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How To Ace Job Interviews

October 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

The single most important thing you have to realize about a job interview is this – the person doing the interviewing probably doesn’t really want to be there.

Most of them have never been trained on conducting interviews, and are doing their best to get through it. They also have a stack of pending work calling their name, and are fitting your meeting into a very busy day.

Sure, they want to find a good person to fill the open spot. As one senior guy said to me, “The biggest question I’m trying to figure out is – ‘Is this guy a jerk?’ And then it’s, ‘Can he do the work?’ Because I don’t want to work with a jerk even if he’s competent technically. I would much rather work with a good person who can learn.”

So when you walk in to someone’s office for your job interview, realize that they haven’t been sitting there, twiddling their thumbs, waiting until the very moment you walk in the room for the day to get started – no, you are just one more thing to get done in their very busy day.

Honor that.

You honor it by being early to your appointment. Yes, you heard me. Early. As in sitting in the lobby or waiting room 10-15 minutes before your appointment time. If you make an interviewer wait, what have you indicated?

a. That their time is not important

b. That you are not organized

c. That you might possibly be a jerk

A, B or C will get you screened out faster than you can shake hands with a rattlesnake. So, if you are scheduled to meet at 2pm, be there at 1:45pm. And take that waiting time as an opportunity to relax, center, catch your breath and be ready.

You honor your interview, too, by dressing appropriately. Yes, it matters.  For men, wear a suit and a tie even if the organization is not a suit and a tie kind of place. Like it or not, in our culture a suit and tie connotes seriousness and professionalism – and to a degree, respect. After all, we dress in a coat and tie for our most important events – marriages, funerals, speeches, important dinners, meeting the Queen – so dressing appropriately for an interview can show just how seriously you’re taking the opportunity.  For women, a suit is always a good choice, or you can go all Michelle Obama and wear a tailored dress. For both genders, the higher you go within an organization the more personal flair you can show – with color, originality and creativity – because that may be a part of your personal brand. But in the first meeting, restrict the bling to just one thing – one great scarf, pin, colorful tie, pocket square, bag.

It’s you that needs to stand out in an interview, not your accessories.

And you stand out by being prepared to listen 60% of the time and talk 40% of the time.

Let’s look at your 40% – what do you want to accomplish? Well, you want to walk away with your interviewer knowing:

a. I am not a jerk/axe murderer/psychopath – you will like working with me

b. I have the expertise you seek

c. I can take this where you need it to go, and probably further

[I'm really not kidding about the axe murderer thing. In today's climate, if an organization can hire only one person they want to hire a sure thing. That means someone who can get along with others, whose entire staff won't resign within the first six months, who won't put personal spending on the company American Express card, who won't diddle the interns. This integrity/likeability piece is absolutely critical today - and if you are integrity-challenged or have a history of these sorts of abuses, I suggest you get specific coaching or therapy to find ways to understand why you did what you did, and create a way to talk about how you have fixed this so employers can understand. Dead serious - this will break you if left unattended.]

The killer question you can ask a prospective employer:

What’s the first thing you want me to accomplish once I’m on board?

This works on so many levels – you can read what I wrote about this question in 2007 – but most of all it allows you to know exactly how the employer is going to judge your performance, so you know where to put your emphasis in the critical first 90 days of your tenure.

Plus, after they tell you what needs to get done, you can go right into a story about how you’ve already met that goal for someone else.

Because we human beings have told stories to one another for millenia. Job interviews are the perfect places to tell a solid story of your success. Have two or three ready, that illustrate your key strengths and accomplishments relevant to the job at hand. Keep them to two minutes or so each. Make eye contact as you tell your stories. Use your hands. Be engaged and engaging. Draw your interviewer in. Smile.

It will make all the difference.

Research shows that likeability is influenced like this: 7% comes from the content of what you say; 38% from the way you say it, or your tone; 55% derives from the body language you use in delivering your message. So.

Sit up straight. Point your toes at your interviewer – this will square your shoulders and hips, creating a feeling of open physical rapport. Keep your hands above the table – hidden hands equate to hidden secrets. Use your hands to make points – keeping your hands in the zone from your belly button to your shoulders, with your hands open and flat. This is power positioning. Don’t believe me? Watch a Presidential debate, sugar.

