This is an article on interviewing that I posted sometime ago on Helium.com. It is intended to assist job seekers with their interviewing skills.
Volumes have been written by well-intentioned, knowledgeable people about how to succeed in the job interview process. Unfortunately, these articles often leave one with the impression that the proper presentation skills are the key to getting the job you want. Further, there is a lot left unsaid and the advice provided may be overly detailed and thus a bit daunting for most people to follow. Not discounting the value of these articles, it is important to be aware of some of the simple basics that the “self-help” literature leaves out.
Since you’ve probably never read anything I have written, let me say that I am a personnel professional who has earned his living writing oral interview questions and training interview panels for the last twenty-five years. In that regard, I have had the opportunity to observe thousands of candidates as they have gone through interviews with panel members I have trained as they ask questions I have written and rate candidates on factors I created from job analyses I conducted. In addition, I have sat in on review sessions as these board members have discussed the applicants they have interviewed. I hope that provides some credibility for what I have to say since I have also spent years training interview candidates and demystifying the interview process for them.
First and foremost, you have to bring the goods. That is, you have to be qualified for the position you seek. Too often the focus on presentation skills misguides candidates into ignoring the fact that the goal of the interview process is to select the most qualified applicant for the job. Post interview debriefings always focus on who is the best fit for the job and the discussion centers on qualifications. Slick presenters without the qualifications to support claims don’t fare well when it comes to ratings. The shortcomings in presentations of well-qualified applicants are typically dismissed. Unless there are glaring problems with the way a candidate presents himself that turns raters off, qualifications always take precedence over presentation. So the key to an acceptable showing is to avoid turning the raters off which translates into building rapport.
There are several things that go into building rapport, but fundamentally it breaks down to being as similar to the raters as possible in thinking and dress while showing an interest in the job, the company, and the raters. Rapport also requires that the candidate be honest and keep answers simple. Honesty includes knowing the job, knowing oneself and having an accurate assessment of both. Since the panel members are looking for a match between the candidate and the job, it is the responsibility of the candidate to be able to demonstrate that match. Simple, direct, concise, and accurate answers to questions help raters see candidates in the job they are seeking and raters who see themselves as successful in their careers need to see attributes similar to theirs in the employees they select to be part of their team. Trying to second-guess what raters are looking for and thus not being true to ones own beliefs and values leads to failure. Two bad things happen to interviewees who display this type of dishonesty. First, they don’t get the job and are left confused wondering if they should have been someone else or second, they do get the job and are left trying to live up to a lie in a position that wasn’t a match. The same two possibilities exist for a candidate that is honest, but in this case they are both good. If you get the job you can have confidence that you are a match for the position and you were selected for whom you are. If you don’t get the job you can reevaluate who you are in relation to the field or the position and console yourself with the confidence that you did your best and there was, with good probability, someone with better qualifications.
Back to the suit, yes do wear a suit, but be sure it fits and it reflects the standards of the company. This requires doing your homework and trying them both on before the interview. You must be comfortable in the suit and you must be sure the company is just as comfortable a fit. Again this all helps build rapport, bolsters your confidence and helps present what you have to offer in the best light possible. In that regard, present your qualifications in a confident manner without being arrogant. Don’t try to sell yourself and don’t take credit for other people’s work. Show the raters that you know the job and how your qualifications match up – demonstrate the match. Be sure to thank them for their time and implement the positive suggestions you’ve read from the extensive literature out there let them know your level of interest and that you look forward to hearing from them. Finally, rest in knowing that you did the best you could and you are more prepared for next time if you weren’t the one selected this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment