This month we're speaking with: Susan Grace from Career Moxie:
http://www.careermoxie.com/
1. When consulting with individuals on interview do's and don'ts, what are the 2-3 most important tips you often reference?
Something that’s easy to remember is the Three P’s – be Prepared, Professional, and Positive.
Be Prepared. You may be asked what you know about the company or why you want to work there, and responding with “I need a job and you have a position open” isn’t going to score you any points with the hiring manager. You need to be prepared with an answer. Research the company ahead of time so you can demonstrate your knowledge of the organization and also relate how your experience and background are a good match. In addition to learning about the company and the position in advance, you also need to prepare to answer questions about your background and experience. Be prepared to explain how you moved from one job to another – most interviews follow this format, at least initially. Be prepared to address any gaps in employment or any other skeletons that may be lurking in your background. Many interviews will include behavior-based questions, so prepare in advance how you will respond. Make a list of general categories such as problem solving, conflict management, communication, decision making, leadership, motivation, etc. – whatever you believe might come up related to the position. Then, brainstorm past situations where you have demonstrated each trait and craft a story in response to each hypothetical question. Use the STAR approach to frame your story – Situation – Task – Action – Result. Describe a specific situation you were in and the task you were assigned. Then, explain what specific action you took to meet a challenge, and finally, follow up with the specific results that were achieved. You can use this same approach to prepare your accomplishment stories. Hiring managers want to go beyond your day-to-day job responsibilities to understand what value you can add, and you can demonstrate your value by explaining what you have accomplished in specific jobs.
Be professional. Your interview attire and your demeanor should be professional. What you should wear depends on the position you’re applying for, but in general, assuming you’re applying for a “professional” position and not a job on a loading dock, you should wear a suit to your first interview. Think of it as dressing one notch above what you would probably wear every day if you were working there. And never drop that professional demeanor. Just because you hit it off with the hiring manager doesn’t mean it’s ok to kick back in your chair with your feet up. The interview process continues right through until the first day you start, and candidates who have reached the employment offer stage have blown it because they let that professional guard down and behaved in a less than professional manner.
Be positive. Misery loves company, but companies don’t love misery. Don’t go into an interview spewing a bunch of negative comments about your lousy boss or incompetent co-workers. And while you may be worn down by the job search process and the constant rejection, don’t show it in an interview. Hiring managers want to see enthusiasm, not defeatism, so approach every interview with a positive attitude.
