Killer Interview Tips.com

Posts Tagged ‘Right’

“We know we have a problem bringing in the right people,” Bill told me, “I have two staff members who spend three-quarters of their time searching resume data-bases and culling through resumes that have been sent in. It’s a lot of work, and frankly I don’t think it’s very beneficial. Hiring the right person seems to be kind of hit or miss. We’ve brought in some great folks who haven’t lasted and some fairly mediocre candidates have turned into great employees. It seems to me the only way to handle this problem is to push as many people through the pipeline as we can.”

“Doesn’t that take up a lot of corporate resources?” I ask.

“Of course,” an exasperated Bill replies. “And I wish there were a better way. But nothing we’ve tried seems to make much difference.”

“What kinds of things have you tried?” I inquire (pretty sure I knew the answer).

“Well,” Bill says warming to the subject, “We’ve tried sourcing candidates from different areas like job search sites, job fairs, and posting positions. We’ve worked with and without recruiters. We’ve switched over to behavioral interviewing and we’ve taught all our managers what to look for in behavioral interviewing. We’ve expanded the number of people a candidate has to meet and we all meet after the interviews to discuss each candidate. And yet even when we all agree, we don’t seem to have a better success rate than we did before we went to such elaborate measures.”

Bill’s frustration is obvious as he describes his challenge. And Bill is by no means alone in his dissatisfaction with the hiring done at his company. All too often, managers find the perfect resume, love the candidate during the interview process, invest time and resources on-boarding the new hire, only to lose the person after a short period.

What’s wrong with my interview questions?

For the purposes of this article, let’s assume you’ve narrowed the candidate list down to the right people for the open position. How can you make the best use of the interview process?

First, let me ask a question: Why are you interviewing a candidate?

Most people interview candidates for a variety of reasons:

1. To be sure the candidate can work well with customers and potential customers. If the job requires interacting with the public or with customers on a regular basis, you want to be sure the person can interact well with the type of customers you sell to.

2. To get a sense of teamwork. If the position requires interacting in a team environment, you want to interview to get a sense of how he or she works with a team.

3. To get a sense of “fit.” How well will the candidate work in your environment?

4. To get to know the candidate’s background. Presumably you’ve read the candidate’s resume (more than once) and maybe even called references. The interview is a good place for more in-depth questions or follow-ups on issues raised by the resume or phone interview.

These are all good reasons to conduct an interview. I’d like to suggest a 5th reason: To understand the following: Will this person bring all of their best problem solving skills to the job every day? Does this person have the “passion potential” (a term coined by Peg Stookey, Founder of Legacy Connection) to become zealous about your product? Is the person capable of solving problems in a manner that suits the position?

Asking the right questions takes time. You simply cannot review a resume 30 seconds before the candidate appears and expect to do an adequate job with the interview. Fortunately, more and more managers are using interview guides to be sure the questions are well thought out and there are enough consistent questions to allow candidate to candidate comparisons.

How do you ask the right questions?

You have to be clear about what you want to know. Before you ask a question, you should be clear about what you are trying to learn. Is this question/answer combination moving you toward the ability to make a decision about whether this is the right candidate? If you need to know if a candidate can think on her feet, you need to ask questions that will startle the individual enough to make her think in a new way. If this is a position in which a person will need to make decisions based on incomplete data, you need to provide your candidate a situation in which to make a decision without all the information he might like to have.

Finally, set aside enough time in your schedule for the meeting and writing up your notes from the interview. Candidates will sense if you haven’t prepared or if your time together feels rushed. And you will be doing a disservice to your company by not giving your time and attention to the process.

Bringing people into your organization is one of the most important and costly decisions you make. Planning and focus will help make the process more effective and increase the probability of choosing the right candidate for your company.

 

For most people, a job interview is both an exciting and terrifying prospect. Being called in for an interview means that your job application has passed the basic requirements for the role and your would-be employers are interested in knowing more about you.

Usually it is this prospect of making a good impression on your employers during that interview that can – and does – make a simple job interview go very wrong. So instead of getting the terms and salary you deserve, or the job itself, you end up with a lot less than you had hoped for.

Now, the first thing you have to tell yourself is to stop worrying about it. Of course this isn’t going to help you not worry at all, but the point is to at least try.

