Helpful Interviewing Tips

To follow are some helpful tips when interviewing for any position. The way you prepare for an interview can give you a huge advantage. The reality is it is not necessarily the person who has the most experience that gets the job. The person that will draw an offer will be the person who interviews the best. Prepare yourself by following these simple but very effective seven steps of the interview process.

1. Preparation: Do your homework on the company with whom you are interviewing. More than likely their web site can give you most of the information you need to prepare. If they don’t have a web site, ask people that work for the company or do business with the company. You will need to intelligently explain to the interviewer why you want to work for their organization. In addition, Rock Coast Personnel recommends the book, “Knock’em Dead, The Ultimate Job Seekers Handbook,” by Martin Yate, to sharpen your interviewing skills.

2. Introduction/Presence:

What to wear? For both men and women, we recommend wearing a dark blue or black suit. Always dress conservatively on your first interview.

Body language: Energy! Sit on the edge of your seat and show enthusiasm. Keep good eye contact and don’t forget to smile.

What to bring? Bring a professional portfolio with at least three extra copies of your resume. Take notes during the interview.

3. Needs Analysis: What kind of product (i.e., person) do they need? Here are a few great questions that will uncover the answer:

Who has been the best you’ve had performing the job I’m interviewing for? What made them so successful?
In a perfect World, who is the ideal candidate for this position?

What characteristics are you looking for in an individual for this position?

Register the answers to these questions; even jot them down on your notepad. From this point forward, sell yourself using these characteristics throughout the rest of the interview. Remember, interviewing is psychological! Find out exactly what they want or need in a candidate and become that perfect candidate.

4. Presentation of the Product (You): When discussing your background, take into account the following guidelines:

Make certain your background flows. Be aware of your past decision making processes. (The interviewer will be!)

The interviewer is looking for a specific characteristic, trait, or competency with every question. Never take a question lightly.

5. Uncovering Objections: Get the concerns and objections out of the interviewer. Overcome them by selling your background. Simply ask these questions: “What concerns or questions do you have about my background?” and “What can I clarify for you about my background?”

6. Closing the Interview: Never leave the interview until you know your status! It’s time to be a professional sales person and close for the next step or offer. Here is how to do it:

“I am very excited about this opportunity. What is the next step of the interview process? Can I count on your recommendation to move on to the next step?”