Helpful Hints

Interviewing Tips

The vast majority of job seekers admit to emotions ranging from mild uneasiness to downright panic leading up to their interviews. At Quantum Leap, your search consultant will assist you in preparing for your interview. So relax and follow these simple tips for keeping your anxiety at bay before and during your interview.

Take the time to prepare for your interview

Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much as possible about the company and the position for which you're interviewing. With today's technology, there's no excuse for lack of research. Your search consultant will be able to brief you on the company, but you should search the web or the library for additional information. After you've studied the company, write down a list of questions to ask the employer. Solid preparation demonstrates interest, enthusiasm, and intelligence. It shows that you care enough to come prepared with well thought out questions. For example:

What are the characteristics or traits of the person who you will hire for this position?
(you want to make sure that you understand the company's culture and that you fit within that culture)
Why is this position available?
(you want to make sure that they have not had significant turnover in this role and that if it is a new position that they have clear goals and objectives)
What are your goals for this position?
What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
How will my performance be evaluated?
(You want to know what their expectations are and whether you are experienced enough to meet and exceed those expectations)
What opportunities are there for growth over the next 12 months? In the next five years?
(you want to ensure that there is advancement capability and growth opportunity)
Be sure to have at least 10 to 20 questions written out before beginning an interview. These questions should center around:
The company, it's history and positioning in the marketplace
The industry and marketplace
The position, expectations and accountabilities

Be prepared for the tough questions

No one can predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, but your search consultant should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask. To prepare, think about how you would answer the following questions:

"Tell me about yourself." Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review your past positions, your education and any other strengths that pertain to the job. The interviewer is not interested in your hometown or what you do on the weekends. Pick a couple of points about yourself, your professional experience and your career goals and stick to those points.
"What do you know about our organization?" If you've done your research correctly, you should have no problem answering this one. Be positive.
"Why are you interested in this position?" Relate how you feel your qualifications really match the requirements of the job. Also, express your desire to work for that company. Show you've done your homework.
"What have been your most significant career accomplishments to date?" The secret to this question is being specific and selecting an accomplishment that relates to the position. Think of the qualities the company is looking for and develop an example that demonstrates how you can meet the company's needs.
"Describe a situation in which your work was criticized." Focus on how you solved the situation, and let the interviewer know how you became a better person because of it.
Why should we hire you? Here's the chance to really sell yourself. You need to briefly and succinctly lay out your strengths, qualifications and what you can bring to the table.
What are your salary expectations? Let the interviewer know that you will be open to discussing fair compensation when the time comes. If pressed for a more specific answer, always give a range, rather than a specific number.
"How would you describe your personality?"
"How do you perform under pressure?"
"What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?"
"What did you like least about your last position?"
"Why are you leaving your present company?"
"What is your ideal working environment?"
"How would your co-workers describe you?"
"What do you think of your boss?"
"Have you ever fired anyone? What was the situation, and how did you handle it?"
"Are you creative?"
"What are your goals in your career?"
"Where do you see yourself in two years?"
"What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?"

Highlight past accomplishments

In every interview you will be expected to explain how you work, what results you obtained, how those results changed your current company,etc. You must think through the benefits you will bring to your new company and be prepared to back them up with past performances. The following is a technique to keep your thoughts logical, clear and concise. Remember the word P A R. P A R stand for:

Problem Set up a real life situation
Action Discuss the appropriate actions taken in the situation
Result Show the positive results of your actions

Don't take Telephone Interviews lightly.

It is quite common for companies to conduct an initial telephone screen with a candidate. Having a formal business discussion over the telephone is not natural for many people. Take the time to make sure that you properly prepare.

Find a quiet environment. No dogs, kids, televisions, other phones, airport noise in the background
Arrange a time when ideally you can be on a lan line. If must be conducted on cell phone, be sure area has good reception.
Be able to focus. No driving, no wondering if your boss will walk in.
Talk directly into the mouthpiece and annunciate very clearly.

Follow the Do's and Don'ts of interviewing

Do...

Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is never excusable.
Clarify questions. Be sure you answered the questions the employer really asked.
Get the interviewer to describe the position and responsibilities early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and your background to the position throughout the interview.
Discuss your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job.
Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact, don't slouch, and maintain your composure.
Anticipate difficult questions, and prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths.
Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one.
Ask questions throughout the interview. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation.
Listen. This is probably the most important skill of all. By concentrating not only on the employer's words, but also on the tone of his or her voice and body language, you will be able to pick up on the employer's style. Once you understand how a hiring authority thinks, pattern your answers accordingly. You will be able to relate better to him or to her.
Bring a single notebook or brief that you can take notes. Bring copies of your resumes and a list of your questions.
Wear traditional business attire even if the environment has a business casual dress code.

Don't...

Answer vague questions. Rather than answering questions you think you hear, get the employer to be more specific and then respond.
Interrupt the employer. If you don't have time to listen, then neither does the employer.
Smoke, chew gum, or place anything on the employer's desk.
Take cell phones or beepers into the interview.
Be overly familiar, even if the employer is.
Wear heavy perfume or cologne.
Ramble. Long answers can make you sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don't answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain yourself in detail whenever possible.
Lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible.
Make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies.

Close the interview

Too many people second-guess themselves after an interview. By closing strongly and asking the right questions, you can eliminate the post-interview doubts that tend to plague most interviewees. If you feel that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, express your interest to the hiring authority and turn the tables a bit. Try something like the following:

"After hearing more about your company, the position and the responsibilities at hand, I am certain that I possess the qualities that you are looking for in the (title) position. Based on our conversation and my qualifications, are there any issues or concerns that you have that would lead you to believe otherwise?"

You have a right to be assertive. This is a great closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, this is a great opportunity to overcome them. You have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on positive note.

A few things to remember during the closing process:

Don't be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the office first, or interview other applicants, before making a decision.
Make sure you answer the following two questions: "Why are you interested in the company?" and "What can you offer?"
Express thanks for the interviewer's time and consideration.
Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can write a thank-you letter as soon as possible.

Follow up after the interview

When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is seeking, and match your strengths to them. Then, call your search consultant! Follow-up at this stage is critical. Finally, write a thank you note no later than 24 hours after the interview has ended.

Write a thank you letter

Send out your thank you letters no later than 24 hours after your interview has ended.
Always keep your audience in mind. Address the issues and the concerns that were mentioned during the interview.
Use the thank-you letter as a follow-up "sales" letter, in which you restate your reasons for wanting the position and remind the interviewer why you're qualified.
Mention anything of importance that your interviewer might've neglected to ask in person.
If you're only writing a few sentences, send a handwritten note. Otherwise, send a typed, formatted letter (see sample letters below).
Thank everyone who contributed to your job search. If using email, send separate emails to each individual you interviewed with.
If you decide after the interview that you don't want the job after all, write a respectful note withdrawing your application.
Choose your words carefully when using email. Email creates an instant written record, so don't let the speed and the ease of sending it blind you to the fact that you will be judged on what you've said and how you've said it.