12 surprising job interview tips - forbes part 2

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LEADERSHIP (/LEADERSHIP) 10/20/2014 @ 5:23PM 438,607 views 12 Surprising Job Interview Tips Continued from page 1 Comment Now 5. Craft Your “Story Statement” Though most interviews start with the same prompt (“tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume”), we blow it off with boring answers like: This answer is like tearing out the first 200 pages of your autobiography. You leave out everything that gives meaning to why you want this job in the first place. What was your moment of epiphany? How did your childhood influence you? Why does this job move you? Most people don’t answer these questions. They start and end with their professional experience, leaving little to inspire the interviewer. Next time, use what I call a “Story Statement,” which is a Cliff Notes of your autobiography. Example: Here’s an amazing Story Statement that Teach For America fellow Kareli Lizarraga used for her interviews. I studied [major X] because I really care about making a difference in [industry Y] as you can see through my last job at [company Z]… I grew up in California and Arizona after immigrating to the United States when I was four years old. Since neither of my parents went to college, I relied on my high school teachers to help me apply to top universities. With their support, I was able to attend the University of Pennsylvania. Then I spent a summer at a Washington DC law firm, which represented low income students and helped me realize that my passion lay within creating educational opportunities for all. I decided to become a teacher because I see myself so deeply reflected in the stories of so many students in your schools – and that’s why I’m so excited about the opportunity to interview with you today. Like my teachers did for me, I want to impact the next generation of students by supporting them and understanding the experiences they’re facing. Jon Youshaei (http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/) Contributor I share unconventional career advice & stories. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. (/)

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  • 3/16/2015 12SurprisingJobInterviewTipsForbes

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/2014/10/20/12surprisingjobinterviewtips/2/ 1/6

    LEADERSHIP(/LEADERSHIP) 10/20/2014@5:23PM 438,607views

    12SurprisingJobInterviewTipsContinuedfrompage1

    CommentNow

    5.CraftYourStoryStatement

    Thoughmostinterviewsstartwiththesameprompt(tellmeaboutyourselforwalkmethroughyourresume),weblowitoffwithboringanswerslike:

    Thisanswerisliketearingoutthefirst200pagesofyourautobiography.Youleaveouteverythingthatgivesmeaningtowhyyouwantthisjobinthefirstplace.Whatwasyourmomentofepiphany?Howdidyourchildhoodinfluenceyou?Whydoesthisjobmoveyou?Mostpeopledontanswerthesequestions.Theystartandendwiththeirprofessionalexperience,leavinglittletoinspiretheinterviewer.

    Nexttime,usewhatIcallaStoryStatement,whichisaCliffNotesofyourautobiography.

    Example:HeresanamazingStoryStatementthatTeachForAmericafellowKareliLizarragausedforherinterviews.

    Istudied[majorX]becauseIreallycareaboutmakingadifferencein[industryY]asyoucanseethroughmylastjobat[companyZ]

    IgrewupinCaliforniaandArizonaafterimmigratingtotheUnitedStateswhenIwasfouryearsold.Sinceneitherofmyparentswenttocollege,Ireliedonmyhighschoolteacherstohelpmeapplytotopuniversities.Withtheirsupport,IwasabletoattendtheUniversityofPennsylvania.ThenIspentasummerataWashingtonDClawfirm,whichrepresentedlowincomestudentsandhelpedmerealizethatmypassionlaywithincreatingeducationalopportunitiesforall.

    IdecidedtobecomeateacherbecauseIseemyselfsodeeplyreflectedinthestoriesofsomanystudentsinyourschoolsandthatswhyImsoexcitedabouttheopportunitytointerviewwithyoutoday.Likemyteachersdidforme,Iwanttoimpactthenextgenerationofstudentsbysupportingthemandunderstandingtheexperiencestheyrefacing.

    JonYoushaei(http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/)Contributor

    Ishareunconventionalcareeradvice&stories.

    OpinionsexpressedbyForbesContributorsaretheirown.

    (/)

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/http://www.forbes.com/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonyoushaei/http://www.forbes.com/leadership

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    AStoryStatementshowsthatyoureaperson,notjustaprofessional.Italsomakesiteasyforyourinterviewertopredictthenextchapterofyourstory.ForKareli,TeachForAmericaisalogicalnextstep.Ofcourse,ifsheinterviewedforApple,shemaychangeherStoryStatementtoincludeanearlyexperiencewithherfirstcomputerandtalkabouthowherpassionfortechgrewfromthere.ForaBaininterview,shecouldmentionhowshestartedproblemsolvingatayoungageandnowwantstodoitonabigscale.

