Smart Questions: Interview Your Way to Job Success
Dorothy Leeds site. Also see Marketing Yourself.
 
The Single Interview Myth
There are a few things about interviews that I'd like to clear up right away. First, it's important to recognize that there are many different types of interviews. We usually think of "the interview"—the one where you're talking directly to the person who may be hiring you. However, there are other kinds of interviews we often ignore. These include:
The Information Interview: In this interview, you're looking for information rather than asking for a job. This is one of the strongest marketing tools available to job seekers—and one of the least utilized. Information interviews are especially useful if you're new to the job market, or are changing from one field to another, and don't know many details about the industry that is new to you. The object at information interviews is not necessarily to get a job offer, but to fill in the gaps in your knowledge.
The Networking or Referral Interview: Statistics show that up to 80 percent of all new jobs are found through networking. Networking interviews can be formal or informal. A formal networking interview may take place in an office setting; an informal interview may take place anywhere at all. When you are looking for a job, you should be networking all the time. This book reveals the secrets of both subtle and overt networking, and helps you start a networking notebook so that you can uncover your own trail of job-search connections.
The Employment-Agency Interview: The most important thing to remember about employment agencies is that they make money by getting people jobs. Any jobs. They are not necessarily interested in getting you the kind of job you want. This book will show you how to take control of the agency interview, be very specific about your needs, and get the kinds of job interviews you want.
The Headhunter Interview: This is the only category where the interviewer generally calls you first. But even headhunters have to get your name from somewhere, and you want to be sure you're on their list. How do you do this? By marketing and promoting yourself. You'll learn some of the ways to make yourself visible so that headhunters are likely to think of you first when job openings arise. You'll also discover when you should call (or write) the headhunter first; what to do when the headhunter calls you; when to continue the conversation and when to set up a meeting; typical questions a headhunter will ask; and what questions you should ask the headhunter.
The Personnel-Department Interview: This is the one type of interview you want to try to avoid. However, this is not always possible—especially for entry level jobs in large companies. Personnel's job is twofold: to weed people out and to find the person who most perfectly matches the boss's requirernents. The personnel interviewer doesn't want to end an obviously unqualified candidate to the manger who is looking for an employee. She's going to look at your resumeŽ and your job qualifications in order to try to find the perfect fit, and any deviations are going to make a negative impression. As long as you understand the purpose of this kind of interview, you can learn how to get personnel on your side, how to sell your strengths, and how to tell the interviewer what she needs to hear in order to pass you on to the real decision maker.
The Pre-interview Interview: Whether you realize it or not, you may go through a screening interview by a secretary or receptionist when you call to set up an interview appointment. We'll let you in on specific techniques for dealing with this situation, and reveal other secrets such as the best times to call, how to use the telephone operator as your personal secretary, and how to use the pre-interview to get information about the job.
The Callback Interview: You've had one interview and it went very well-so well that the interviewer has asked you to come back a second time. What do you do now? You'll learn how to take advantage of this situation to find out more details about the company and the people with whom you may be working, how to shine a second time with the same interviewer, and how to deal with an interview with another person in the company (the interviewer's supervisor, partner, or associate).
The Multiple-Employer Interview: It's difficult enough to walk into a room and face a total stranger for a job interview. What happens when you walk in and there are three or four strangers facing you all in a row? This situation can be pretty intimidating unless you're prepared in advance. How you handle yourself under these circumstances is not that different from a normal interview. You'll learn how to establish a rapport with each of the interviewers, how to relax under stress, and how to ask and answer questions from the "group."
If you know how to handle yourself in these situations, you'll be a pro by the time you're interviewed by the person who counts the most.
- Why You Need This Book
- The Single Interview Myth
- The Information Interview
- The Networking or Referral Interview
- The Employment-Agency Interview
- The Headhunter Interview
- The Personnel-Department Interview
- The Preinterview Interview
- The Callback Interview
- The Multiple-Employer Interview
- Looking For Work In Hard Times
- Three categories of questions contained in this book
- 1. Questions about the interviewing process itself
- 2. Questions you need to ask yourself
- 3. Questions you need to ask interviewers
- Looking for work can be a frightening prospect
- This book is also meant to show how
- But What Do I Ask?
