How to Interview for the Job You Want

"A stellar resume and well-scripted cover letter may move your application to the top of the pile, but it's how you conduct yourself in the interview that will ultimately lead to a job offer,.  Knowing how to successfully present yourself to a potential employer is essential in landing a new job."

• Research your prospective employer. Interviewers will ask questions related to their company, such as, "Why would you want to work for us?" They may ask a candidate about his or her opinion of the company's products, promotions or history. Such knowledge is readily available on the Web, and taking the time to access it shows the interviewer that you are thorough and genuinely interested in the position.

• Talk about your strengths. Answer the standard question about your strengths in light of the job for which you are applying. Demonstrate how your proven capabilities directly relate to the specific responsibilities of the job.

• Be prepared to talk about your shortcomings. The interviewer may ask about your weaknesses and failures. Consider what you plan to say and, ideally, put on the best "spin" as you can. Don't say you have no weaknesses-everyone has room for improvement.

• Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for the unexpected, such as a group interview, a writing test, a lunch with others or a request for your evaluation of some aspect of the company, like the Website. Advance planning can help you prepare for anything.

• Greet the interviewer with a smile. Eye contact should be straightforward, friendly and assured. People perceive those who can look them in the eye as trustworthy. By averting your head, you transmit a shifty, insincere image.

• Better to be formal than casual. Don't address the interviewer by his or her first name. It always should be "Mr." or "Ms." This shows deference and respect-not submissiveness.

• Listen carefully. Too often candidates are so focused on thinking about what they want to say-how they want to present themselves to the interviewer-that they don't answer the question being asked.

• Highlight your accomplishments. Your track record is one of the key factors people will consider. Use specific success stories, but be succinct-don't go into so much detail that you lose the interviewer's attention.

• Watch your language. Be careful not to use phrases or tone or intimation that are inappropriate for the job. On the other hand, it may be advantageous to use industry-specific language that demonstrates your knowledge of the business.

• Consider your nonverbal communications. A firm handshake tells the interviewer you are confident about your abilities. Likewise, good posture demonstrates self-confidence. Don't fidget. It's ok to gesture to emphasize a point, but otherwise keep your hands still. Lean toward the interviewer to demonstrate that you are listening.

• Stay on your toes. A skillful interviewer will usually put you at ease, while creating an environment in which you feel like being expansive. But don't get too relaxed. Remember, the interviewer is looking to get insight into you, so remain professional.

• Ask for the job. If you want the job don't beat around the bush-ask for it. It shows confidence in your ability and reaffirms your interest in the position. Interviewers will appreciate knowing how you feel.

PASS

• Do your company homework and be prepared.  Jennifer M. demonstrated her interview preparation skills by relaying key information about Trump's company in the boardroom. She challenged Sandy to recall how many people Trump employed. Sandy's response: "I have no idea."  Be prepared for questions like those presented to "The Apprentice" candidates: Have you ever let yourself down? What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome? What is the hardest thing you have ever had to do? Have you ever fired someone? Where do you want to be in 10 years? Would you rather be feared or liked? Do you ever embellish the truth? Do you have something that I need?
   

• Answers too vague.  Some candidates gave vague answers that the interviewers would not accept. They demanded specific responses with examples. Prospective candidates for job interviews should be prepared to give specific responses with supportive examples.
   

• Naked ambition vs. motivation.  One interviewer told Trump that he had concerns about Kevin's "naked ambition." Demonstrating motivation, initiative and ambition are important in an interview. But beware of coming across, as Kevin did, as someone with "ambition that's a little bit overwhelming, to the point of aggressiveness."
   

• Own up to your weaknesses.  We all have weaknesses. Job interviewers frequently ask prospective candidates to identify their flaws and limitations. As a career coach, I remind clients not to be afraid to state these in an interview. Being able to admit weaknesses and demonstrating your commitment to improving them is a critical component of a high-performing candidate.   Interviewers want to understand that candidates are self-aware and introspective enough to be conscious of their own professional challenges. Admitting that you have shortcomings identifies you as someone who will more likely be accountable for your actions and open to improving over time.
   

• Keep your team on track with direction and order.  Both Jennifer M. and Kelly delegated specific tasks to their team. Kelly appears to be highly organized with his efficient spreadsheet breakdown of the tasks required by the team to achieve their goal. Again, it is up to the leader to provide structure for successful task completion.

  FAIL

   

• No contingency plan, what is the plan for "what if ..."  This literally may well be the difference between winning and losing "The Apprentice." Both project managers are now faced with looming, unforeseen and major obstacles to successfully complete their projects. For Kelly, a rainstorm threatens the entire event and the paint application of the sponsor's logo on the polo field. Meanwhile, Jennifer is notified the night before her event that the headlining emcee, Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings, is canceling at the last minute. Neither team, at this point, appears to have a contingency plan.

  Effective planning includes scenario planning for the unexpected. There are many factors that should be considered. In the case of Kelly's polo match, the weather should have been considered. Checking the weather report can determine whether backup measures are necessary. If Kelly had done this, he might have had the logo painted on the field earlier or made an alternative plan for the match. During his first meeting with the polo club's managing director, he learned that the club has never painted a logo on the field. This should have been a red flag for Kelly.
   

• Task vs. motivation -- teams require both.  Leaders and team members must continually balance their specific task behaviors with those behaviors that help a team function well together and perform at a higher level. Many leaders and teams in organizations make the mistake of overreliance on task. They disregard the important work of a leader and the team in determining how they will work more effectively together. Kelly, at this point, is narrowly focused on his task (creating a computerized spreadsheet for the event) at the exclusion of motivating, inspiring and leading his team.
   

• Delegate carefully.  Surprisingly, Jennifer M. delegated the task of coordination with the NBA to Pamela and Chris. This task will require handling with finesse and a high level of professional expertise in communication and project management. Given what I have seen of Chris, I question that he has those skills. Pamela has demonstrated that she can be abrupt and she has the potential to sabotage Jennifer's project. When the NBA representatives were inquiring about where the project manager was, she quipped in a tone that conveyed disapproval: "In an office somewhere." Again, leaders must carefully assess talents, motivation and skills before assigning critical roles on a team.
   

• Trust.  Kelly began this episode whispering negative remarks about Jennifer M. to Sandy. Jennifer M. handled this well: She called him out on his unprofessional behavior.   Talking behind someone else's back in the workplace isn't honorable and the person doing so risks losing credibility. Trust is very difficult to earn, however very easy to lose. This kind of behavior almost always comes back to haunt the backstabber professionally.

MAUREEN MORIARTY
SPECIAL TO THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER