The essence of the interview

From Perfect Job

THE ESSENCE OF THE INTERVIEW For many job seekers, skydiving might be preferable to interviewing. But there are a few simple steps that will remove the fear and give you the confidence you'd otherwise wished you had. It will also help to erase the tendency of job seekers to be a chameleon, meaning, whatever the company wants, they can do it, they like it, they want it. Not as appealing to an interviewer as you might think. Common sense says you need to research the company via their website, brochures or the library, although you'd be surprised at how many job seekers skip the obvious. Basics also include bringing a few extra copies of your resume to hand out if necessary, arriving early, dressing professionally, and knowing what you have to offer the company. But those are no-brainers, or they should be. What even experienced interviewers often fail to do is ask, in detail, about the position. So get away from the job description and dig into the actuality of that job in that company, as it stands right now. Find out why the position is open and how long it's been vacant. Ask also how long the previous person was there. If that person was there less than two years, find out how long the previous person was there. If both are short, chances are you won't be there long either. You want to know what the first priority to be addressed is, if there's a time frame for accomplishing it, and if so, what it is. Is it a realistic one? And overall, in what condition is the job you’ll be picking up? Is it maintenance? Troubleshooting and clean up? Smooth, accelerated growth? How do the answers sit with you? When you're in the middle of the interview, you don't have time to think about that in detail. For now, notice if your stomach does a funny flip or if you feel a sense of uneasiness. That's a sign you need to chase down some additional information or obtain some clarification on the topic at hand. In any case, listen to what you're learning and ask questions instead of just eagerly answering questions. The toughest thing about interviewing is that you need to find out about the position and sell yourself as the one for the job – concurrently. Process the information later when the interview is over. It's easier to close the door than open it when it's too late. In the meantime, to stay in control of your career, if what you're hearing is agreeable to you, then show enthusiasm and throw the stiff formality out the window. Interviews should be dialogues, not question and answer sessions. You can't change the subject, but you can ask a question about the topic that's on the table. This gives you additional insight into the position and what they're looking for. It also helps you to know what part of your background you should be talking about, leaving you less likely to ramble on, hoping something will be impressive. You can also ask for clarification if something sounds a little...off. But pay attention to your tone of voice and your body language. A furrowed brow, a puzzled tone, and a curled lip are much more off putting than an interested tone, a smile, and a relaxed open manner. The latter shows genuine interest in the details. The former can sometimes be construed as the mark of a difficult person. Pretend you're interviewing with a friend's company, and the interview is just a formality. How would you be sitting? Sounding? What would your word choices be? Because self confidence has a completely different look and feel to it, and companies don't want to hire desperate people. They want to be specifically chosen for who they are and what they offer. Just like you do.