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.

Lessons learned from the interview process

• Be yourself. Tana's objective for her interviews was to be her natural and genuine self.  It doesn't pay to try to be someone you are not in an interview. Let your personality shine.
   

• Demonstrate fire in the belly. Kendra's response in her interview, "Either Donald Trump can hire me or I'll be his competition," demonstrated that she was confident, competitive, and serious. Don't be afraid to show passion in an interview. However, always remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
   

• Prepare for interview questions. Job seekers should be prepared to answer the following questions intelligently and genuinely backed with substance, clarity and specifics:

  • What is the most challenging business problem you ever faced and how did you handle it?

  • What was a problem in ... and what did you do to fix it?

  • You have had many jobs, what should I conclude from that?

  • When is it appropriate to bend the rules?

  • What's your leadership style? What is it like to work for you? Would you enjoy working for you?

  • Most important question to prepare for: Why should I hire you for this job?

  Craig failed to provide answers with concrete details and substance and, as a result, interviewed poorly. Be prepared to back up your points in an interview with your best examples to illustrate how you creatively and effectively solved issues.
   

• Prepare. Tana said about her interviews, "You don't prepare for something like this." This is wrong. Serious candidates need to prepare for their interviews. The worst response is the deer-in-the-headlights look. (Ask Craig.) Research the company you are interviewing with and be prepared to prove that you have. Speak to how you would address challenges and opportunities you foresee in the position by using past examples.  Don't prepare to the extreme of appearing stilted and overly rehearsed. Do spend the time to be polished, confident and organized in your delivery. Be natural. Ultimately, you are selling yourself, so be prepared to address your own unique selling proposition.

Lessons learned from the Final Task (so far)

• Instill confidence and trust. Danny began their meeting with the Best Buy executives with one of his jingly songs and then failed to provide them with any clear plans for the event. "He was sort of scatterbrained and couldn't concisely tell the busiest people in America what he was trying to achieve," Erin later said about Danny.

  High-level executives do not have the time to listen to folk songs and meaningless rhetoric. To the contrary, busy executives require clear, concise meaningful information. The Best Buy executives definitely weren't buying Danny's shtick.  Kendra did a good job of re-establishing confidence and trust that was desperately needed after Danny's debacle. She accomplished this by redirecting them away from Danny and then providing them her clear vision and detail for the event. Being able to inspire trust and confidence is the trademark of an effective leader.
   

• In meetings, turn off the cell phone. Tana should have turned off her cell phone during her meeting with the event sponsors. Tana had more important things to attend to as the leader than giving Chris driving directions. This was her golden opportunity to understand their expectations and convey to them that they are important. Allowing disruptions conveys the message that the people you are meeting with are not your priority.
   

• Difficult people. Dealing with difficult people is often reality in the workplace. We are all difficult people under the right circumstances! Dealing effectively with challenging personalities, though, is where the rubber meets the road. Communicating clear direction, vision, expectations and goals is a good start. Having effective conflict resolution and relationship skills are vital.
   

• Give your team the necessary authority to be successful. Tana clearly communicated giving her team authority to make necessary decisions. Successful event management often requires quick decisions.  Wise leaders know when to delegate the authority to make the decisions necessary to get the job done while maintaining oversight of critical items.

To Be Continued . . .

MAUREEN MORIARTY
SPECIAL TO THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER