Client and Phone Interview Tips
We know being prepared for the jobinterview can be difficult. That's why we've posted these interview tips and related links to make you more comfortable and give you the upper hand when interviewing for that special job.
Prepare for a Phone Interview
Interviewing Tips from Clients
At most job interviews, you have 30 minutes, at most no more than 45 minutes, to make the kind of impression that's going to convince the recruiting manager. How do you pull it off?
Tips from our Clients:
"If the candidate is sincerely interested in the position, I'd expect him or her to have gained at least a basic understanding of what kind of company we are," "In the age of the Internet, there's no excuse for not having done your homework."
"And while I don't expect it, I'm always impressed when a candidate has looked into the specific job for which they applied and is knowledgeable about the industry trends for that kind of job,"
“I look for a personality style that fits with the department or the company itself. With our company's focus on innovation, for example, we're looking for candidates that embrace the concept of innovation and can articulate how they would apply that in this job. I'd also expect to find out about ideas and processes that they initiated themselves and results they obtained."
"It is often more important the way people answer than what they actually say." If, for example, he tosses out a case scenario to solve, he is watching as much for their reaction and the way they respond (spontaneously? analytically? cautiously?) as for the actual reply.
After managing these hurdles, how would our Client describe the type of candidate that would be asked to the second interview?
"Candidates in this category would show a genuine excitement about the opportunities that have been presented. They would be able to clearly articulate how they can help the Organization. They would have interpersonal skills that really show us they'd be a good addition to this company. And finally, they'd have the skills and abilities to come into the organization and show immediate results."
Interviewing Tips:
Tip #1 Put together a portfolio of any notes or letters from managers/bosses, awards, certificates, or other accomplishments that you have had with your current or previous employers. You can be certain that you will be one of the very few candidates that have anything like this prepared. This will help you communicate your skills and abilities to a prospective employer.
Tip #2 Practice interviewing with someone whom you are comfortable. Do this as many times as possible before you start interviewing with companies. Many college career services offices offer mock interviews – take advantage of those opportunities.
Tip #3 Prepare a list of questions for the interviewer. This shows that you have an interest in learning more about the company. Never go to an interview without a list of at least 3 to 5 questions prepared.
Tip #4 Make sure that you research the company completely before your interview. That way you will be familiar with the company’s products, services, markets, and the company culture. Great sources of information are people that have worked for your target company such as interns or co-ops. Your research will help you prepare for questions asked by the company representative.
Tip #5 Many interviewers use a method called behavioral interviewing, which means the interviewer will ask questions about past experiences. One such question might be:
"Give me an example of a time when you needed to adjust quickly. What did you do and how did it turn out?"
Keep in mind that the interviewer doesn't want to hear your opinion or the way you tend to act. They would like you to think of a specific instance. Therefore responses that begin with "I think", "I believe", "I am" or "I will" are not appropriate. The interviewer will be looking for the following information:
- A brief description of the problem or situation
- Your actions
- Results of your actions
Tip #6 Remember, the company representative would like to hire you for their staffing needs. Their challenge is to predict the likelihood of future success between you and their company. If the company rep can be certain that you will be successful in their company, their recruiting challenge is closer to being accomplished. You can assist them in this challenge by being open and honest about your skills, experiences, dislikes, and ambitions.
Tip#7 If you are asked about your strengths and weaknesses.
Step 1, In advance write down four or five strengths and one or two weaknesses. Include a short, one-paragraph example of an accomplishment using each strength. With the weaknesses, write a specific situation where you have turned that weakness into a strength or have overcome the weakness. As you'll see in the "Universal Answer" below, these examples are critical.
Step 2: Learn the "Universal Answer." Most answers during the interview should be about one-to-two minutes long. If the candidate talks for more than three minutes, the interviewer loses interest. The candidate is then ranked as boring, long-winded, or too self-centered. If the candidate talks less than a minute, the person is considered superficial, incompetent, or lacking interest.
Practice their answers using the "Say a Few Words" acronym:
S: make an opening Statement
A: Amplify that statement
F: provide a Few examples
W: Wrap it up
Tip#8 Ask for the job. At the end of the interview, tell the interviewer that you are interested in the job, and would like to know what the next steps are. If the next steps seem evasive or unclear, ask the interviewer if your accomplishments seem relevant to the performance requirements of the job. Understanding a potential gap here allows you to fill it in with an example of a related accomplishment. Make sure you do the best job possible of presenting your strengths. Sometimes you have to ask for the job to understand what points you need to get across.
