Interview Checklist – Are You Really Ready to “Wow” Me?
In my last post, “What Might be Keeping You from Receiving the Interview Phone Call”, I shared some of the main reasons candidates can miss the mark with hiring managers when it comes to their resumes.
Today, I’m assuming that you did get the interview call…and want to provide some tips to help you prepare to have an interview discussion that will make a “wow” impression upon the hiring manager:
Preparation. Use the vast amount of resources available to you (Internet, libraries, people in your network, etc) to help prepare for your interview by learning as much as you can regarding the company (e.g., history, products & services offered, rank in their industry, management team/philosophy, recent news items…) and your interviewer (LinkedIn, Google, etc). The more of this knowledge you are able to incorporate into your interview discussion, the more impressive a candidate you become – because the vast majority of those submitting resumes invest little to no time doing such research.
Do the interview “blink test” (this only applies if you are being interviewed in the office belonging to the interviewer). What is the “blink test”? It’s very easy to do, takes very little time, and can do much to help you quickly bond with the interviewer. Here is how it works:
When entering the interviewer’s office, take a quick, but complete, look at everything you can see (What type of pictures are displayed, if any? Does the office look organized or like a disaster area? Are there awards/plaques displayed?). Leverage this information to your advantage. How? Well, let’s say you see an office full of family photos along with a couple of awards/plaques for “Best Performing Division”. You could use as an icebreaker something like, “I see from that photo that you were at Yellowstone Park...what did you like best about the park?” or “I see your daughter plays soccer…I had the chance to coach my son’s team for a few years – great experience”. Then, at some point during the conversation, ask the hiring manager what they feel were the key factors in winning the “Best Performing Division” award.
Use the STAR method (Situation or Task, Action and Results) when answering questions that provide you the opportunity to tell a success story about your key achievements at former employers. Delivering your answers with a confident tone of voice, some genuine passion, good eye contact, positive body language and quantifiable results can do much to significantly differentiate you from the other candidates. Remember, hiring managers are ultimately interested in how good you are going to make them look once you join their team. Thus, they need to hear specific examples of how you have applied the skills they are seeking from their ideal candidate to produce exceptional results – on a consistent basis - at former employers.
Come prepared with at least 5 – 10 great questions. Believe it or not, the vast majority of people interviewed come to the interview with few to no questions to ask, and those they do ask are often benefits related rather than probing questions for the interviewer regarding the company. I have too often found myself wanting to tell a candidate (after providing them with the opportunity to ask me questions), “You’ve had a week to prepare for this interview and do research on my company and/or me…and this is the best you can come up with!?” Some of the following are examples of the types of questions that hiring managers are hoping to be asked (and love to answer):
• “I see from recent press releases that your company just purchased a small manufacturing firm in Texas, is this geographic expansion something that you feel is an important part of the company’s strategic plan going forward?”
• “I see that your group has won the “Best Performing Division” award three years in a row, tell me what you believe are the five most important factors that contributed to this success.”
• “Would you tell me about your philosophy in regard to employee training and exposure of your team to special projects/initiatives?”
• “Your website lists many strategic partners. Tell me how another organization earns its way onto that list.”
• “I read in an industry related magazine that your company is known for its many patents. What do you feel creates the environment here for such significant innovation?”
Now, if you had your choice between a candidate who asked some or all of these questions and another whose questions consisted of, “How many holidays do your employees have off each year?” and “When would I get my first raise?”…who would you select?
THE Question to ask. Whether you have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you wish or just one – be sure to ask this one:
• “Tell me what I would need to do in the next six months for you to go to your boss and tell them that hiring me was the best decision you ever made?”
What do you think asking something like this tells the hiring manager? It says that you want to come in and hit the ground running and to excel while doing so. I’ve suggested to many, many people to use this same question during their interview…telling them that most hiring managers are normally a bit “stunned” to hear it asked and usually respond with something like, “I don’t know how to answer that because no one has ever asked me that question before you.” Sadly, when I’ve asked other hiring managers how often they hear this question, I’ve yet to hear something other than, “never” as a response. By the way, isn’t the “no one has every asked me that question before you” response exactly what you DO want to hear! Believe me…if you ask this question, the interviewer will remember you.
