90% of hires are based solely upon the interview according to a Harvard Business Review study. In fact, 63% of hiring decisions are made within the first 4.3 minutes of an interview (courtesy SHRM). So, the interview is probably the most important part of the hiring process. And that's why you need to spend time with us to better understand whom you are interviewing with and the issues that you will be talking about during the interview.
“Your experience gets you the interview, but the interview gets you the job.”
~ Ed Corpus, Managing Director
Interviewing.
You always need to "take temperatures" because people have minds and they're changing them constantly. You need to listen to what they don't say. Being prepared for an interview is vital. The following preparation is very unique and effective in conducting a positive interview.
Watch this video to learn the crucial basics of interviewing, then contact us to discuss the specific details of the position you are interviewing for:
Things to Remember.
People have to buy you before they buy from you.
People hire and accept emotionally first and justify logically later.
People are most sold by your conviction rather than by your persuasion.
Know your technology, but think people.
The decision to hire is made in the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview, with the remaining time spent justifying that decision.
The Preparation.
Please take these notes to the interview and practice the anticipated questions that may be asked and your answers to those questions. Be sure to practice these steps out loud to yourself before the interview.
What are the duties and responsibilities of the position I'm applying for? This is an excellent icebreaker question for the hiring authority and a great start to a successful interview. What percentage of my job is dedicated to administration, supervisory, and technical?
What is my number one priority that has to be done before I leave each day? Why?
What are the production or sales goals? What obstacles would prevent me from reaching my goals?
What are the short and long term goals set for the person in this position?
Have questions for the hiring authority. Questions must be written out before the interview, while avoiding the topic of compensation and benefits for the first interview.
Salary - this is a trap question. If the question is brought up a very good response is "I would like to be compensated for the value that I would bring to the company.” Be very careful that you don't short yourself. Be sure to keep in mind your base salary, bonus program, stock options, gain sharing programs, performance bonuses, benefits, etc.
Ask for the job! "I haven't interviewed in a while, what is the next step? Can we conclude our business today if all goes well?" Summarize what you've done that ties in with the new position and ask, "Do I have the qualifications you're looking for?" then remain silent for an answer. If the hiring authority says, "I'm looking at other people," you say, "How do my qualifications match the people you're considering." Your #1 priority is to receive an offer, if this is a position that you desire, your #2 priority is to know the next step.
Always send a follow-up letter.
After you leave the interview, it is very important that you call us immediately!
Phone Interview.
Phone interviews are challenging. All of the subtle nuances of in-person communication are lost in favor of saving time and travel. However, it is a great tool to establish mutual continuing interest before committing to an in-person meeting. A couple of tips for phone interviews:
Dress appropriately. Even though the interviewer won't be seeing you in person, the way you dress will affect your self-image. Your self-image will affect how you present yourself on the phone.
Use appropriate posture, or even better stand up. Proper posture impacts your voice inflection.
Smile, even if it won't be seen it will be heard over the phone.
Be prepared. Have your resume in front of you. Also, have a short list with your “most proud of moments” and insightful questions prepared. Remember that the phone interview is a tool to get invited to the next step. The goal is to get the invitation. Be prepared to use a strong closing question. Example "Do you have any additional questions about my background that I can answer prior to our meeting in person?"
Have your calendar handy. If you get invited to the next step let them know your availability. If you feel particularly strong about wanting to move the interview to the next step, a great closing comment would be, "I am available on (fill in a few date choices) to meet in person or to talk to the next person via phone, and look forward to continuing the interview process".
When the interview is complete, please give us a call, send an email or text, to let us know how it went.
Lastly, no interview is complete until you send a thank you note. We will always have the address at hand for you if you need. A professional thank you note is a must in today's competitive job market. For more tips on a professional thank you note, call your us.
Video Interviewing.
Do you have a video interview on your schedule? As hiring becomes global and more employees work remotely, video interviews have become commonplace.
For hiring managers and recruiters, they're a way to quickly conduct first-round interviews, save on transportation costs, and get the interview process started much faster than scheduling in-person interviews.
For some positions, the entire process may be handled virtually, while others may have a combination of video and in-person interviews.
~ thebalancecareers.com/tips
What to Expect.
What should you expect during a virtual interview? The video platform will vary depending on the company, but a ResumeGo survey reports that employers typically use:2
Zoom: 43%
Skype: 12%
Google Meet/Hangouts: 19%
Microsoft Teams: 7%
Cisco WebEx: 5%
Other: 14%
Zoom ranks even higher as the most-used platform in another report. The Zenefits report notes that Zoom is the most commonly used interviewing platform (72%), followed by Skype (43%) and Google Hangouts (27%).3
Surveyed companies reported that most interviews lasted under an hour:
Under 30 minutes: 36%
Between 30 minutes and 1 hour: 48%
Over 1 hour: 16%
If you've got multiple interviews in a single day, be sure to give yourself a time buffer in between so you have time to get set for the next interview.
Advance Planning.
Take the time to prepare for your interview in advance. In most cases, everything will go smoothly, but it will be less stressful if you practice in advance.
Do a trial run a day or two before the interview.
Check your webcam and any headset or microphone as if you were going to do the actual interview. If possible, use the same video technology that you'll be using during the actual interview. That way, you won't have any last-minute installation issues or password problems right before your interview.
Your camera should be at eye level (not above or below). A poorly placed camera can result in unflattering double chins or weird shadows. Check to make sure your sound equipment works properly.
Regardless of location, make sure that you send any materials (resume, portfolio, etc.) that the recruiter needs in advance.
What to Wear.
The ResumeGo survey reports that most employers prefer that job candidates wear business casual, but many don't have a preference.2
Doesn’t matter: 44%
Business casual: 52%
Business formal/professional: 4%
The camera angle should show you from the waist up because your face is the real focal point. But if there is any possibility you will need to stand up, make sure your pants or skirt is professional. You don't want to be the person whose inappropriate interview attire gets noticed.
Check Your Background.
During your test run, take a look at the background that shows up in the video. Does it look cluttered or distracting?
Plan to have your background be tidy. A plain wall is ideal, or an office-like setting. You may be able to choose an online background to use, depending on the video platform you're using.
During the Video Interview.
Make sure the table and your surroundings are clean and neat. You don't want to distract the interviewer. If you're interviewing in your home, make sure that you are in a quiet space with no barking dogs, children, music, or other sounds.
As well, turn off your phone and any alerts on your computer to avoid getting thrown off by emails or instant messages during the interview. The microphone will pick up any noise in the room, so don't tap your pen or shuffle papers.
Make eye contact, and remember, that means looking at the camera (and not the picture-in-picture image of yourself).
Use the same good posture you would use during an in-person interview. Avoid making a lot of hand gestures—even with a great Internet connection, there can be lag time, and hand gestures can stutter on the screen.
I was in a job interview today when the manager handed me his laptop and said, “I want you to try and sell this to me.”
So I put it under my arm, walked out of the building and went home.
Eventually he called my mobile and said, “Bring it back here right now!”
I said, “$100 and it’s yours.”
~ www.LoveThisPic.com