    Chancesare,weveallhadexperienceswecanconnecttowhereweretryingtogo.Itsjustamatterofselectingtherightonestotellourstory.Thatsaid,ifyoustruggletocraftyourStoryStatementforaparticularinterview,youmightbeapplyingforthewrongjob.

    6.WearaSubtleFashionStatement

    Wealreadyknowdressingwellmakesadifference.Butwhatifwetookourattentiontodetailastepfurther?ThatsexactlywhatMorganStanleyanalystJulioGermanAriasCastillodidforhisinterviews.

    Wearsomethingthatrepresentsyourcultureorbackground,hesays.Inmycase,IalwayswearapinofthePanamanianflagonmysuitlapel.Mostofmyinterviewersaskaboutitsoitbecomesachancetodiscussmyupbringingandloveofmyhomeland.

    Juliocreatedaconversationstarterwithhisclothing.Dependingonthecompany,youcanbemoreplayful:wearabraceletfromyourrecenttravelstoIndia,atiewithaquirkypattern,orifyoucanpullitoffasmallmockingjaypinifyoureaHungerGamesfan.Aslongasitssubtleandtasteful,yourfashionstatementcanbuildrapportthroughfunconversationsaboutyourhometownormutualloveforKatnissEverdeen.

    7.PrepareforTheWhatsYourWeakness?Question

    MostpeopleoverthinkthisquestionandgiveacannedanswerlikeImtoomuchofaperfectionist!Othersgiveagenuineanswerbutstillfallshortofwhatthisquestionisreallyasking.Itsnotaboutadmittingyourweaknesses.Itsaboutshowinghowyouovercomethem.Whatsystemshaveyouputinplace?Whatprogresshaveyoumade?Includethosethoughtstostrengthenyouranswer.

    Example:

    Weak:MyweaknessisthatIstruggletorunefficientmeetings

    Strong:Isometimesstruggletorunefficientmeetings.ButIveworkedtoimprovebydraftinganagendabeforeeverymeeting,sendingittoallparticipants,andthenfollowingupwitharecapandclearactionitemssoeveryoneknowswhattodomovingforward.

    8.Brainstorm3PARAnecdotes

    Yourinterviewisasmemorableasthestoriesyoushare.Manypeoplehavefascinatingexperiencesbutforgetthemwhentheyreonthespot.Toremedythis,havethreeanecdotesreadytoplugintoyourinterview.Youranecdotes

  • 3/16/2015 12SurprisingJobInterviewTipsForbes

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    shouldfollowasimpleformat:

    1. Problemwhatwasthesituation?

    2. Actionwhatdidyoudotosolveit?

    3. Resultwhatchangedafterwards?

    Withthisformat,youcanadaptyourPARanecdotestofitavarietyofquestionssuchastellmeaboutatimeyouworkedwithateamorwhenhaveyoustruggledmost?

    Example:UniversityofPennsylvaniaSeniorHunterHorsleyhasaterrificPARanecdoteforhisinterviews.

    Problem:WhenIworkedonLore(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lore_(company)),aneducationtechstartup,ourbigmarketingchallengewasfindingawaytogetprofessorstotryourproduct.AdsareinefficientandcompetitorslikeBlackboardandCanvashadsalesteamscallITadministratorstosignmultiyearcontractsaveryslowandexpensiveprocess.Weneededtomovefaster.

    Action:Werealizedthatstudentspreferredourproductsoweteamedupwithabout200studentsfrom100colleges.Theydevelopedacustomoutreachplanfortheircampusandweprovidedresourcestosupportthem.

    Result:Thiswashighlyeffectiveincreatingawarenesswithprofessors.Infact,itbecameacompetitiveadvantage.Duringourfirsttwosemesters,ourteamof15peopledroveadoptionthatoutpacedacompetingproductlaunchedbyPearsonatthesametime.Anadditionalbenefitwasthattheapproachcreatedbrandaffinity.Becauseprofessorsheardaboutthetoolfromstudentsinsteadofanad,thevaluepropositioncameacrossmoreauthentically.

