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1
Jan

3 Kinds of Posts We Published This Month – 1/1/10

Today’s post is a way for me to organize what happened in the 30 days of blogging challenge. Hey, it’s New Year’s Day, so not many people are reading anyhow. . . They are all watching the Ducks!

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Job Interviews / Interviewing Related Posts

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28
Dec

How To Nail The Job Interview

Posted by Sean Harry (0) Comment

In the Careers 2.0 job search process we compare the job search to the work of the sales and marketing professional. This new and powerful model for job seekers may a bit unusual but it really works! In our model your resume is part of your marketing packet, and the interviews are where you proceed through the 5 steps of the sales process to make the sale. In this article we take an in-depth look at the interview from the perspective of a professional sales person. Granted, this approach will be uncomfortable for those of you who aren’t used to selling. You may not like this approach. You may not even choose to use this approach. However, I encourage you to take a serious look at it and see what you can learn from a pro about making this very important sale – YOURSELF.

There are many sales models out there, and professional sales people will argue over the effectiveness of their preferred choice. However, they all boil down to a few simple steps that, when followed, will help turn a prospect into a buyer. The five steps I see most often are:

Identify needs (or problems)
Qualify buyers
Present solutions
Handle objections
Close the sale

1) Identify Needs. The needs identification process begins before you write your resume. You want to have a clear understanding of what you have to offer and a specific knowledge of who needs it. In the Careers 2.0 process this is step I and II – Assessment and Research. You want to make this step as precise as possible. Every good sales person will tell you that knowing your target audience is key to making the sale. You don’t want to waste your time (or theirs) talking to people who don’t have need of your product or services. When you identify the needs or problems of your prospective employer you can prepare your interview questions and answers to demonstrate why you are the perfect candidate.

2) Qualify Buyers. If you are selling cars, it is vitally important to know if you are talking to someone who is a serious buyer or just a “tire kicker.” Likewise, in the job interview, you want to determine as quickly as possible if the person with whom you are meeting has the ability to make the hiring decision or if they are just trying to make a list to send up the food chain. There are different tactics for each of these situations, and all of them equates to “making the sale.” However, the “sale” in each instance may be different. In the interview process, “making the sale” equates to getting a job offer when you are meeting with someone who has hiring authority. In all other cases “making the sale” means “getting the next interview.” (For a deeper explanation of different types of interviews see “The Art Of Interviewing To Land Your Perfect Job”)

3) Present Solutions. The most often and effective sales technique used by sales professionals combines asking questions with making a specific sales pitch. You want to make certain that the prospect is engaged with you and still wants or needs your services. To do that you will ask questions that help you identify/magnify the pain and simultaneously check to see if the prospect is still willing and able to buy. In an interview you will most likely not be the one to ask the bulk of the questions. However, a good job candidate will listen carefully, ask probing questions, and present her answers so as to address the specific problems that the interviewer has. This takes skill and practice! We aren’t used to listening actively in our culture. But it’s a skill you had better learn and practice if you want the job. You can be certain that your most qualified competition has taken the time to learn how to listen and ask deep, probing questions.

4) Handle Objections. This is where you have an opportunity to show your prospective employer why you are uniquely suited for the position. If you have done a good job of steps 1 – 3, you will know ahead of time what objections might come up. They typically fall into 2 categories: a) experience and b) personality.

Experience. Be aware that these objections may be left unspoken, so you will have to utilize your experience and intuition to know they exist. The best way to overcome the experience objection is to come back to the needs the employer has addressed and highlight your ability to help fill their needs. Use your quantified CARS statements to show specifically how you have dealt with this issue in your past.
For personality objections, you will want to help the interviewer envision you in the position. They want to know how well you will work with a team, how you will interact with leadership, and how well your personality fits with the corporate culture. The best way to let them know this is to ask direct questions about the company, culture, and co-workers. It’s important that you feel a good fit as well, otherwise you will be at this job search again rather soon.

5) Close the Sale. Sales professionals have a variety of “closing techniques” in their sales quiver. These techniques have funny names like “the which close,” “the trial close,” “the take away,” and even “the red dress close.” Honestly, in my opinion, most of these techniques give sales people a bad name (can you say, “used car salesman?”). I recommend that most job seekers refrain from the use of such techniques. There are, however, some softer closing techniques that will help you move forward in the interview process. I recommend the following 3 step approach. This is what I call “the job interview soft close.”

Clarify with the interviewer that you have adequately addressed all of their needs, concerns and objections. Some good questions to use here include: “have I adequately addressed all of your concerns?” and “How do you feel my experience and qualifications meet your needs for this position?”
Ask for the “sale.” Every sales trainer I know says that most sales are lost because the sales person did not ask for the sale. One way to do this (softly) is by asking, “What are the next steps in this process?” This indicates your willingness to move forward and will give the interviewer an opportunity to end the interview process if it’s not going anywhere. You could also ask, “After reviewing my qualifications, how well do you see me fitting into this position?”
Get a firm commitment for following up. If the interviewer tells you he will call you next week, say, “Which day? I’ve got several engagements next week and I want to be sure to block out some time for you.” If they give you a day, ask what time. Ask if it is ok to check back with them directly in 3 days to see where they are in the decision making process. Get a direct phone number to call. Set a firm date and time and don’t forget to make the call at exactly that time. Treat that follow up call in the same way you did the face-to-face interview – which means you need to dress in business clothes and call from a quiet location, etc.

