Interview Tips
According to a study by the Society of Human Resource Management, over 60% of hiring decisions are made within the first 4.5 minutes of an interview. How’s that for pressure! It takes the old adage of “first impressions” to a completely new level!
Fortunately, there are very specific strategies that can be utilized during an interview that will enhance the odds of progressing through to the next stage of the process. Below are a few of the points that will help provide a little bit of an advantage if you are preparing for an interview. The best advice, however, is to spend some time prior to each interview with your recruiter. No matter if you are a CEO or entry level data analyst, proper preparation before each step will give you an advantage over your competition.
Mindset Prior to Interview / Things to Remember
1. People hire and accept emotionally first and justify logically later.
2. Conviction and passion are better sales tools than persuasion.
3. Be sure you know your technology, but think and communicate PEOPLE and RESULTS.
4. The decision to hire is made in the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview, with the remaining time spent justifying that decision.
During the Interview
In nearly 100% of interviews, in person or via telephone, you will be presented with an opportunity to ask questions. Below are some questions you’ll want to have answered at some point in the process, so you might as well ask them while you have the chance! In addition to these questions, keep in mind this one basic question; “What information do I need to know before I can determine if I want to take the next step in the interview process? No matter if the next step is another phone call, or offer stage, this will keep the most important aspects of the process in the forefront of you mind at all times.
1. What are the accountabilities for this position? This is a much better question than “What are the duties of this position” because it dives right in to RESULTS, which is what the position is being hired for. Not to mention it is an opportunity to differentiate your candidacy, because everybody else is asking about “duties and responsibilities”. You will learn about the daily duties and responsibilities through the answer provided by the manager.
2. What is my number one priority that has to be done before I leave each day? Why?
3. What are the production or sales goals? What obstacles would prevent me from reaching my goals?
4. What are the short and long term goals set for the person in this position?
In addition to these questions, keep in mind this one basic question; “What information do I need to know before I can determine if I want to take the next step in the interview process?” No matter if the next step is another phone call, or offer stage, this will keep the most important aspects of the process in the forefront of you mind at all times.
Again, it cannot be stressed enough- Have questions prepared and written down for the hiring authority prior to the interview. Have questions for the hiring authority. Questions must be written out before the interview, while avoiding the topic of compensation and benefits for the first interview.
Salary – this can certainly be a trap question. If the question is brought up a good response can be "I would like as much as the position will pay" OR "I am currently making $X. Although I would like an increase, I don't know enough about the opportunity to answer that fairly". You certainly want to be careful not to short yourself, but at the same time the most important aspect of the interview process, at least initially is to figure out if the opportunity is a good one for you. Be sure to keep in mind your base salary, bonus program, stock options, gain sharing programs, performance bonuses, benefits, etc.
Finally, do not forget to ask for the job! "I haven't interviewed in a while, what is the next step? Can we conclude our business today if all goes well?" Summarize what you've done that ties in with the new position and ask, "Do I have the qualifications you're looking for?" then remain silent for an answer. If the hiring authority says, "I'm looking at other people," you say, "How my qualifications match the people you're considering."