Starting the day before your interview, focus on the job you are applying for, rather than thinking up all sorts of interview questions that they may or may not ask about you. Yes, they will ask some of these questions, but with your focus on the desired position, you will cure some of the worst job interview diseases ever known, including:

Running off at the mouth. Especially if you tend to babble when you’re nervous, you might find that after one question from your would-be employer, you’ve already told him your entire life story. If you’re focused on what you are able to do for the job you’ve applied for, you’ll be answering interview questions according to what the job demands – and what your employer would want to hear – and weed out the unnecessary details.

Stuttering, stammering, and basically not making any sense at all. All too often, when an interview question catches us off guard, we tend to try to spout an answer, even if we do not have one. That’s very dangerous when answering interview questions because many times, you can keep talking, hoping that you’ll eventually start to make sense, and sadly you never do. Returning to the focus will remind you of what you’re in that interview room for and help direct you back to sensibility.

Hitting a blank wall. Another nervous reaction, some people tend to just blank out during a job interview and fail to say anything at all. With your mind focused, there’s less chance of losing it, and it’s easier to center yourself and find the right responses.

Additionally, make sure to listen to the interview question being asked and take a few seconds before replying. Although the first impulse is to answer right away, sometimes even before the interviewer has finished talking, don’t worry about time wasted and really think the question, and your answer, through. If you think you need to take a deep breath before opening your mouth and answering interview questions, then by all means do so.

And do smile. A smile will help you relax. Of course, don’t spend the entire job interview with a grin plastered on. Instead, listen intently to your interviewer and when they acknowledge you or wait for your response, give them a reassuring smile that will show them confidence and optimism. And don’t reserve the smiles for the good guys, either. Many have found that smiling at people who are verbally attacking them works even better than attacking back!

There’s more advice on answering interview questions here including tips on job interview.

 

Interview Body Language- 7 Simple Ways to Send the Right Message in your Job Interview.

Pay attention to your interview body language – it plays a critical role in determining how you come across in the job interview! Non-verbal communication accounts for over 90% of the message you are sending the interviewer. 58% of that is your actual body language and 38% is the way you speak including voice tone and pitch. There are 7 simple ways to ensure that you are sending the right message with your interview body language.

1. Your Posture

Sit upright but in a relaxed fashion leaning slightly forward at about a 10 to 15 degree angle towards the interviewer. This send the message that you are an interested and involved candidate. Hunching down or leaning off to the side gives an impression of nervousness. A sloppy posture and leaning back appears casual and careless, perching on the edge of the chair comes across as tense and uncertain.

2. What to Do With Your Hands

The best is to rest your hands loosely-clasped in your lap or on the table if there is one. Fiddling with your hair, face or neck sends the message that you are anxious and uncertain.. Body language experts agree that touching the nose, lips or ears can signal that the candidate is lying.  Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hands pushed down into pockets send a message of secretiveness, showing your palms helps to build trust.  

3. Avoid Crossing Your Arms

Folding arms across the chest suggests a defensive type of position. It sends the message that the candidate is feeling threatened and ill-at-ease and is shutting the interviewer out. It can also send the message that the candidate does not agree with or buy into what the interviewer is saying. Waving your arms about too much is often interpreted as a lack of maturity and confidence. Try to keep your arms placed, in a relaxed fashion, by your sides, this looks confident and professional.

4. Put Both Feet on the Floor

Crossing your feet at the ankles or placing them both flat on the floor sends a message of confidence and professionalism. Jiggling or moving your legs creates an irritating distraction and shows nervousness. Resting an ankle on the opposite knee looks arrogant and too casual, crossing the legs high up appears defensive.  

5. Keep Direct Eye Contact

Maintaining direct eye contact with the interviewer demonstrates active listening and interest. Blink regularly, look away very briefly and move the head slightly every now and them to not appear to be staring aggressively. Eyes that dart around suggest dishonesty. Looking down gives the impression of low self-esteem.

6. Control your Facial Expressions

These can speak louder than the words coming out of the candidate’s mouth! Pursing the lips or twisting them sideways shows disapproval of what is being heard. Biting your lips suggests nervousness. Try to relax your mouth. Frowning makes you look confused and uncertain. Practice relaxing your facial muscles beforehand.

7. Position your Head Properly

The position of your head sends a clear message. Keeping your head straight looks self-assured and authoritative, it sends the message that you should be taken seriously. For a more friendly and relaxed look tilt your head slightly to one side. Nod your head every now and then to show you are listening closely.

Be aware of the non-verbal signals in your job interview. They are as eloquent as your interview answers. These interview body language tips will send a positive and professional message to the interviewer. More valuable job interview tips and techniques.

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