Riverton Professional Networking Meeting - Interview Tips

Jeanine Wilson, trainer extraordinaire, provided a provocative and insightful deck and training to our professional networking group in Riverton today on interview tips.  She introduced the subject by comparing "you" the interviewee to the product that is going to be acquired if you meet their needs and resolve their pain points.  So the goal of the interview is to make them fall in love with you. 

Please review the deck attached hereto, and work to improve those items/areas that are most difficult for you.  From the dress/attire, the punctuality, the politeness to office personnel (receptionist), to your business intelligence and preparation for the interview you'll find interesting information.  While Jeanine didn't cover all the items to include in your portfolio, I like to bring to the interview:  a resume, my reference list, my top 12 accomplishments and my 90 day plan.  The last 2 are things most presenters don't think about so having these will make an impression. In an informational interview I have next week, I'm bringing a copy of my dream job. You should also have several thank-you notes to write while you're still at the facility - handwritten are most appreciated especially if you comment on something that you learned during the interview.  Don't forget to find out how and when to get back to them.  Don't talk about your compensation or other personal needs at the interview even if given an opportunity to ask a few questions.  Prepare your questions in advance.

While I've been trained in the S/PAR format, Jeanine provided the STAR format.  They are basically the same.  You paint a picture of the problem/situation you faced, the action you took and the result translated into payback (profits, reduced errors, improved customer relations, improved teambuilding, etc.)  These should match as closely as possible the painpoints you might encounter in your new job.  If you prepare 10-12 power statements using the S/PAR format or you accomplishments, you will be able to include these into your interview.  If you have them already prepared, you can control the tempo and questions during the interview if its a non structured format.  Many hiring managers want to hire someone who is proactive and who can fit into the team and resolve their problems.  Jeanine indicated if, at all possible, ask what are the organization's challenges early on in the interview so you can tailor your answers accordingly.  This only works on the unstructured interviews.  HR professionals want to have most interviewees asked the same or similar questions to avoid challenges of discrimination should the interviewer not be experienced.

You should practice interviewing in front of others, in front of your skype camera.  Practice skyping to get more comfortable with this format.  My biggest problem with skyping is that you can't move or gesticulate without feeling awkward.  But recruiters are skyping more to get a better look at the candidate.  One thing you shouldn't do which I learned after a skype interview was not to exercise just before the interview.  It makes you perspire during the interview. 

Here is a copy of Jeanine's deck - http://www.box.net/shared/kzt2aiqqp7