How to Own The Interview!

If you've landed an interview in this economy, let us be the first to say, Congratulations!   Now that you have an interview, you have to seize this opportunity.    In today's ecomony, there are many more people competing for a lot less jobs.   You HAVE to stand out!    Here's how:

Get "Fit"
Your interviewer wants to find out ONE thing – whether you will FIT - with them, the position, your co-workers, the organization. Because of this, spend the bulk of your prep time finding out everything you can about the position, company, and your future boss. Then review your background and note your skills, experience, and accomplishments that fit best with the position.

Here’s the Pitch
In the interview, you’re selling yourself. And like any good salesperson, you want to “Wow” your interviewer with a powerful opening pitch that will persuade them to buy. Develop a two-minute pitch about yourself by incorporating your strongest, most relevant accomplishments, skills, and experience into it. Note awards won. If your nickname was “The Closer” for solving problems, include this. Use measurable accomplishments when possible. Tweak your pitch until it is perfect.

Questions
DO NOT memorize answers to hundreds of questions. It can’t be done, it’s a poor use of prep time, and it adds to interview anxiety.

DO prepare answers to some likely questions like; why are you looking?, describe your worst boss, what was your greatest challenge?
Always be positive in your responses. If you’re asked a question that you haven’t prepared for, think back to your sales pitch as it may contain an answer you can expand on.

Attitude
Be positive, confident, and enthusiastic. Surveys have shown enthusiasm is often the tie-breaker among otherwise equally qualified candidates.
Do NOT be humble. Many in the over 40 crowd don’t like to take credit for a job well done. If you saved your company $1 million, developed a great product, etc., SAY IT! No one else can say it for you. DO NOT SAY “it was nothing”. There are two reasons why that’s a bad idea;
1) the interviewer might believe you, and
2) the next candidate in the reception area may have no problem saying how great they are.

Salary
If asked, "so how much are you looking for?", do not answer with an amount. Usually, the first person who gives a number loses.
While negotiation is a subject in itself, try your best to politely defer the salary discussion. Use some side-stepping responses like; “I’m confident that we’ll be able to work something out that we’ll both be comfortable with.” etc. If the interviewer says you can’t leave until you give a number, give at most a salary range.

Stick the Dismount
Late in the interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions. Here are two tactical questions you can ask that can help you seal the deal.

“Do you have any concerns about my qualifications?” The goal is to find out any remaining objections about yourself and addressing them on the spot. Successfully doing this can move you from being a strong candidate to the BEST candidate. A secondary benefit is that this question shows you have guts since you can’t know with certainty what the interviewer’s lingering concerns might be. However, you can anticipate them during your prep by noting aspects of the job that may not synch perfectly with your background (lack of technical experience, career change, etc.).

“How do I compare to the other candidates?”. The interviewer’s response can tell you where you are in the order of interviewing and in the rankings, and may provide you with more feedback on strengths or weaknesses the interviewer sees in you.

First Impressions
A Robert Half International survey showed that a majority of hiring managers formed an opinion of a candidate within 12 minutes. And the clock starts the moment the interviewer meets you. So to make a great first impression, make sure your clothes are clean and pressed, hair is coiffed, shoes are polished, and piercings are removed. Arrive early. Treat everyone you meet respectfully. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and a “Hello”.    Follow these steps and you’ll dramatically improve your chances of turning an interview into an offer.

Signs of Hope in Tech

Wall Street Journal is reporting that tech job listings on career sites are up 22% from this time a year ago. Whether this is a short term bump, or a predictor of a long term change, it's good news either way. Here's
the article.

Does Grad School ALWAYS Improve Job Prospects?

The mantra for years has been that more education equals more opportunities. But is this always true? Part of it depends on the type of education. The link here is to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education that challenges the value of graduate degrees in the Humanities. It's one thing to go for a certification in your current line of work, or to study for a specialized technical skill. But that Masters degree in History or English, while intellectually stimulating, may leave you deeper in debt down the road, with no more career prospects.