Kelly+MacLean International:: Interview Process

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Interview Preparation

Dress appropriately – be conservative, not too much perfume/aftershave, make-up, jewellery, as this can be distracting. You want the hiring manager to focus on you and what you have to say.

Research the company - you are about to interview with by knowing:

• Their competitors.

• Pertinent facts about the company e.g. annual sales, other office locations, their mission/vision, how long the company has been operating, a little about the President/CEO and any significant projects.

• When available ask for information from their website.

During the interview

Generally the interview begins with short exchange off pleasantries. A genuine smile, a firm handshake and a brief acknowledgement of this greeting are sufficient.

Your goal during the interview is to create an image of you at work and that your skills are a match for the vacant position.

Hints on how to sell yourself during your interview:

• Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor, lean slightly toward the interviewer.

• Refrain from playing with your hair, hands or anything else. If you have pockets keep your hands out of them!

• Politely maintain eye contact – no staring!

• Indicate you are listening by nodding and occasionally saying ‘mmm’.

• If you are unsure of what is being asked clarify it with who asked the question.

• Try and stay relaxed and focused.

• Always answer the question, directly, concisely and, where possible, provide an example.

• Try not to elaborate once you have answered the question unless specifically asked to.

• If you do not know the answer to a question, say so, rather than improvise.

• Before leaving the interview request business cards from each person present.

Negative Factors that potential Employers watch for

During the course of the interview, you will be evaluated on negative factors as well as your positive characteristics. Here are some of the negative factors an employer will be observing during the interview:

• Overbearing, arrogance and/or conceitedness
• Lack of confidence and nervousness in body language and communication
• If you are inarticulate with your responses
• Lack of eye contact
• Lack of respect for the experience
• Lack of preparation
• Adverse comments regarding previous employers and contemporaries
• Interruptions

Sample questions potential employers like to ask

‘Tell me about yourself’
This is to assess your communication ability and for information gathering. Provide a quick concise response on a recent personal experience that is related to the vacant position.

‘What are your strengths?’
This provides you with an opportunity to describe your strongest skills, behaviour and interests. Provide examples of how you achieve your goals and career objectives.

‘What are your weaknesses?’
It is important to show a weakness in a positive light e.g. you are a perfectionist therefore will do what is required to get the job done properly.

‘What salary do you have in mind?’
Rather than provide a specific figure it is best to state a range.

‘Why did you leave your previous job?’
This information can be verified so be honest. Explain your desire to seek other career challenges such as this position. Provide a positive slant to this situation.

‘What was your worst mistake?’
Acknowledge we all make mistakes but they provide an opportunity to learn and when presented with a similar situation in the future handle them differently.

‘Why do you think you would be suitable for this position?’
It is best to provide examples on how your skills and interests align with the position.

‘What do you expect to be doing in five years?’
This is a common interview question and pertains to your career goal and objectives within an organization.

Acknowledge it is hard to predict the future but you believe your abilities will assist you in excelling in the work you do with a view to progressing to the next level in an organization. However, your ultimate goal continues to be (and will always be) to be the best at whatever level you are working in within an organization.

‘Give me an example of one of your accomplishments’
A recent satisfying accomplishment - I was sent to one of our branch banks that were notorious for not growing their loan base. The branch had logged $75,000 in new loans in an 18-month period prior to my arrival. Having a reputation as a "hired gun" when it came to loan production I was successful in the solicitation and booking of $700,000 in my first six months at the branch.

Some questions for the interviewee

• Who will I report to directly? Which department?
• Do you have a detailed job description for this position?
• What distinguishes your organization from its competitors?
• How and when is an employee’s performance evaluated?
• How does the promotion process operate?
• How would you describe your corporate culture?
• Who are the key leaders in the department you are interviewing for?
• Are there opportunities to relocate to other offices?
• What are the company’s plans for the next five years?
• What sort of sponsorships, charities are the company involved with?

Follow-up letter or email

Within 24 hours of an interview, it is prudent to follow-up with either a letter or email to the interviewer(s). In this communication you should include the following:

• A statement of gratitude for the interview i.e. the time they took to interview you, you enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the company and position.

• Review points made during the course of the interview in a positive light. You could also express that given the opportunity you would like to discuss a specific area of interest in further detail.

• To close, convey that you look forward to hearing from them again and are available to meet again at any time.

How to handle an unsuccessful quest for a position

Remember that there’s something positive in every negative experience. Instead of feeling despondent, focus on what you can learn from this e.g. you have made a new contact in the industry.

Contact your consultant on how to be better prepared for the next opportunity.

There are going to be a lot more opportunities and with each one you will be getting closer to the perfect match.