The Interview

Most people would rather have a tooth pulled than go to an interview. As an event, it combines our fears of rejection and public speaking all into one sweat-producing package. The best way to ace the interview is to prepare for it!

Preparing for an interview always starts with a complete review of the job posting and the company for which you want to work. Make sure you completely know what the hiring manager is looking for. Be able to speak to each experience requirement and provide examples of how you filled such roles in the past. Know things like the firm’s founding year and what its mission statement dictates. By doing so, you will be able to answer questions related to your desire to hold that particular role and your eagerness to fit into the firm’s corporate culture.

Be prepared to answer the most common questions. You may be asked these questions:

  • Can you tell me a little about yourself?
  • Why should we hire you instead of the other candidates?
  • What are the qualities that you think are necessary to be successful in this role?
  • Why do you want to work here?
  • What is your long term goal?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
  • Talk to me about a conflict you have had with someone. How did you resolve it?
  • How do you organize yourself and stay on track to complete projects on time?
  • Why were you fired or selected to be laid off?
  • What has been your most difficult assignment and how did you complete it?
  • Can you explain the gaps in your employment?
  • Do you prefer to work alone or in teams?

 

We cannot possibly provide an exact list of all possible questions you may be asked, but you should recognize certain themes herein. Be able to speak to the hiring manager’s concerns about your work style, ethics, and background. Prepare ‘exit statements’ that adequately discuss why you left each previous position. Rehearse certain questions to eliminate the possibility of you providing a negative response. (For example, be prepared to answer questions about your flaws.) Be sure to spend several hours before your interview in preparation. You only get one shot to move forward in the hiring process. This is a test of your desire to obtain this role and your ability to fill it! Be sure you study adequately.

Tricks of the Trade is a monthly newsletter provided by OMP Consulting Group LLC. The professionals at OMPCG provide the highest quality organization, management, and productivity consultation services. We give our clients full attention, and seek to create amazing application materials and tools that can help you locate meaningful employment. Call us at (703) 424-6573 for a free consultation.

Telephone Interviews

With increased competition for a diminishing number of positions, hiring managers are overwhelmed by the volume of applications for open positions. One method that hiring managers deal with this increase is to limit their face-to-face interview availability to pre-screened candidates. Telephone interviews are the most common method used to pre-screen potential candidates. When you are offered a telephone interview, you are undoubtedly equally excited and nervous. It is highly advisable that you minimize that nervousness by preparing for the interview as you would a face-to-face interview.

The most important preparation is to completely block out at least one hour of your day for the interview. Generally, a telephone interview will last approximately 30 minutes, but you should be prepared for a longer period. You should have no interruptions during this period. Get someone to baby sit the kids, put the dogs outside, turn the television off, and (under no circumstances) should you answer call waiting. Give the interviewer your undivided attention. By doing so, you are demonstrating that you are highly-interested in this position, and are completely dedicated to the process of getting it.

During the interview, the hiring manager will have a set of questions which he or she will use to gage your professionalism, demeanor, and capabilities. Be prepared to answer questions similar to the most complex inquiries you will be facing during the face-to-face interview. Here are a few other tips:

  • Be sure to have a copy of your resume in front of you as a reference.
  • Do not be late! If you are suppose to call the hiring manager, be sure to call him or her on time!
  • Create a list of accomplishments from each previous position. This is an interview where cheat sheets are allowed! Do not be afraid to use them!
  • Be prepared with ‘exit statements’ concerning your departure from previous positions. Be able to convey why you were fired or laid off in as positive of reference as possible.
  • Read the job posting carefully so that you can speak to specific qualification areas. List each statement and make some bullet points that demonstrate you have experience or knowledge in those targeted areas.
  • Study up on the company and its mission statement. Know about their revenue streams and products. Be able to answer the question of why you want to work for that particular firm.
  • Be sure to tell the interviewer that you are grateful for their time. Saying ‘thanks’ goes a long way. If you are able to obtain the interviewer’s contact information so that you can send a hand-written thank you letter.

 

One additional preparation must be taken in order to have a successful phone interview. Put a smile in your voice. That is right, smile while you are speaking with the interviewer. He or she may not be able to see your pearly whites, but it will be evident in the tone of your voice. Countless researchers have found that hiring managers are highly receptive to the inflection in your voice. Make it a pleasant one, and sail past your competition to the face-to-face interview!

Tricks of the Trade is a monthly newsletter provided by OMP Consulting Group LLC. The professionals at OMPCG provide the highest quality organization, management, and productivity consultation services. We give our clients full attention, and seek to create amazing application materials and tools that can help you locate meaningful employment. Call us at (703) 424-6573 for a free consultation.

Overcoming Age Discrimination

Some employers will seek less seasoned professional because they perceive older professionals as being inflexible or too expensive. It is critical that you prepare your application and resume materials in such a manner as to reduce the possibility that you will be screened out as ‘over-trained.’

There are several tricks of the trade that we use to overcome age discrimination. These methods subtly allow you to show yourself as a competent professional without drawing attention to how long you have been in the workforce.

High School or College Graduation Dates – If you graduated more than 5 years ago, you will generally want to leave your graduation date off of your resume. Every hiring manager is guilty of looking for clues as to the age of a candidate. One of the first places that is searched is your education section. Listing your high school graduation date is just as good as providing your date of birth. Graduation dates are useful for individuals who are recent graduates, but should be used with caution for everyone else.

Years of Experience – In most cases, you should be listing experience held within the past 10 years. If you are performing at a managerial level, 15 years of professional experience is usually substantial. Experience that is older than these benchmarks should, in most cases, remain absent from your resume or should be listed without employment dates. (Such listings are generally added in an alternative format from your primary experience. Headings like “Other Work Experience” or “Other Positions Held” can sometimes be used if a compelling reason exists to add these positions to your resume.) There are exceptions to this rule for individuals who are reentering the workforce after a period away.

Strive to list only highly-relevant material in your resume. Including positions held 20 years ago in high school really does not help move your resume to the interview stage of the hiring process. The space on your resume is very valuable. Make it work for you, not against you!

Tricks of the Trade is a monthly newsletter provided by OMP Consulting Group LLC. The professionals at OMPCG provide the highest quality organization, management, and productivity consultation services. We give our clients full attention, and seek to create amazing application materials and tools that can help you locate meaningful employment. Call us at (703) 424-6573 for a free consultation.