job winning interviews
TRANSCRIPT
“Getting to Know You”
Old Style:Getting to know you.
New Style:Prove what you can do – in 30 minutes or less.
The Problem
Employers are focused on the future.Job seekers are focused on their past.
Solution: Speak about the past and bridge to the future.
The Solution
Solution: Speak about the past and bridge to the future.“Yes, I got a lot of experience negotiating tough deals with vendors. I can put that to work for you, spreading your risk by finding back-up vendors for your critical parts.”
Your Attitude
Act as if you are a highly paid consultant. You have been called in to assess the needs this job can fill.You are providing an ideal solution: YOU.
It’s a business meeting!
Selling Yourself
Study the needs of the company.Study the job. Study the product. (You)Study the market.
Sell only what the customer is buying!
You Know Too Much!
Job Seekers over 40:•Could probably write a book or teach a class on their specialty•Talk too muchInterviewers:•Have a script to follow – 12 to 20 questions.
Solution?
• Answer the question directly, then elaborate
• Type out questions and your answers
• Practice your answers – “Running your lines”
• Have a friend make notes
Learn Deeply about the Company
• Company website• Make notes and memorize
details about years, product names, key clients
• Follow “In the news” links• Google the company – read
news stories• Print the most important
information
Sleuthing for Insider Information
LinkedIn contacts are gold:•Company information•Read news and comments•Write emails to first level connections
“I have a job interview for training facilitator at your company on Thursday. Would you be able to have a short phone conversation with me before then? My number is 512-XXX-XXXX.”
Sleuthing for Insider Information
LinkedIn contacts are gold:•If you have a specific question, ask that.“I have a job interview for training facilitator in the Dell Global 500 division on Thursday. Would you happen to know the size of that training department and structure? My number is 512-XXX-XXXX.”
More LinkedIn Gold - Companies• Check out “people also viewed” for
companies like the one where you are interviewing (competitors?)
• Look at the Products page• Go to the Insights Tab. Check out:– Employees with new titles– Former employees you may
know– Send out more emails and
InMails
More Insider Information
www.Glassdoor.com•Overview tab: copy the summary into a document. Learn it for your “What do you know about our company?” answer.•Check out employee reviews, Awards, the CEO ratings, etc.
More Insider Information
www.Glassdoor.com•Check the Salaries tab. Find a title close to yours•Read employee and interview reviews.•Check for “difficult” and “unexpected” questions.
Study You Own Press
• Google yourself; they will!• Study your resume; be prepared to
elaborate • Prepare for tough questions:– Why did you leave your former
position?– What were you doing 2012-2014?– You say you are a curriculum
designer, but your job hasn’t included that since 2007.
Study the Job Description
Assistant Communications DirectorEssential FunctionsAssists director of communications with overall communications function for the division, including but not limited to creating, designing, and measuring the effectiveness of communications and marketing materials, processes, and procedures. Responsible for the development, execution, writing, editing and/or proofreading of a wide range of materials including news releases, feature articles, speeches, annual reports, advertising, executive correspondence, web content, presentations and other communications materials for the media and public.
Study the Job Description
Assists director of communications with overall communications function for the division, including but not limited to creating, designing, and measuring the effectiveness of communications and marketing materials, processes, and procedures.
What experience have you have in designing and creating new communications vehicles?Have you measured the effectiveness of your communications and marketing materials?
Study the Job Description
Responsible for the development, execution, writing, editing and/or proofreading of a wide range of materials including news releases•Tell me about a time when you’ve had to develop a communications vehicle from scratch. How did you go about that?•Have you worked with an editor in your former jobs? •How do you respond to clients editing your copy?•Do you have experience in developing web content?•What is your philosophy of repurposing information for the web? What do you think is important?
1. TMAY – Tell me about yourself
2. Success stories from your career or personal life
3. “Mentions” about skills from your resume
Content of Your Interview - STAR stories
Mine your resume for STAR stories
Study your own story
Expand on each achievement statement
Tell Me about Yourself
1. Recap professional experience, as it relates to the job2. Transition to experience that relates directly to the job3. Bridge to the future: Tell why you are interested in the position. What can you offer?
