and know who you are, you really have no reason to be nervous. You and your potential employer are getting to know each other for a potential long-term relationship. When you appear nervous, the interviewer thinks you’re covering up something. Sit up straight and avoid excessive body movements. If you have a tendency to slouch in your chair, constantly readjust your position, tap your pen, touch your hair, or some other nervous gesture, learn to GIVE IT UP. One cure for this is to videotape yourself. When you see how poorly you look exhibiting nervous movements, you will want to give them up.
6. Be Interested – Look like you’re excited to be there. Smile. Listen carefully. Make significant eye contact when engaged in conversation. Take an occasional note, but don’t be excessive. When you take a note, it shows you’re interested in what the interviewer is saying and you don’t want to forget it. It will also give you fodder for your follow-up note. Ask good questions at the end of the interview. You should always have questions. It’s a sign of interest and curiosity, both of which are good qualities in a leader. Prepare some questions that are not likely to come up in your interview. Some of my favorites are:
a. “Can you tell me about your background and how you came to this position?” This can give you insight into career pathing.
b. “If I were to get this position and be a success a year from now, what would be the keys to that success?” This can give you insight into success criteria.
c. "What would the typical employee say is the best part of working here?" This can give you insight into work environment and culture.
Also, always ask for a business card so you have contact information for follow-up correspondence.
7. Be Focused – nothing hurts more than a candidate who rambles on incessantly. When I witness incessant rambling, I think a candidate doesn’t really know how to answer the questions and they are nervous. Think about the question. If it’s tough or somewhat open to interpretation, repeat it to make sure you understand it. You can even take a moment to think about your answer. Try saying, “That’s a really good question. Do you mind if I take a few seconds to organize my thoughts.” Then do just that, a few seconds, and no more. Sometimes these few seconds can be the difference between a really smart, focused answer and a disorganized, rambling one. When giving an answer, err on the side of “less is more.” Typically an interviewer doesn’t need much more than a straight, succinct, focused answer. If they want more detail, let them ask for it. They may say, “That’s interesting, go on.” Then, you can go deeper.
8. Be Assertive – At the end of the interview, succinctly confirm your interest in the organization and restate your qualifications. Ask what the next steps are. Find out who your key follow-up contact. This shows you are interested and that you are action oriented.
9. Look Your Best - First impressions really do matter, and it’s important that you project a professional image, not only from the inside but also on the outside. Invest in a great interview outfit, and make sure it fits well, is clean and pressed. If you’re a man, get a haircut and be clean-shaven. If you’re a woman, choose a conservative hairstyle and make up. Avoid bold colors and excessive jewelry. Cover up any tattoos. Play down extra/excessive body piercing. And, if one of your interviews is over a lunch, do not use this as an opportunity for a big free lunch. Choose a light entrée that you can eat with utensils, not your fingers.
10. Avoid the No-Nos- There are a few things you should not do in an interview:
a. Don’t ask questions about salary/benefits/vacation/perks – Do not ask about these before you have an offer. Get them to want you for the position first before you begin to negotiate the terms of an offer. If these are brought up early on by the interviewer, take notes and use the information in your negotiations at the appropriate time.
b. Do not denigrate your current employer – Do not make derogatory remarks about your current employer. You may be asked why you want to leave your current employer, and if you’re in a bad situation, you can easily fall into the trap of trashing them. If asked, simply state that your expectations for career development are not being met and you see limited upside career development potential.
c. Don’t make jokes – There is little to be gained and a lot at risk. Keep the conversation focused on learning about each other.
d. Don’t forget copies of your resume – Generally, interviewers are busy people and human resources departments deal with lots of candidates. There’s a good chance that an interviewer may not have seen your resume, or if they have, they will not have it at their fingertips when you walk through the door. Offer them one if they don’t have it.
Now I know what you’re thinking. This stuff seems obvious, right? Well maybe to you, but you would not believe how many people I see that don’t practice this. Falling down in any one of these areas can break an interview. Don’t be the next casualty of a bad interview, follow my advice and dazzle your way into your next new job.
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This article is © 2004-2005 by Paul Santello and may not be reposted without written permission from the author
and may not be reprinted for profit.