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Prior preparation will enable you to be
confident, overcome interviewing
inexperience, sell yourself and your qualifications.
| II. Never Go on an Interview
Without First |
Researching the Company:
1. One hour on the internet or in the
library utilizing Standard and Poors, Dun and
Bradstreet or Moody's
Reference Material will enable you to know the
company's products/services,
markets, sales volume, locations and
subsidiaries.
2. Prior planning requires you to
inventory all responsibilities performed and to
state how
well you carried them out.
3. Prove your competency by stating how well you
performed in the past by using
the 1-2-3
mini-story technique, i.e. state the problem, describe your solution and
emphasize the positive
results.
4. Strive to project eagerness and interest, be a
conversationalist by being
yourself.
5. Conclude the interview by getting a
"what-will-happen-next" summary, accepting
the offer on the spot if it's
what you want, showing interest in the job offer. Write
a brief follow-up letter,
report your progress to your account executive.
| III. How to Answer Questions |
The question answering rule says, "Answer
every question in terms of your
background or qualifications or in terms of the job to be
filled."
1. "Tell me about yourself"
means, "Tell me about your qualifications." Pre-plan a
five to ten minute answer
describing your education and then mention each job
in terms of accomplishment or
performance indicators.
2. Personality questions attempt to determine if you
have qualities being sought.
"What
kind of manager are you?" "Are you creative?" Answer these questions
in terms of
the obvious answer supported by past or present experiences as
proof of your
claim.
3. Motive questions are asked to determine if you
would enjoy the job. "Describe
your ideal
job." "Would you prefer to work for a large or small company?"
"What
did you like most/least about your last job?" Answer these questions
following the
question answering rule. Be specific and emphatic.
4. Salary questions. When asked what you desire, say,
"Although I would like an
increase, I
don't know enough about the opportunity to answer that fairly." If
possible,
avoid answering the question until an offer is made.
5. Prepare for tough questions. Anticipate what they
will be. They will focus on:
reasons for
leaving; quality of performance. Be brief but factual. Write out
your answers,
refine and memorize.
| IV. Ask the
Employer Questions Too |
Have a list, don't cross-examine, make them job
related, ask questions that
require an explanation.
1. Interest questions pertain to: job opportunities;
the company; its people;
its products/services.
2. Job satisfication questions pertain to: importance
of job; responsibility
and authority; recognition
and career potential.
3. Past performance questions concentrate on people
who previously held
the position, their
performance and where they are today.
4. Sales questions help you determine the kind of
person the employer wants
to hire in terms of
education, experience, future performance and personality.
When you understand the kind
of person the employer wants to hire, you can
then say, "I can do the
job you want done because I've done it before and done
it well." Or describe
your compensating asset and/or education.
5. Avoid questions relating to salary, fringes,
vacations, and retirement until the
job is offered and you
accept.
1. Summarize what you've done that
ties in the new position and ask, "What
qualifications do you feel I have, I don't have?" (as per the client's needs).
2. Be prepared to overcome any objections.
1. For men: conservative suit, white
shirt, contrasting tie, shoes shined,
socks over
calf.
2. For women: skirted suit, or dress with matching
jacket, neutral colored hose,
simple pumps,
minimum make-up.
1. Contact your account executive
immediately and communicate what transpired.
If you're interested in the
position, your account executive will help you get it.
2. Ask for the job. "I can do what you want done
and I want the job!"
3. Always send a follow-up letter reiterating your
strengths related to the position
and asking for the job.
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