TMAY Example: Business Development
My name is Lorraine Elton and I consider myself a salesperson by personality and experience. In my early career, I owned and operated a mailing services store, and later a printing company. I was constantly finding ways to add clients and sell more services to my current clients.
Later, I brought that experience to Lamar University, where I was responsible for campus publications and publicity.
Example: Business DevelopmentAs an MBA student, I made personal friends with people from some of the biggest companies in Texas – USAA, Frost and HEB.
I’m excited about this position because I know your custom MBA programs would benefit so many of the Fortune 1000 companies that I have served in the past. I’m ready to hit the ground running, working with your current portfolio and expanding your services to new organizations. (59 seconds)
STAR Stories
S = SituationT = ThinkingA = ActionR = Results
Need 5-7 for each interview.Change them a little to fit the question.Each one proves so many characteristics about you.
STAR Story Example
S = When I joined as CFO, the Board was receiving information involving 50 different financial ratios.T = I immersed myself in the data to understand the organization.A = I calculated lots of ratios and compared them over time; I benchmarked with other housing organizations.R = Now, 3 key ratios help Board Members monitor our financial health.
STAR “mentions” – from competencies list
Choose a competency
Presentations of key financial data to Executive Team, presented with 15-minutes preparation, because the CFO was stuck in traffic….Expand on it for just a few seconds by telling a short story.
STAR “mentions” – from competencies list
Presentation Skills
Presentations of key financial data to Executive Team, presented with 15-minutes preparation, because the CFO was stuck in traffic….I’ve made presentations of key financial data to Executive Team. One time, I stepped in to present to the Board with 15-minutes preparation, because the CFO was stuck in traffic.
STAR “mentions” – from competencies list
Multitasking
Presentations of key financial data to Executive Team, presented with 15-minutes preparation, because the CFO was stuck in traffic….I really know how to multi-task. I’ve worked in a call center environment while managing 5 direct reports and mentoring 3
new employees, during a thunderstorm with intermittent power outages.
Insightful Questions
The better your homework, the more insightful the question. Start with a statement, then ask a question:•I see that your company bought a boot strap software company. What kind of training did that merger require?•I see that your department reports through the VP Marketing. How does that affect the priorities of the training department?
Interview Gifts
Go above and beyond preparation to prepare a “gift” of your thoughts. Examples:•SWOT analysis•Methodology that proved successful•Case study•Target list of clients•30-60-90 Day plan•White paper •Analysis of competitors
At the End, Close the Sale
Based on what you’ve heard today, do you have any concerns about my qualifications for this position?
I am excited about everything I’ve heard today…
I hope I am selected for the position. When can I plan on hearing from you
next?
Plan Time for Your Follow-up
• Connect on LinkedIn• Send thank you emails to everyone you
talked toOR• Write personal notes to everyone you talked
to. Take them to the post office for quicker delivery.
• Add to your list of “Advocates”
How Often to Follow-up
• Call or email every 3 working days• If you get no answer by email, call• Best to call between 7:30 and 8:00;
11:30 – Noon; 5:00 – 5:30
There’s $225,000 at Stake!
Act “AS IF” you know you will get the job– “as if” you are already working for the company.
Confident. Professional. Assured.
When you get an offer
Thank you, this is so exciting! Would you please put the offer in writing? I would like to discuss this with my partner/spouse. Would it be OK if I get back to you Monday? (at least 48 hours)
(Call your Career Coach to strategize.)
Negotiating for more
Never put your demands in writing
Only ask to speak face-to-face or voice-to-voice
Only when you are speaking with the decision maker say:
I am excited about coming to work for your company. There are a couple of things that would make it easier for me to say yes…
Call your coach!
Call when you have a phone screen
Call when you schedule an interview
Call when the interview is complete
Call when you get an offer!
