Congratulations.
You are doing research on Job Interviews, that means you most likely have a real Job Interview to prepare for.
Being prepared for a job interview is essential when you want to get the right role for you.
Getting prepared for the interview is a project which needs some planning and investment of your time and your patience.
Reading and the book Job Interviews-Questions and Answers is a great first step to being totally prepared for your new career.
I am constantly amazed at how sloppy, under-prepared and naive some people are when it comes to job interviews. This is a critical step in changing or progressing in your career - please don't leave it to chance.
Being Prepared
Do Your Research
I am constantly amazed at how sloppy, under-prepared and naive some people are when it comes to job interviews. This is a critical step in changing or progressing in your career - please don't leave it to chance.
I wrote the Job Interview Questions and Answers Book for you as a direct result of my work in career transition coaching, and in assisting my leadership clients to prepare for interviews - both internal and external.
I love seeing my clients go from stress and disappointment to getting what they specifically wish for and deserve in their careers.
And with a little thought and preparation you can have exactly that too.
When you do your advance research and you are fully prepared for your interview you can be more relaxed during the meeting itself. You will be more natural; less stressed and you can allow your innate personality to shine.
When you are prepared for your interview - it shows.
The interviewer can also relax more. So your interview will progress as a normal business meeting and will be less effort for all concerned.
Know Your Interviewer
Plan ahead
Put yourself into the shoes of the person who will be conducting your interview.
Aside from professional recruiters, the majority of business owners and managers have NEVER had any interview skills training.
Managers and Business Owners
Your role is to make his job easier. By that I mean - make it easy for him to choose you. The more prepared you are, the less stress you will be putting on him.
Make it a relief to have you sitting in front of him.
He is doing the best he can with very little training or preparation.
Imagine if you will what the life of your interviewer is like.
He is understaffed, (after all he is recruiting for this role), he is probably putting in too many hours at work already, and now he has to take time out of his already overloaded life to interview when he just wants to be back at his desk fighting the fires he knows are smouldering in his absence.
It's not a pretty thought is it?
Then you turn up to your interview with your research done, answers prepared and show that you are just the right person to make his life easier. He will compare you to someone else who may not have well thought out answers or questions; who may bumble and stumble their way through the interview process making it agony for all concerned. At worst he will be grateful to you; at best...he may just offer you the job.
The Owner or Manager will likely be strong technically and will want to talk shop about his problems and potential solutions. He will want to know if you are competent and professional, and if you fit in. (i.e. Does he like you?) He may have prepared some standard questions and will work mainly from résumé. Thus the questions you are asked may not be the same questions other candidates are asked. He may be comparing apples and pears.
He may want to tell you how he built the business and will give you some history. He may want you to be a change agent, replacing the old ways to lift his business unit to "the next level". He may also want you to meet his senior team to get their support.
The person interviewing you has problems. Treat this as an opportunity to assist and be of service. Also treat this as an opportunity to learn more about this person who may well be your future boss and about how he handles stress.
Professional Recruiters
Many, but not all, professional recruiters are formally trained in behavioural interview skills. Don't make assumptions about the quality of the interview you are about to have - be prepared for a great interviewer, just as you are prepared for an inexperienced interviewer.
Professional Recruitment firms are usually paid on commission. They also guarantee the performance of whoever they place into the position. If they have to make a replacement, then they lose time and money. They want to make sure they have the best person available in a limited time to make a short-list of interviewees for their client. No short-list - no placement - no commission. They won't have much time to spend with you in your interview so they will be searching for evidence that you could make their short-list. Most professional recruiters will make this task easy for you.
Professional recruiters put their client's top candidate requirements into their job advert. Recruiters are quite ruthless in sorting applications and resumes into their 'Yes' and 'No' piles. If your application does not meet their specific criteria then you will go into the 'No' pile. When you get into the 'Yes' pile then you are likely to get a first interview. In this screening interview they will want to verify that they have made the right choice in investing time meeting you. They will also be looking for a good cultural fit with their client. Again they will be ruthless in sorting Yes and No candidates.
You will make the recruiter's life easier if you have researched the client (if possible) and show that you are flexible, skilled and able to impress within a few minutes of meeting.
Internal Recruiters
Internal recruiters generally work for large organizations, and their role is to recruit just for that organization. They are usually on salary and the pressures of their role are different from the professional external recruiter or the manager who is short staffed. The internal recruiter is satisfying the needs of an internal stakeholder, and may well be looking for career progression as a result of performance in their role.
Many internal recruiters, but not all, are recent Human Resources graduates. This may well be their first experience of working for a large organization
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