Interview Preperation

INTERVIEW PREPARATION

1)      What questions do you have?

2)      Here is the chain of command-

a.       Do you know any of these people?

b.      Do you have their address and a telephone  # ?

3)      What you should you expect tomorrow?

a.       Be prepared to discuss yourself & your background

b.      Be prepared to discuss the position -    

                                          -what they will want you to do

                                          -what a successful performance looks like.

                  c. Be prepared to discuss the organization

                                           -where the company is

                                           -where they are going

                                           -how things are done in the organization

     4) The tips that you received in my advance e-mail

5 points that I want to emphasize for you in an effort to enable you to make a very favorable first impression. Some items may be very basic or elementary, but are intended to help you focus on making a very favorable first impression.

A)    Walk through your background in detail & articulate your motivation..(brevity and balance are important. Answer the question directly and confirm that you answered in the way that was desired. Or ask if you should elaborate)

a.        Be prepared for the standard opening of , ‘tell me about yourself”

b.      Have a copy of your resume , be familiar with it

c.       Be positive about your current position

d.      Don’t say that you are ‘just checking out the opportunity’

e.       Be prepared to explain your career moves & motivation in those moves, as well as the reason now for the move to this position.

B)     Anticipate objections about your background or work history & be prepared to discuss/explain any negatives. In fact, raise them and ‘frame’ them honestly, but in the manner you chose. (If you were interviewing you, what concerns or questions would you have?)

Ex:“When you look at my experience, you may wonder why I moved 2 times in the past 3 years. Let me go ahead and clear that up by explaining that…”

C) Write down a series of questions and take notes.

    Ex: What have been the most successful hires that you have made?

                  The best hire that you ever made, what made them the best?

 If offered the position, what could I do to prepare to hit the ground running?

Let’s say you hire me; in 6 months what could I accomplish that would make you glad that you did?

What are the common attributes of your top performers?

What are a few things that really drive results for the company?

How do you plan to deal with...? (growing regulatory requirements, market pressure on rates, competitors courting your customers, Basal III)

                  What does a successful first year look like?

What qualifications  and experience make for an ideal candidate?

                    What intangibles are you looking for?

 What is the company culture like?

                  What is your management style?

D) Money questions- answer them directly & honestly; but do your best not to name a specific amount that you are looking for but, “I would consider your best offer” is the response that keeps you options open. They have been told of what your income is, so if pressed hard, respond that your intent is to come in north of that.

 Do you know how I get paid… my goal is to create overlap  with your needs and the client’s budget or salary grade structure.

E) Closure-

 1) Thank them for time.

       2) Address any additional concerns- “Before we hang up, are there any questions or concerns with my background that we have not talked about?”

       3) Restate the needs of the company & summarize why you would make be a good fit. State your reasons clearly as - a, b, & c.  If true, state.. “I am very interested in the position that we have discussed and would like to be strongly considered.”

        4) Ask what the next step is in the process.

       5) Send a follow-up e-mail – thank the interviewer again and reiterate (very briefly) what you discussed and how you can contribute. This serves as a good memory jog to the interviewer of your conversation and reminds them of the points you want them to make for you in the hiring meeting.

Call me afterward-

We can discuss the interview immediately our after you have slept on it. It is up to you. However, it is best that you and I have discussed the interview before I hear from the client. If you and I have not spoken when the client and I speak, then there could be a perception that your interest level is lower than it may truly be.

 In our debrief, I will want to know your honest  and candidate answers to these questions-

1)      do you know the job?

2)      Did you learn anything new or gain insight that was different than what I have presented?

3)      Can you do the job?

4)      Do you want the job?(putting money aside)