Interview Preparation

Rob McGovern, Founder and CEO of Jobfox.com, wrote a helpful article about preparing for a job interview.

It's pretty straight forward stuff, but you'd be surprised how many people don't use these steps:

1. Mentally prepare. The day before the interview write a list of questions you think you'll be asked. Prepare answers for them. This will mentally prepare you so that you'll sound confident. After the interview, add any new questions.
2. Do your homework. You should visit the company's web site, learn about their products, and read the recent press releases and news about the company.
3. Prepare questions that showcase your talent. Don't say "No, I think you covered all I need to know." Here are a few of Rob McGovern's favorite questions:

• How do I get an "A" in this position?
• What are the long-term goals of the organization?
• If I earn an "A" in this position, what areas of growth would be available to me?
• What's the leadership style of my manager?
• How would you describe the candidate that is a great cultural fit for the company?

Some of the questions I like to ask are:

• What kind of challenges do you think I would face?
• What is the leadership style? (in general, not just your manager-to-be)
• What is the communication style of the department/across departments?

And don't forget to dress for success. Good luck.

Answering Tough Interview Questions

I'm retweeting this from a recruiter, Dan Green of VP of Marketing.

Dan's tweet cites an article, "How To Answer Tough Interview Questions," where the author, Ram, addresses 10 tough questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
4. What were your weaknesses?
5. Why were you laid off?
6. Tell me about the worst boss you ever had.
7. How would others describe you?
8. What can you offer me that another person can't?
9. If you could choose any company to work for, where would you go?
10. Would you be willing to take a salary cut?

I found it very helpful. Thanks Dan.

Uncomfortable Interview Questions

On the Secrets of the Job Hunt blog, Laura Whitelaw writes about some common questions asked in job interviews that make us feel tense. They are:

1. What are your strengths/weaknesses?
2. Why are you leaving your current employer?
3. What are your salary expectations?

Preparing answers for these three questions can help you feel more confident and come across as a strong candidate. You can read the full article here: How To Answer Three Uncomfortable Interview Questions.

Laura Whitelaw is the founder of Best Choice 4 Resumes and a Certified Resume Strategist. Her background includes several years working in the employment services field as well as some time working in corporate training and development. Visit http://www.bestchoice4resumes.com for free job search and interview tips and to download a free report “Top 10 Q & A’s To Help You Ace That Job Interview.”

If you have other interview resources to share, please post here.

Over 40 Candidates

In my TheLadders.com e-newsletter, there was an article written by Dean Tracy, a professional recruiter, called "5 Magic Words for Older Candidates."

Didn't really like the word "older," but read the article anyway. It has some good advice for candidates 40 and OVER.

The author says, "you can be the champion in your search strategy – not the casualty in this race for the job," and then offers "five points [to] serve as a checklist of ways to serve up your age in a way that elevates your personal brand instead of diluting your candidacy:"

1. Accomplishment versus seasoned - The way you present yourself on your resume should reflect your energy and commitment. Identifying yourself as "seasoned" is basically saying "I'm old!"
2. Evidence versus claims - Show that you too have the energy and tenacity of a young candidate but that you also offer real experiences that's needed to get the job done.
3. Polish versus wipe - Can't say it any better than the author: "...you must dress for the job you want, not the job you have. "
4. Aware versus well-versed - Simply said, if you don't know about social networking tools (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) that are being used today, learn them. You don't have to become an expert, but it's better to be well-versed than just aware of them.
5. Experience versus age - You can't change your age, but you can change the impression people have of your age. Demonstrate that your experience qualifies you as capable.

To read the entire article you must register with TheLadders.com. It's free and they have some good resources, like this article. If you don't want to register, I hope my overview has given you some helpful tips.