And when the interviewer asks if you have any other questions, always have one. You can use the question above, or something else that’s come up and needs to be addressed, or you can simply ask about the next steps. But never, never, never say, “Nope, I think I got it all.” This can be seen as arrogant, or uncreative, or simply unwise. So ask one final question.

Then thank the hell out of them. Shake hands and say thanks. Thank the assistant who set up the meeting, thank the receptionist, thank the security guard, thank the FedEx guy in the elevator with you. People notice when you express gratitude, and you feel better, too.

Write your thank you note and follow up with any information or articles or recipes or whatever you may have offered to provide.

And get ready – you’ll be going to the next level pretty soon.

 

 

Filed Under: Books, Career Coaching, Clarity, Getting Unstuck, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment

Phone Interviewing 101

September 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Look at you. You figured out LinkedIn and spruced up your profile. You also spiffed up your resume. You superstar – you’re on a roll!

So let’s talk interviews.

How about the dreaded Phone Screening Interview first? Employers use the Phone Screening Interview as a cost-saver – and often outsource the screening, so the person you’re talking with might not be someone you’ll be working with or for, and that person may not even know too much about the job. What the screener is looking for though, is:

1. Do you follow the rules?

2. Are you well spoken?

3. Can you think on your feet?

4. Are you prepared for the job?

Following rules? Yep, a big potential red flag, so follow the rules for your interview. If you are to call the person at 1pm ET, call at 1pm ET. Not 1:07pm. Not Pacific Time. This simple test demonstrates that you can follow directions. I know, for some of you, that feels trivial and a stupid reason to be judged in an interview, but – hey – them’s the rules. Organizations have learned that screening this way delivers employees with integrity, and good work ethic. So be on time.

Well spoken? Do you use a lot of, well, uh, y’know, speaking tics? Do you swear? Do you sound bored, and slightly jaded? Kinda like you can’t be bothered? Unenthusiastic? Or are you someone who speaks well and could represent the organization well in one-on-one contacts with customers and clients?

Thinking on your feet – did you know there is a interviewing tactic which attempts to get at your behavior? So a line of questioning might be thrown at you to test your drive, your motivation, your innate preferences. If you are expecting questions about job skills, this approach can throw you. Be prepared to be agile, and listen carefully to the question that’s being asked. And answer it well. A great resource for this is the book Interview Like A Top MBA by Shel Leanne.

Finally, they want to know if you are prepared to do the work, so you will need to speak to the job description and clearly lay out where you align with the job. What you’re shooting for, of course, is to be such a great candidate that you get called in for an in-person interview.

But phone interviews can be tricky. Especially for those of us who are particularly good at reading people, and get a lot of information from body language and inflection. So what do you do to make a phone interview really work?

First, do the interview in a place other than your office desk. Why? Well, you sit there every day, don’t you? Doing mindless, boring tasks, and taking call after call after call. You may not realize it, but your desk energy is probably pretty bleah. And if you have the habit of talking on the phone while watching CNN livestream and playing Spider Solitaire (hey, I know how you roll), then you might do the phone interview with the same energy and distractions. So get up and move somewhere.

Second, I often suggest people do the phone interview standing (because it shifts your energy), and in front of a mirror if possible.

A mirror serves as a proxy for the interviewer – if you look at your face and you are scowling, then it’s likely that your phone voice and energy is transmitting that scowl. So smile, just like you would if you were face to face. Use your hands. Be animated.

Did you know that only 7% of why someone likes you is because of what you say? According to the research of Dr. Albert Mehrabian, we respond well to another person’s tone of voice (38%), but it’s facial expression and body language that persuades us most (55%).

In a phone interview, then, it’s vital for you to make sure your tone of voice and body language (which can only be felt, not seen) are firing on all cylinders. That’s why I suggest the mirror. See?

Have note cards in front of you with key points you want to make, and always thank the interviewer for his or her time. Ask what the going-forward process is like, and express your interest in the position. Always. [Unless the job's a dud - in that case, be gracious because you never know what job that recruiter may be filling in the future.]

Finally, write your thank you note. Email is fine, and a handwritten note is terrific. Whichever you choose – or both – make sure they go out in the first 24 hours after your interview, and always offer to provide more information or answer further questions.

And now, my Interview Follow-Up Rule Of Three.

Write your note within 24 hours. That’s your first post-interview contact. Wait a week. If you have not heard anything from the interviewer, write another email or place a phone call inquiring about the process. This is your second post-interview contact. Wait another week. If you haven’t heard anything at all, send one more email. And then let it go.

HR departments around the world are inundated with potential employees. Hounding someone (or semi-stalking) does not engender happiness or warm fuzzy feelings. Contact the person three times, then let it go. It always seems that once you let it go, voila! – the phone rings, and you are in the mix for the next round of interviews.

Next week: How to Ace In-Person Interviews.

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Books, Career Coaching, Getting Unstuck, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , , , , Leave a Comment

How To Get A Job – 3 Stories

October 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment


 

Three stories.  All told last week.  Three different people.  Three job opportunities.

Only one gets the position.

Read on.

Sophie went into her interview full of confidence.  Piece of cake. She was highly qualified, and met the job description perfectly. Her interviewer – an older woman.  Another piece of cake. Sophie leaned back, relaxed and prepared to ace the interview.

Then a question came – a tough question – and Sophie wasn’t prepared. She assumed this older lady was going to be an easy touch. Sophie stammered.  Sophie couldn’t find the right words. Sophie felt flummoxed.

She went from leaning back to leaning forward.  Heart racing.  Bombing it.

She did not get the job.

Janice went into her interview a little panicked.  Panic that had started two and a half years ago when she lost her job. And immediately went on a large contract that ended up getting pulled. And then tried consulting. But couldn’t generate any work. She feels like the last couple of years have been all about failure after failure. Plus, she has the kids, and then there’s her husband, and they all have their demands on her time.  She really thinks they would prefer her to stay home and take care of them all day. And, frankly, a part of her would like that, too.

But women who don’t work – who are they? And is it really reasonable to ask her husband to shoulder all the expenses? Especially in this economy.

So Janice went into the interview conflicted. And the energy she gave off to the interviewer was confusing.  Did she want the job, or not?  Because Janice asked few questions, and never really talked about her own strengths and capacity.  She mostly sat there, looking nervous.

She did not get the job.

Kate didn’t have a job interview this week, but she got a new job.

How?

Kate had explored how she could be happier in her work. She analyzed who she enjoyed working with, and what kind of work energized her. Then, she identified people and organizations she’d like to work with, and developed a pitch about how she could specifically help them – how she could do what’s not getting done, and do it efficiently.

And then at a meeting already scheduled with one of her target companies – a client of hers – she said, “What if I joined your team and took care of this for you?”  Eyes lit up.  Hands were shaken.

And she had the job.

What do these stories tell you?

They tell me that not only has the economy changed, but so has hiring.  No longer are organizations hiring warm bodies because the plan says there are six people in that department and we only have five.  Today, organizations hire because they are in pain.  Something’s not getting done.  Something important, that affects the bottom line.  And the maxed out people currently in the department are already doing the work of three people. Each.

So someone gets hired. One someone.

Someone who makes a good case for himself.  Someone who has good energy.  Someone who is not afraid to take a little risk to get what they want.

This is the way people are getting hired.  These are the new rules.

If you are looking for work, check yourself.  Are you playing by the old rules, or the new ones?

 

 

Filed Under: Books, Career Coaching, Getting Unstuck, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment

Let’s Re-Cap

December 26, 2009 By 4 Comments



Want to take a walk with me? Let’s walk back through some of our favorite blog posts of the year, shall we? And feel free to dawdle wherever you want.

We looked at a big, honking question on February 8th – What’s Your Why? Using the book Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl as a framework, I talked about how to figure out your own, personal “Why?” so it’s easier to get to the “What?” and the “How?”

Power Talk on February 15th was all about how to nail a job interview, or shore up your position at work. “Why not use this question — “what are your expectations for me in the coming months?” — with your boss, or your board, or, if you’re brave enough, with your subordinates? Why not use this question to touch base, and to “sell” yourself and your abilities?”

The Absence of Perfect, Part 2 on March 1st looked at perfectionism: “You can hold on to your idea of “perfect” or, as I suggest, you can ask yourself, ‘what’s my best option right now?’”

Meeting Faith on April 12th was a personal favorite. I really did meet Faith. On an airplane. And she’s a PhD candidate with a fascinating personal story. Meeting Faith restored my faith that strangers are just friends I haven’t met yet.

Do Less, Get More from May 24th was not a slacker’s mantra, but rather an explanation of my 100 Units Of Energy theory. Oh, and it comes with a free recording!

Change your thoughts, change your life. That was the subject of A New Normal on May 31st. “When normal’s not working for you, just make a new normal.” Sounds so easy, doesn’t it?

Deep in the throes of writing a book that is still in process, I shared How To Tell A Story on June 7th, which debuted my simple tool: Now Words/Future Words. When you look at how things are now compared to how you’d like things to look in the future, you can consciously shift away from stuff that’s limiting you – toward stuff you really want.

Did I tell you about Meeting Sandra Day O’Connor? Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. On June 28th. This is a post about authenticity and knowing oneself. As Madame Justice clearly does (for those keeping track, this is the post about Being Your Own Buddha).

More Than Anything from July 26th, asked: “‘What do you want more than anything right now?’ Stop. You have an immediate answer, don’t you? That’s your gut talking to you.” Listen.

What’s The Point? on August 2 struck a chord with, “Never confuse urgency and drama with meaning and purpose.”

And this one was an eye-opener. Mama Ain’t Happy from September 20th discussed the disturbing findings that once a woman hits 47, her happiness declines rather dramatically. How to cope? Well, I urge women to… misbehave. Yep, misbehave and have fun.

In You on October 18, I talked about how you can change your language and find your power. It’s as simple as changing “don’t” to “will”.

As in, “I will keep writing my blog in 2010″ And, I will. Every week. I thank each of you for reading, and for sharing posts that resonate with your friends and family. It’s a pleasure, a privilege and a responsibility to write – and an honor when you tell me that something I’ve written has touched your life.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the connection between us. Bring on 2010. We’re ready, so let’s get going.

Filed Under: Authenticity, Career Coaching, Clarity, Getting Unstuck, Happier Living, Managing Change Tagged With: , , , , , , 4 Comments

Your Personal Brand

August 23, 2009 By 7 Comments


Back in March, I did a survey and you told me that you wanted more free stuff. Since then I’ve obliged every month with a free conference call class — the most recent of which covered Your Personal Brand. Here’s a link to the recording:

Now, as someone recently said to me on the phone, we can make this easy or we can make this hard.

And while I usually choose easy — because that often means using my strengths and existing in the effortless part of The Zone — today I’m choosing hard.

I know.

Easy would be writing a blog post about personal branding using the outline I created for the class because 1.) I got all that stuff prepped and ready, 2.) I could write on autopilot and then go take a walk, and 3.) the resulting post would probably be widely read across the internet due to the subject matter, leading more people to my site, increasing my traffic and making me a transitory niche celebrity.

But that potentially well-read post would be derivative. There wouldn’t be anything new in it. Nothing that would make anyone who listened to the class sit up and say, “Whoa!”

Which is what I endeavor to do. People tell me they enjoy reading what I write because I take things they already know and make it thought-provoking. I help people look at things in a new way, I’m told.

Guess you could say that’s part of my personal brand.

So, to be true to my brand — thought-provoking, insightful, useful — I have to choose hard over easy today.

Your personal brand — which really boils down to the value you bring to others plus your integrity — may, sometimes, require you to choose hard, too. In those moments when easy is in direct conflict with what you stand for. And what you want to do.

And who you want to be.

Listen to the class. Do the exercises. Understand your personal brand, then make sure that you are using what you’ve learned consistently — in your resume, in job interviews, in your blog posts, across social media, in your life. And watch as your life opens up to you.

Because being conscious of your own personal brand is really about living in alignment with your integrity and what’s best about you. And when you’re truly in alignment that way, life becomes easy.

Except in those instances when you choose hard. Which, come to think of it, is really quite easy.

Filed Under: Career Coaching, Clarity, Happier Living Tagged With: , , , , 7 Comments
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