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How do I prepare for the interview?
2009-02-01
1:00 pm

To answer this question let me give you an example of a good career seeker and an average career seeker.

A good career seeker is a person that shows up in my office 20 minutes before their interview time. This person drove by my office in advance and timed their commute to ensure they arrived on time. This person visited my corporate website and learned about our services, read press releases and industry information. This person read over the job description and compared it to their background and skills and came in with solid questions. This person came prepared with examples of their work and came in with a plan of attack and determined to get the job.

An average career seeker usually arrives 5-20 minutes late and says he/she got lost. Minutes into the interview this person asks what we do and who we are. When I ask if he/she any questions regarding the position the answer is no. When I asked if this person has visited our corporate website, the person responds, no, ˇ§I did not get a chanceˇ¨. At this point, this person does not have a chance. Typically this person forgets about their previous work experience and talks with no direction. One question they never forget to ask is how much is this position paying?

I hope by now you get the point. If not here are some tips on how to prepare for the interview:
„X Get directions, plan your trip and arrive early to the interview (this shows interest and respect)
„X Learn the name of the person you are interviewing with and get their title
„X (this shows attention to detail and respect)
„X Go to the companyˇ¦s website learn about their business, read press releases to learn about changes & management, visit their competitorˇ¦s website and learn about them. Try to learn as much as you can about the company to see if it is what you want and to learn about the corporate culture. (these actions show dedication, respect for the company and real interest)
„X Review your job description and compare it to your resume. Look at your strengths and how these may be a match with the position. Look for weaknesses or skills that you lack and be ready to answer appropriately how this will not affect your performance.
„X Have a list of ˇ§goodˇ¨ questions ready. Things that are relevant to the position and that do not focus on salary or compensation
„X Never ask for salary or compensation on your first interview, but instead focus on the job
„X Leave something to be remembered by ˇV a good statement, a business card, a thank you note-something that makes you different. My favorite has been Powerpoints with examples of projects, a creative presentation card or a thank you note with my secretary!

How should I look when I go to an interview? How important is personal appearance?
2009-01-14
2:00 pm

I can answer this question by giving you examples of real people that I have interviewed and experiences that I have heard from other hiring managers. I am sure that these may answer your question.

The first example that comes to my mind is what I like to call “the dreamer”. The dreamer is a type of person that never fails to show up when I interview. This is a person that wakes up in the morning and keeps dreaming he/she will get the job just because they show up to an interview. This person usually shows up to the interview in their jeans, tennis shoes and looks like they did not have time to wash their hair. Although jeans and tennis shoes may be ok for some industries, taking the time to shower and look neat is a must for an interview. Obviously, the dreamer never gets hired by me or most of hiring managers, so I am told.

The second example was shared to me by a good friend of mine that happens to be the hiring manager of one of the largest communications companies. She interviews hundreds of people to join their sales team. As a seasoned sales executive herself, she knows that in a sales capacity first impressions are a must in the industry. In her interviews she says the most important part is the first 5 seconds of meeting the career seeker. A person in clean neat business clothes or a suit merits an opportunity to interview. A person that did not bother to dress appropriately is dismissed after 5 seconds. In sales a suit and neat appearance is a must!

The bottom line is that as hiring managers we have many career seekers and limited time to make a choice. We consider a person’s appearance a reflection of their work ethics.
As a hiring manager, I don’t expect to interview people in Armani suits every time. I expect to interview responsible people that show interest and respect for my company. Hygiene is a form of discipline. If they do not possess discipline, they probably will not be a good fit. These people take the time to show up in a neat way, they wear appropriate business clothes or appropriate attire for the interview regardless of industry and they take the time to learn about our culture. If you are not sure about what to wear to the interview ask the person that arranged the interview.

Has your appearance ever taken away from your interview?