- The He/She Issue
- Work life navigation
- Part I Planning And Preparation
- 1. Questions to Ask About Yourself: Taking the Active Road to Job Success
- Introduction
- Questions to ask before next interview
- Secret Strategy Number 1: Become a questioning expert
- Secret Strategy Number 2: Learn to be active, not reactive
- Loading Up Your Arsenal of Accomplishments
- I Understand the Need for Being Active, Not Reactive. but How Do I Begin?
- Exactly What Is An Arsenal Of Accomplishments?
- I've Already Made Up My Resume. Isn't That Enough?
- What if I'm Just Getting Out of School, or Don't Have a Lot of Work Experience?
- How Far Back Should I Go? What Should I Include?
- What Did I Accomplish in School? (Areas to Consider)
- Courses:
- Clubs or Activities:
- Sports:
- Part-Time Work:
- What Did I Accomplish at Home? (Areas to Consider)
- Planning & Scheduling:
- Part-Time Work:
- Volunteer work
- Budgeting:
- Prioritizing:
- Hobbies and Interests:
- What Did I Accomplish at Work? (Areas to Consider)
- Organization:
- New Ideas
- Saved Company Money:
- Teamwork:
- Affiliations, societies, associations:
- Hunting Down Your Hidden Skills
- What Exactly Is a Skill?
- Did I Break Down My Achievement Into Its Individual Steps, and List the Skills in Each Step?
- Do I Enjoy Using the Skills I've Checked Off?
- Am I Being Judgmental, Comparing My Skill Levels With Others'?
- How Do I Use My Arsenal of Accomplishments and My List of Skills to My Best Advantage?
- Blowing Your Own Horn
- Secret Strategy Number 3: Be Your Own Pr Firm.
- Is a Job Search Really Like a Public-Relations Campaign?
- How Do I Start My Campaign?
- How Much Hype?
- What's the Best Way to Make My Accomplishments "Short, Sweet, and Punchy"?
- Is There Anything Special That Employers Are Most Interested in Knowing?
- How Do I Know (or Find Out) How Much I Contributed?
- Prioritizing Your Concerns
- How Do I Make My Own Personal Priority List?
- Secret Strategy Number 4: Make, and Memorize, Your Personal Priority List
- Summary--Knowing Yourself and What You're Looking For
- 2. About the Job Market: Getting the Inside Story
- Introductiion: Lets the Interviewer Know You Take This Opportunity Seriously
- Are There Other Reasons This Kind of Research Might Pay Off in the End?
- Secret Strategy Number 5: Research prospective companies
- What's So Important About Having a Focus?
- The Big Picture: Researching the Industry
- What's the Best Way to Get Information on the Industry in Which I'm Interested?
- What Are the Questions I Should Be Asking When Doing Research About an Industry?
- What Research Sources Are Available to Study Particular Industries?
- Is Any of This Information Available on Computer Data Bases?
- Getting More Specific: Researching Individual Companies
- Company Specific Research
- What's the Best Way to Get Information About a Company?
- Is There Any Way I Can Get a Firsthand Impression of the Company?
- Are There Any Types of Interviews I Can Use as Research Sources?
- Is There Any Information I Can Get Directly From the Company?
- Are Trade Journals and Professional Publications Good Research Sources?
- What About Directories and Reference Books?
- Are Any of These Resources Available on Computer Data Bases?
- Getting Most Specific: Researching Individual Employers
- Are There Resources Available That Will Provide Information on Individuals Within a Company?
- I'm Interested in Working for Smaller Firms That Aren't Listed in These Resource Guides
- What if I Don't Know Anyone Who Works at the Company
- 3. Employers: What Are They Really Looking For
- You Are the Most Important Investment the Organization Will Make
- Proving to the Boss That They Are Making the Right Decision
- You Versus the Next Person With the Same Qualifications
- Think Like a Boss
- How Do I Know What Today's Employers Are Really Looking for? What They Really Want?
