12 surprising job interview tips - forbes part 2

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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.

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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

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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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Honoredtohavehelped!Suchhelpfulinfoandsoproudtocallyouafriend.Keepitup,Youshai!

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thankssomuchAli!

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greatarticle.#3issohugeforrecentcollegegradshahhaaandfollowinguponagooglealertforacompany(evenmoresowithastartup)willmakeyoulooksoprofessionalandonit.

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ThanksMikey!HopefullymanycollegegradswillsoontypeHotSauceComedyandNutlockintheirGoogleAlerts:P

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Thisisawesome,Jon!

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thankMarissa!Hopealliswell

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Wellresearchedandpracticaltipstoapplyinmostinterviewsituations.GreatadviceasalwaysfromJonYoushaei.

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thankyousomuchMarkus:)

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#1issounderratedyetsousefulnotjustforinterviewingbutalsoforfiguringoutwhetheryouwouldevenbeinterestedinworkingonthetypesofproblems/challengesthecompanyneedshelpwith.Asalways,goodstuffJon!

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sotrue,thanksAmmar!

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