Before you leave, ask the interviewer(s) for their business card(s). You’ll need this information when writing your “Thank You” note(s). If the interviewer does not have a business card with them, be sure to ask the Receptionist to obtain the card(s) for you – “Would you be so kind as to get me one of the interviewer’s business cards, I want to ensure that I have their correct title and spelling of their name for my thank you note.” Not only will this person get you the card(s), they will most likely share with the hiring manager that you made it a point to ask for their business card. This again tells the hiring manager something about how you will perform if they bring you on board. Make the effort – it most often pays off.
And, don’t forget to ask about the next steps in the process. Their answer will provide you with the information you need to develop your follow up strategy.
Follow Up – There are certainly a number of different schools of thought regarding follow up to an interview. My rule of thumb is to follow the direction provided to the candidate by the interviewer (e.g., “we won’t be making any decisions for another two to three weeks”, “you are the first person we interviewed and have quite a few more candidates to speak with before month-end”), but if no such information is shared, then follow up after 7 – 10 days.
No matter what you are told about the time allotted to make the decision regarding the group that will move on to the next step in the process, be certain to send a “Thank You” note immediately (I advise people to have a blank “Thank You” card in the car and to go to the nearest Post Office immediately after their interview, write their comments and then mail it).
Based upon my own preferences and those of the many hiring managers and recruiters with whom I speak, the handwritten note is still “king”. An email “Thank You” is fine, but shows less effort than from the person who took the time to purchase a card, write it out and mail it. Ultimately, hiring managers want to see some sort of “Thank You” from candidates rather than nothing at all. Again, what you say and the effort I perceive you put into the “Thank You” add to my overall perception of YOU…and, aren’t you trying to “wow” me?
Resumes get you an interview…interviews get you hired. The objective of the first interview is to get a second interview, and then a third (fourth…etc). Interviews should not be seen as interrogations…treat each interview as though it were a conversation with a person who had only read your bio and wants to learn more about you…and to see if what they read about you is true. After they are convinced that what they heard is accurate, the next challenge is to see if you are a “fit” for the culture & dynamic of the group/team.
Remember, no one wins a race by just showing up. For the serious contenders and the ultimate winner, a whole lot of effort is expended before the finish line is crossed.
Today, I’m assuming that you did get the interview call…and want to provide some tips to help you prepare to have an interview discussion that will make a “wow” impression upon the hiring manager:
Preparation. Use the vast amount of resources available to you (Internet, libraries, people in your network, etc) to help prepare for your interview by learning as much as you can regarding the company (e.g., history, products & services offered, rank in their industry, management team/philosophy, recent news items…) and your interviewer (LinkedIn, Google, etc). The more of this knowledge you are able to incorporate into your interview discussion, the more impressive a candidate you become – because the vast majority of those submitting resumes invest little to no time doing such research.
Do the interview “blink test” (this only applies if you are being interviewed in the office belonging to the interviewer). What is the “blink test”? It’s very easy to do, takes very little time, and can do much to help you quickly bond with the interviewer. Here is how it works:
When entering the interviewer’s office, take a quick, but complete, look at everything you can see (What type of pictures are displayed, if any? Does the office look organized or like a disaster area? Are there awards/plaques displayed?). Leverage this information to your advantage. How? Well, let’s say you see an office full of family photos along with a couple of awards/plaques for “Best Performing Division”. You could use as an icebreaker something like, “I see from that photo that you were at Yellowstone Park...what did you like best about the park?” or “I see your daughter plays soccer…I had the chance to coach my son’s team for a few years – great experience”. Then, at some point during the conversation, ask the hiring manager what they feel were the key factors in winning the “Best Performing Division” award.
Use the STAR method (Situation or Task, Action and Results) when answering questions that provide you the opportunity to tell a success story about your key achievements at former employers. Delivering your answers with a confident tone of voice, some genuine passion, good eye contact, positive body language and quantifiable results can do much to significantly differentiate you from the other candidates. Remember, hiring managers are ultimately interested in how good you are going to make them look once you join their team. Thus, they need to hear specific examples of how you have applied the skills they are seeking from their ideal candidate to produce exceptional results – on a consistent basis - at former employers.