- What Made This Job Seeker So Successful?
- Does That Mean I'm Supposed to Pretend to Be the Boss?
- What Exactly Am I Selling? My Skills and Experience?
- Is Hiring a New Employee an Emotional Decision as Well?
- Ten Success Factors
- What Are Some of the Personal Characteristics That Employers Admire?
- Adaptability
- Commitment
- Communication
- Creativity
- Decision Making
- Evaluation
- Foresight
- Independence
- Team Player
- Value-Added Marketing
- How Can I Convince an Employer That I Have These Success Factors
- I Need to Know How Bosses View the Hiring Situation. What's at Stake for Them?
- Communicating Right From the Start
- Make them look good to their boss
- Communicating with energy and enthusism
- Will my grating telephone voice hurt my chances of getting hired?
- How Important Is My Physical Appearance to an Interview?
- 4. Why Employers "Buy": Seeing (and Selling) Yourself From the Interviewer's Perspective
- What is the main reason that you buy any product?
- Why People Buy
- What Are the Main Reasons Why People Buy (or Say Yes, or Make a Commitment)?
- 1. Money
- 2. Recognition and acceptance by others
- 3. Feeling good
- 4. Looking good
- What Is the Most Important First Step in an Interview or in "Making a Sale"?
- Selling Yourself in All Types of Interviews
- On What Types of Interviews Will I Use My Selling Skills?
- How Can I Use Networking as a Sales Opportunity?
- How Can I Sell Myself to Employment Agencies and Headhunters?
- How Do I Sell Myself to Personnel Managers?
- Believe in the Value of Your Product
- Isn't Selling Myself Selling Out?
- 5: Special Considerations: the Higher-level Executive and Professional
- Introduction
- Consider Your Advantages
- What Are the Advantages I Have Gained?
- 1. Contacts
- 2. Associations
- 3. References and referrals
- 4. Salable skills
- 5. Severance pay
- Factor in the Disadvantages
- Are There Disadvantages as Well?
- 1. Fewer available jobs
- 2. Age
- 3. Lack of flexibility
- 4. Standard of living
- 5. Ego
- Take Appropriate Action
- What's the Best Way to Overcome the Disadvantages?
- Where Do I Start?
- How Can I Best Take Advantage of My Association Memberships?
- I've Been Offered Some Part-Time Work
- Interviewing From the Other Side
- I Have Not Been an "Interviewee" for Quite Some Time. Is This a Problem?
- What if the Interviews I Conducted Were Not So Successful?
- "Sorry, You're Overqualified "
- What Can I Do About This?
- How Do I Undersell Myself?
- How Can I Convince Them That I'm won't jump ship for a better offer soon?
- How Do I Accept an Offer of Less Money Without Undercutting My Value?
- Secret Strategy Number 8
- Summary of Last Few Chapters and Transition to Future Chapters
- 6: Getting an Interview
- Introduction
- Classified Ads
- What Are the Advantages of Using Classified Ads as a Source for Interviews?
- What Are the Disadvantages of Using Classified Ads as a Source for Interviews?
- When Do Employers Usually Place Classified Ads?
- To Whom Are Classified Ads Usually Geared?
- I Saw an Ad in the Paper That Interests Me. However, I Don't Fit All the Qualifications
- What Is the Best Way to Respond to a Classified Ad?
- What if the Ad States to Call the Company Instead of Sending a Letter or Resume?
- If I Get Someone on the Phone, Should I Use That Opportunity to Get Information About the Company?
- Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications
- Secret Strategy Number 10: Read the entire paper or magazine
- What Other Parts of the Paper, Besides the Want Ads, Are Useful for Finding Interview Leads?
- What Should I Do if I Find an Article or Profile That Seems Like a Possible Lead?
- What About Professional Publications and Trade Journals?
- Professional Associations and Alumni Organizations
- How Can I Use Professional Associations for Getting Interview Leads?
- How Do I Know What Associations Exist for the Industry in Which I'm Interested?
- How Can I Use My Alumni Organization for Getting Interview Leads?