    DURING

    9.ThinkAloudonAnalyticalQuestions

    Someinterviewsincludetoughanalyticalquestions.Whetheryouresolvingforanexactnumber(whatstheEBITDAofCompanyX?)orroughestimate(howmanypingpongballscanfitinaBoeing777?),itsimportanttotalkthroughyourthinking.Dontjustgiveananswershowhowyougotthere.

    Example:ConsiderthesetwoanswerstoHowmanylawnmowersaretheretodayintheUnitedStates?

    Weak:After45secondsofsilence,youblurtout75million!

    Strong:Youretalkingtheentirewaythrough,sharingyourcalculationsandassumptions.

    Letsstartfromthetopdown.AssumingtheUSpopulationis300millionandeachhouseholdaverages3people,thenwehave100millionfamiliesintheUS.Letsassumeurbanhouseholdsdonthavelawnstomowandthereforeonlysuburbanandruralfamiliesbuylawnmowers.Ifroughly25%ofAmericaisurbanand75%issuburbanandruralthenwehave75millionhouseholdsthatownalawnmower.

    (sidenote:itsokaytomakeassumptionsandforthoseassumptionstobeoff.Butthatswhyyouneedtocommunicatethemfirst).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lore_(company)

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    Thisisagreatwaytoshowyourcommunicationskillsalongsideyouranalyticalones.Plus,ifyoumakeanerror,itseasiertoknowwhereyouwentwrongandfixit.

    10.AskQuestionsThatKillTwoBirdsWithOneStone

    Attheendofyourinterview,itllbeyourturntoaskafewquestions.Thisisaperfectopportunitytokilltwobirdswithonestonethatis,askingagenuinequestionwhileconveyingsomethingnewaboutyou.Mostpeoplejustdothefirstpartandforgoafinalchancetoimpresstheinterviewer.

    Example:

    Weak:Willthisroleprovideopportunitiestoworkinemergingmarkets?

    Strong:ImpassionateaboutlanguagesandminoredinArabicincollege.WillthisroleprovideopportunitiestoworkinemergingmarketsintheMiddleEast?

    Weak:Arethereopportunitiesforcommunityservice?

    Strong:IusedtoworkwithHabitatforHumanityandwassogratefulfortheopportunitytogiveback.Forafulltimeemployee,aretherecompanywidecommunityserviceeventsthatIcouldtakepartin?

    Weak:Whats[CompanyX]sfastestgrowingdivision?

    Strong:Accordingtoyourquarterlyreport,yourrevenuesgrewby17%.Isthatbecauseofaparticulardivisionwithinthecompany?

    Thisworksbeautifullyifyouhaventfoundanaturalwaytobringupanaccomplishmentorciteapublicationbeforehand.

    11.GrowABackbone&AskThisFinalQuestion

    ThisonetakesgutsandthatswhyIloveit.SpredfastProductManagerLukeFernandezsaysitsthesinglepieceofadvicethathasconsistentlymadeadifference.

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  • 3/16/2015 12SurprisingJobInterviewTipsForbes

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    Honoredtohavehelped!Suchhelpfulinfoandsoproudtocallyouafriend.Keepitup,Youshai!

    Reply

    thankssomuchAli!

    Reply

    greatarticle.#3issohugeforrecentcollegegradshahhaaandfollowinguponagooglealertforacompany(evenmoresowithastartup)willmakeyoulooksoprofessionalandonit.

    Reply

    ThanksMikey!HopefullymanycollegegradswillsoontypeHotSauceComedyandNutlockintheirGoogleAlerts:P

    Reply

    Thisisawesome,Jon!

    Reply

    thankMarissa!Hopealliswell

    Reply

    Wellresearchedandpracticaltipstoapplyinmostinterviewsituations.GreatadviceasalwaysfromJonYoushaei.

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    Reply

    thankyousomuchMarkus:)

    Reply

    #1issounderratedyetsousefulnotjustforinterviewingbutalsoforfiguringoutwhetheryouwouldevenbeinterestedinworkingonthetypesofproblems/challengesthecompanyneedshelpwith.Asalways,goodstuffJon!

    Reply

    sotrue,thanksAmmar!

    Reply

    (http://blogs.forbes.com/people/markusbeissinger/)

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