I started talking about an early Saturday morning job-seekers meeting I attended recently where I found myself interrupting people's stories to interject comments. Several seem to be obvious, but evidence that they need to be repeated keeps cropping up. I have given you some comments in Part I about personal presentation, introductions and résumés. Here are more:
It’s the interview that gets you the job
If résumés get you the interview, it’s the interview that gets you the job. To get the job, they have to like you. They already know from your résumé that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities - although if they are diligent they will check this out. Now you need to prove to them that you are a fit. To fit, you need to solve their problems. If you don't appear engaged and knowledgeable as well as approachable, you won't win. Here is how you prepare to succeed:
If résumés get you the interview, it’s the interview that gets you the job. To get the job, they have to like you. They already know from your résumé that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities - although if they are diligent they will check this out. Now you need to prove to them that you are a fit. To fit, you need to solve their problems. If you don't appear engaged and knowledgeable as well as approachable, you won't win. Here is how you prepare to succeed:
- Answer all of the 64 Toughest Interview Questions. Every. Single. One. Write out your answers. Use the STAR format (situation - task - action - result). If you're a talker, get to the point immediately by using the RATS format (result - action - task - situation). Figure out which questions are easy for you. Spend extra time on the questions that scare you. (Google 64 tough "questions", download the PDF version.)
- Once you have worked on the scary questions, phone yourself and leave the answer on your voice-mail. This serves several purposes: Do you ramble on longer than 2 minutes? Do you enunciate and speak clearly? Do you use appropriate vocabulary? Do you sound confident and upbeat? If you identify problems with this, keep on practicing and refining and practicing until your responses sound fluent, not canned.
- Some interviewers are not practiced. If you are fluent in the 64 Toughest Interview Questions, without robbing the interviewer of his role (he needs to remain in charge), you can provide your STAR responses in the course of the interview as great examples of how you contributed in the past to solving similar problems that face the interviewer. Use (or create) the opportunity interviewers offer at the end of the interview to showcase those really strong and pertinent STAR responses.
Most people don’t bother with this tip. It is the single most important thing that you can do for yourself. It is what you can control, so don’t leave how you represent yourself to chance.
Eliminate negative speak
Eliminate negative speak. If you need to let off steam, do it with a trusted family member or friend. In public, DO NOT EVER speak of anyone in a disparaging manner.
Treat recruiters with respect
And as you eliminate negative speak, treat recruiters with respect. This applies to corporate recruiters as well as to recruiting firms. They may not call you back, and you'll never know if it's because they're overwhelmed with work or because they don't want to give you the bad news. Unless you call them. Keep it professional. No whining allowed. Of course, if you insist on shooting yourself in the foot...
Ask why
If you find out you didn't get the job or the interview, ask why. This is the best source of feedback you can ever get. The people you are asking have seen you in action and can provide valuable insight into the manner in which you represent yourself. If you don’t ask, you will never know. If you ask, your recruiter or the hiring manager will feel obligated to give you a response. They may frame their response diplomatically, so examine that response carefully. Be brutally honest with yourself on what you can do better. Then go back to practicing those 64 tough questions. See It’s the interview that gets you the job above.
Stay tuned for more Various and Miscellany Advice. In the meantime, I welcome your anecdotes and stories of what has worked for you in the land of Job-Seekers. Feel free to comment below.
Eliminate negative speak. If you need to let off steam, do it with a trusted family member or friend. In public, DO NOT EVER speak of anyone in a disparaging manner.
Treat recruiters with respect
And as you eliminate negative speak, treat recruiters with respect. This applies to corporate recruiters as well as to recruiting firms. They may not call you back, and you'll never know if it's because they're overwhelmed with work or because they don't want to give you the bad news. Unless you call them. Keep it professional. No whining allowed. Of course, if you insist on shooting yourself in the foot...
Ask why
If you find out you didn't get the job or the interview, ask why. This is the best source of feedback you can ever get. The people you are asking have seen you in action and can provide valuable insight into the manner in which you represent yourself. If you don’t ask, you will never know. If you ask, your recruiter or the hiring manager will feel obligated to give you a response. They may frame their response diplomatically, so examine that response carefully. Be brutally honest with yourself on what you can do better. Then go back to practicing those 64 tough questions. See It’s the interview that gets you the job above.
Stay tuned for more Various and Miscellany Advice. In the meantime, I welcome your anecdotes and stories of what has worked for you in the land of Job-Seekers. Feel free to comment below.
Where's Various and Miscellany Advice for Job-Seekers - Part I?
ReplyDeleteExcellent material, I wonder sometimes that sometimes you can become a job hunter expert, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are the best person for the job?
What if your skills for interviewing aren't that honed? Just because you someone takes up all these job seeking courses or read up on the advice and is able to put them into practice doesn't necessarily make them the best candidate for the vacant position.
Makes you wonder if HR people are just selecting people based on who they like the most or impressed by when interviewed, opposed to who really is the best person capable of getting the job done -- regardless on how they perform during an interview.
Am beginning to sound like a bitter job seeker? I hope not I have only two weeks job seeking, and I hope I don't come across as someone who is a chronic complainer of which I'm probably guilty of. :)