- Job Fairs
- What Is a Job Fair?
- Are Job Fairs a Good Source of Interview Leads?
- What Do I Need to Know About the Fair Before I Get There?
- What Is the Advantage of Attending a Job Fair?
- What Is the Disadvantage of Attending a Job Fair?
- What Can I Do to Stand Out and Be Remembered?
- The Representative Also Seemed Interested in Me. What Should I Do Next?
- 7. Technique: How to Hone Questioning & Listening Skills
- The Power of Questions
- Shouldn't I Be Doing All the Talking at an Interview?
- How Do I Sell Myself at an Interview?
- Why Is Asking Questions So Important?
- 1. Questions give you information
- 2. Questions demand answers
- 3. Questions put you in control
- 4. Questions stimulate thought
- 5. Questions show that you care
- Don't I Already Ask Enough Questions?
- The Two Types of Questions
- What Is a Closed Question?
- What Is an Open Question?
- Why Are Open Questions So Useful?
- Clarifying the Situation
- Why Are Clarifying Questions So Important?
- Learn to Be an Active Listener
- Dealing with nerves
- How Can I Improve My Listening Skills?
- Isn't Listening a Passive Skill? Isn't It Something We Just Do Naturally?
- How Do I Listen for Intent?
- Picture This:
- How Do I Learn to Listen Actively?
- 1. Concentrate
- 2. Summarize
- 3. Evaluate
- 4. Listen between the lines
- Summary
- Part II: the Pre-Employer Interviews and How to Shine at Every One
- 8. The Structure of Interviews: The Six Phases
- The Preparation
- The Checklist
- What's the Best Way to Practice for an Upcoming Interview?
- When Should I Begin My Preparations?
- What is the purpose of this interview?
- What questions do I plan to ask?
- Have I got everything I need for the interview?
- How will I get there?
- What will I wear?
- The Opening
- What Can I Do to Make a Positive First Impression?
- 1. Make an entrance
- 2. Make eye contact
- 3. Watch your posture
- 4. Don't Hide Behind Your Glasses
- 5. Control your hands
- 6. Smile
- Should I Speak First in the Interview, or Should I Wait for the Interviewer to Say Something?
- What's the Best Type of Opening Question to Ask?
- The Body
- What Is a Typical Interview Format?
- Suppose I Don't Like the Format the Interviewer Has Setup?
- Will Wild Gesturing Count Against Me?
- The Tough Spots
- Handing Outside Interruptions
- What Should I Do if an Interviewer Offers Me Something to Eat, Drink, or Smoke?
- Unexpected Questions, Getting Flustered
- Amending Previous Questions
- What if the Interviewer Seems to Be Wrapping Up and I Haven't Touched on All My Relevant Strengths?
- What if I Feel I've Botched an Interview for a Job I Really Want?
- The Closing and the Follow-Up
- What's the Best Way to Close an Interview?
- I Know I Should Follow Up Every Interview. But What if the Interview Didn't Go So Well?
- Summary and Transition to Next
- 9. The Information Interview
- Changing Careers: The Information Interview as a First Step
- What Is an Information Interview?
- What Can I Gain From Information Interviews?
- Making Contact
- How Do I Get to the People Who Have the Information I Need?
- Do I Need to Know the Person or Have a Direct Reference to Get an Information Interview?
- How Can I Write an Effective Letter?
- 1. Open with the reason you're contacting this particular person
- 2. Include a brief summary of your background
- 3. Give the potential interviewer a hint of what you expect to gain
- 4. Ask for a short meeting
- 5. Not seeking a job statement
- 6. Will call statement
- Example Letter
- Be Clear About Your Objective
- What Is the Main Objective of an Information Interview?
- Sample Questions
- What Do You Like About This Industry?
- What Don't You Like?
- What Are Some of the Jobs That Are Available in This Industry?
- What Do Most People Look for When They Hire in This Field?
- What Kind of Training Do I Need?
- What Is a Typical Day at Work Like for You?
- How Did You Get Into the Industry?