Come prepared with at least 5 – 10 great questions. Believe it or not, the vast majority of people interviewed come to the interview with few to no questions to ask, and those they do ask are often benefits related rather than probing questions for the interviewer regarding the company. I have too often found myself wanting to tell a candidate (after providing them with the opportunity to ask me questions), “You’ve had a week to prepare for this interview and do research on my company and/or me…and this is the best you can come up with!?” Some of the following are examples of the types of questions that hiring managers are hoping to be asked (and love to answer):
• “I see from recent press releases that your company just purchased a small manufacturing firm in Texas, is this geographic expansion something that you feel is an important part of the company’s strategic plan going forward?”
• “I see that your group has won the “Best Performing Division” award three years in a row, tell me what you believe are the five most important factors that contributed to this success.”
• “Would you tell me about your philosophy in regard to employee training and exposure of your team to special projects/initiatives?”
• “Your website lists many strategic partners. Tell me how another organization earns its way onto that list.”
• “I read in an industry related magazine that your company is known for its many patents. What do you feel creates the environment here for such significant innovation?”
Now, if you had your choice between a candidate who asked some or all of these questions and another whose questions consisted of, “How many holidays do your employees have off each year?” and “When would I get my first raise?”…who would you select?
THE Question to ask. Whether you have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you wish or just one – be sure to ask this one:
• “Tell me what I would need to do in the next six months for you to go to your boss and tell them that hiring me was the best decision you ever made?”
What do you think asking something like this tells the hiring manager? It says that you want to come in and hit the ground running and to excel while doing so. I’ve suggested to many, many people to use this same question during their interview…telling them that most hiring managers are normally a bit “stunned” to hear it asked and usually respond with something like, “I don’t know how to answer that because no one has ever asked me that question before you.” Sadly, when I’ve asked other hiring managers how often they hear this question, I’ve yet to hear something other than, “never” as a response. By the way, isn’t the “no one has every asked me that question before you” response exactly what you DO want to hear! Believe me…if you ask this question, the interviewer will remember you.
Before you leave, ask the interviewer(s) for their business card(s). You’ll need this information when writing your “Thank You” note(s). If the interviewer does not have a business card with them, be sure to ask the Receptionist to obtain the card(s) for you – “Would you be so kind as to get me one of the interviewer’s business cards, I want to ensure that I have their correct title and spelling of their name for my thank you note.” Not only will this person get you the card(s), they will most likely share with the hiring manager that you made it a point to ask for their business card. This again tells the hiring manager something about how you will perform if they bring you on board. Make the effort – it most often pays off.
And, don’t forget to ask about the next steps in the process. Their answer will provide you with the information you need to develop your follow up strategy.
Follow Up – There are certainly a number of different schools of thought regarding follow up to an interview. My rule of thumb is to follow the direction provided to the candidate by the interviewer (e.g., “we won’t be making any decisions for another two to three weeks”, “you are the first person we interviewed and have quite a few more candidates to speak with before month-end”), but if no such information is shared, then follow up after 7 – 10 days.
No matter what you are told about the time allotted to make the decision regarding the group that will move on to the next step in the process, be certain to send a “Thank You” note immediately (I advise people to have a blank “Thank You” card in the car and to go to the nearest Post Office immediately after their interview, write their comments and then mail it).
Based upon my own preferences and those of the many hiring managers and recruiters with whom I speak, the handwritten note is still “king”. An email “Thank You” is fine, but shows less effort than from the person who took the time to purchase a card, write it out and mail it. Ultimately, hiring managers want to see some sort of “Thank You” from candidates rather than nothing at all. Again, what you say and the effort I perceive you put into the “Thank You” add to my overall perception of YOU…and, aren’t you trying to “wow” me?
Resumes get you an interview…interviews get you hired. The objective of the first interview is to get a second interview, and then a third (fourth…etc). Interviews should not be seen as interrogations…treat each interview as though it were a conversation with a person who had only read your bio and wants to learn more about you…and to see if what they read about you is true. After they are convinced that what they heard is accurate, the next challenge is to see if you are a “fit” for the culture & dynamic of the group/team.
Remember, no one wins a race by just showing up. For the serious contenders and the ultimate winner, a whole lot of effort is expended before the finish line is crossed.
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