For more help on nailing the job interview be sure to sign up for email updates. If you need more assistance with your job search consider checking out my book, “Career Crossroads” (affiliate link).

Job Interviews / Interviewing Related Posts

Category : Career Advice | Job Interviews / Interviewing | Job Search Tips | Blog

27
Dec

101 Job Interview Questions

Posted by Sean Harry (5) Comment

Today’s post is a list of 101 interview questions that are typical of any job interview. I wanted to get this list out today, and plan on developing answers (or a methodology for developing answers) in the months to come. For now, you should familiarize yourself with these questions as they WILL be asked on your next interview.

101 Job Interview Questions

Why should I hire you?
What makes you the best candidate for this job?
Tell me about yourself.
Why did you leave your last job?
Why do you want to leave your current position?
How did you get along with your previous boss?
How did you get along with your previous co-workers?
What bugged you most about your last boss?
Why do you want to work for this company?
What do you think this position entails?
What are your career goals for the future?
What is your greatest strength?
What is your greatest weakness?
How will you compensate for that weakness in this position?
Do you have any personal blind spots that effect you at work/
If you were hiring for this position, what would you look for in a candidate?
What is your experience in this area?
What kind of experience do you have in this industry?
What makes you qualified to do this job?
What is your educational background as it relates to this position?
Where did you go to school?
What did you study?
How does that fit with the requirements of this job?
What are you previous job experiences as they relate to this position?
What do you expect from us?
What kind of salary are you looking for?
What kind of benefits do you expect?
How do you handle a heavy case load?
What do you do when you disagree with your boss?
How do you handle stress on the job?
Tell me about your organizational skills.
How well do you multi-task?
What is your goal for what you want to get out of this position?
How much do you know about this organization?
How do you keep yourself up on the latest activities in your field?
What makes you feel successful?
Do you consider yourself to be successful?
How much did you make at your last job?
Are you applying for other jobs?
1. Which ones?
What kind of a team player are you?
Do you know anyone else who works here?
Have you ever been fired?
Have you ever had to fire anyone?
If we hire you how long do you expect to work here?
What are your short-term goals?
What are your long-range goals and objectives?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
What do you hope to be doing in ten years?
Do you have a geographic preference?
Are you able to travel abroad if the position requires it?
What irritates you most about co-workers
What has disappointed you about a job?
What is more important to you, the money or the work?
What motivates you to do your best work?
What is your willingness/ability to work overtime?
1. Nights?
2. Weekends?
What is your management style?
How do you handle rejection?
What was the best job you ever had?
1. Why?
What was the worst job you ever had?
1. Why?
What questions do you have for me?
What questions do you have about this company?
What questions do you have about this position?
Are you more energized by working with people or by collecting and interpreting data?
How well do you handle monotonous tasks?
How well do you handle creative tasks?

Illegal questions. (If these questions are asked in an interview the interviewer is violating federal employment law!)

How old are you?
What year were you born?
In what year did you graduate from college/high school?
Are you married or do you have a permanent partner?
With whom do you live?
How many children do you have?
Are you pregnant?
Do you expect to become have a family?
How many children do you have?
What are your childcare arrangements?
Where were you/your parents born?
What is your native language?
What is your country of citizenship?
Are you a US citizen?
Have you ever been arrested?
What clubs or social organizations do you belong to? Do you go to church?
ANY question relating to race, color or religion is illegal.

O.k. I know there are only 87 questions here. Why don’t you add your question in the comment section?

Job Interviews / Interviewing Related Posts

Category : Career Advice | Job Interviews / Interviewing | Blog

24
Dec

Interviewing Tips – a Video Montage

Posted by Sean Harry (2) Comment

Your job search is a tough process. Perhaps it’s time for a little comedy relief. These videos all poke fun at the job interview. Best of all, they will show you what NOT to do!

Have you ever felt like THIS in a job interview?

This one is my favorite. Definitely outside-of-the-box thinking.

This guys pretty much does EVERYTHING wrong! Don’t do ANY of these things and your interview should go well.

Happy Hunting folks!

Job Interviews / Interviewing Related Posts

Category : Career Advice | Job Interviews / Interviewing | Job Search Tips | Blog

23
Dec

The Art of Interviewing to Land Your Perfect Job

Posted by Sean Harry (1) Comment

“If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.” Sun-Tsu, The Art of War

24 centuries ago Sun-tzu taught his generals that winning involves two things: knowledge of one’s self and knowledge of one’s opponent. This advice is still true today — especially for job seekers going on an interview. (I know the interviewer is not your “opponent” per se, but you must admit that sometimes it feels that way!) Understanding who you are interviewing with and what their objectives are for a particular interview will give you a leg up on your real competition . . . other candidates for the job.

In today’s post I outline the 5 basic types of job interviews in which you, as a job seeker, will participate. It’s important to know what your interviewer (i.e. your “opponent”) wants to get out of the interview, so you can move on to the next step where the position and salary are finally negotiated.

1) Phone Screening

Formal interview to see if you match “the description”
Often by phone
Usually conducted by internal recruiters or HR