Interview Tricks

Got a question today from one of the women I am coaching, on how she should prepare for her next interview. Well, I don't know if I have anything out of the ordinary here, but here are a few things that have made me a more attractive candidate and that also makes candidates stick out when I happen to be interviewing.

1) Always dress classy, but low-key. A tidy fresh and yet stylish first impression opens the door instead of creating challenges from the minute you enter a room

2) Always read about the company in advance, and ask related questions to the interviewers on what you found, so they realize that you have done your research and that you are genuinely interested in how the future for the company looks like and what their visions are

3) During an interview the interviewers always check for three things and I have this rule: Brain, Heart, and Feet.

--- Brain: do you have the right competence, experience, and mindset for the job / role / assignment --- here you should try to match your previous experiences with the role you are applying for, and highlight education or previous experience with what the company is producing. Also show how your other experiences will enrich the value you may bring to the company. That will build up for the actual salary negotiation.

--- Heart: do you have the right values to fit with the team at hand. Sometimes you can have the best of competence, but you will still not complement the team. This is many times a reason why you get turned down (if your competence is a match, but you still don't get the job) --- here you should try to really be honest with who you are, as you don't want to end up matched in a team on someone you are not. Think about that you will spend at least 8 hrs a day with the team, and it would only be valuable for your progress if you were in a team that you can learn from and that you can contribute to. So be as honest as you can, without down selling yourself an inch. Only use positive words when describing yourself. And use some of your strengths as weaknesses (e.g. strength: organization, weakness: less flexible at times; strength: strong leader / decision maker, weakness: sometimes forgets to take time to listen to weaker voices in a meeting).

--- Feet: where are you going? A company always sees a recruitment as an investment. Investing in you, money and time, will it lead to a good harvest? Are you intending to stay with the company for as long as it takes to get you up to speed and also get some profit of their investment? Hence, always think about a 3 year vision within the company, that you can bring up in a suitable context. E.g. "Well, I can see that perhaps three years from now, I would have built out this team to handle not only the marketing but also the channel relationships and customer reference programs...." It shows that you have a plan to stay, and a plan to develop things going forward. A good candidate for investment!

4) Confidence is key, but bragging is a turnoff. It is a problem often among my girl friends that they get very nervous before an interview. Not feeling their true worth. Always feel like you are worth a fortune going into any interview. That your time is money. That they really need you. Don't ever let anyone downplay your worth. And believe me they will try, if not for any other reason but to get to a good negotiation start point, e.g. a cheap one for the company.

5) Never give a number. Never discuss salary in your first interview. Always treat your first interview as YOUR interview with them. Checking THEM out if THEY would be the right fit for YOU. That makes you more attractive in the company's eyes. Just like in dating!

6) Don't fear silence. They will probably test you in different ways how you react to stress. Some interviewers use silence as a trigger. Don't fear it. Embrace it. Wait. And then wait some more. And if you really can't wait more for them to ask a question. Have a question ready for them - open ended - so you can buy time, if you need to.

7) On questions that hits you off guard, breathe, wait, and ask for clarification or ask a counter question. That will buy you time to think what to answer. E.g. "well...hm....can you please elaborate what you mean with...." or "Well, I would like to think about this question for a while before I answer". You have time. And all questions aren't meant to be answered immediately.

8) Be professional (no nervous or bad jokes) and positive (don't show any bad moods or anger, even if they turn out to be unprofessional or rude - yes, this has happened to me...). You don't gain anything on loosing your temper. Just leave politely if the interview is not respectful, with the excuse that you have realized the job will probably not meet your expectations.

I am sure there are many more tips on this, as it is a very common topic. Here are a few books on the topic, for extensive preparation. However, I usually think you should be just enough prepared. A natural behavior is better for both you and the recruiters, as that will assure a better match-making. And if you really are super nervous, and it is your first job interview after college or something....well....tell them. It will reveal a card from your hand, but it may also make you feel a bit more comfortable, which may help you win in the end.

Good luck!

Books:

• Getting the job even though no one is hiring: http://www.amazon.com/Want-Even-When-Ones-Hiring/dp/0470457414/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257400492&sr=8-2
• Ten mistakes to avoid: http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Mistakes-Avoid-Initial-Interview/dp/B001QOGX78/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257400984&sr=8-3
• Tips to smart answers for tough questions: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Answers-Interview-Questions-ebook/dp/B001POX728/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2 (there are many books like this one)