Interview Skills 101: Part 2
Adding to Interview Skills 101: Part 1, here’s a look at what the company is looking for during the interview. At the end of the day, you may never really know what the manager is looking for when meeting with the candidates. But, if you’re better prepared for the conversation, you should be able to find out more in the interview.
I image your typical job application process may go something like this:
- Check Monster/CareerBuilder for positions.
- Apply to something fairly close and relevant to your skill set.
- If you’re lucky, you get a call from an HR representative and have a quick 10-15 minute phone screening. Yeah! You have enough skills and personality to go in and meet with the department manager.
- Review the company website for an hour or two before the interview.
- Polish your shoes and skip to the interview.
- Sweat through tough questions… asking yourself the whole time, “Do I match what they really want?”.
- Send a thank you note.
- Wait for the follow-up call.
- Receive a rejection letter.
- Start over again.
It’s a brutal process and one that I hope to see change over time. But today that is how the typical job search goes. To differentiate yourself in the mind of the interviewer, you have to approach the interview differently from all the other job seekers. Try this:
- Don’t apply through the online job boards. Instead, connect with your network and find which are the really great companies.
- Get a personal introduction to managers at those companies.
- Get the scoop from your network about the managers before going for informational interviews with managers.
Not preparing for the interview will leave you in the dark like this poor unsuspecting fool interviewing at Dilbert’s company. Preparing for the interview will help you better perform and handle the questions more effectively. Prepare for the interview by finding out what the managers are like, what their interview style is, what the job is all about, etc. Good luck and have fun with it!
About Jennifer Armitstead
Jennifer has coached hundreds of job seekers who are either laid off or making a career transition. With many successful years of placing candidates by working closely with hiring managers to interview and select top talent, Jennifer leverages this unique knowledge to position her coaching clients as they differentiate themselves from other job seekers. Jennifer is sought after for her unique ability to help individuals develop their personal brand and create a career management strategy.
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