- Is There a "Typical" Career Path for People in This Field?
- What Type of Advancement Opportunities Are There?
- Do Most People Work Long Hours or a Lot of Overtime?
- Does This Industry, or This Job, Have a Seasonal Influence?
- Can You Give Me an Idea of Salary Ranges for Entry-Level Positions in This Industry?
- What Effect Does the State of the Economy Have on This Industry?
- What Do You See as the Growth Potential for This Industry?
- What About My Background Would Be Attractive to Employers?
- What Type of Objections Do You Think They Would Have?
- Looking at My Resume, What Suggestions Would You Have for Improvement?
- What Associations Best Represent This Industry?
- Are There Trade Newspapers and Magazines I Should Know About?
- How Are Jobs in This Field Advertised?
- What Is the Best Way to Go About Finding Unadvertised Jobs?
- Is There Anything We Haven't Covered I Should Know About?
- Don't Forget to Network
- How Do I Use This Interview to Expand My Contact Base?
- How Can I Keep This Person as a Contact Throughout the Job Search?
- Summary
- 10. The Networking Interview
- Picture This:
- Seek and Ye Shall Become Connected
- Is Networking an Important Skill for Me to Learn?
- Are There Different Types of Networking Interviews?
- What Kinds of Networking Leads Should I Be Pursuing?
- When Should I Be Networking?
- How Do I Know Which Networking Contacts Will Turn Out to the Be the Best Leads?
- How Many Leads Should I Expect to Get From My Networking Contacts?
- Improving the Odds
- Your networking notebook might look something like this:
- Family, Friends, Acquaintances
- Support Groups:
- Inside Sources:
- Future Possibilities
- How Can I Use Networking to Improve the Odds of Getting the Interviews I Want?
- Just What Do You Mean by Being Active?
- Conducting the Networking Interview
- Once I Get a Networking Contact on the Phone, What Do I Do?
- You need to interview your networker
- First, ask your networker if he has a few minutes to spare
- You want to get as much information as you possibly can
- Here are some of the questions you may want to ask
- What is the correct spelling of the contact's name?
- What is the correct pronunciation of the contact's name?
- Can I use your name when I call or write to this contact?
- What is your relationship with the contact?
- What can you tell me about this person?
- What is the company like?
- Would it be possible for you to call or write first, to let the contact know I will be calling?
- When do you think you would be able to make this call or write this letter?
- Have you ever recommended anyone to this person before?
- Is there anyone else you can recommend I contact?
- Summary
- Don't Forget the Follow-Up
- What's the Best Way to Follow Up a Networking Interview?
- What Should I Include in the Letter?
- 11. The Employment Agency Interview
- Introduction
- How an Agency Works
- I've Heard Several Unpleasant Stories About Employment Agencies
- What Can I Do to Ensure That I Get the Most Out of Dealing With an Employment Agency?
- What Types of Jobs Do Employment Agencies Usually Handle?
- How Does an Employment Agency Find Out About an Available Position?
- What Is the Employment Agency Told About the Job?
- How Are Employment-Agency Jobs Advertised?
- What Type of Information Is Contained in the Ads?
- How Do I Contact an Employment Agency? Do I Call for an Appointment or Just Walk In?
- If I Call for an Appointment, Will I Be Prescreened?
- Suppose I Call to Ask for an Appointment. What Should I Be Asking on the Phone?
- Shop for an Agency You Like
- Is It Better to Work With a Large Agency or a Small Agency?
- If I Don't Like the Particular Counselor With Whom I'm Working, Should I Ask for Another Counselor?
- If I Do Ask for Another Counselor, Will It Be Held Against Me?
- What Happens When I Go in to the Agency?
- What Information Is Included in an Application?
- Questioning the Counselor
- What Is Your Own Background? How Long Have You Been With This Agency?
- Do You Specialize in Any Particular Area?
- How Do You Work With Your Applicants? Do You Call Me? Do I Call You?
- What Can You Tell Me About the Company to Which You're Sending Me?
- Who Will Be Interviewing Me?
- Can You Tell Me About the Person for Whom I Would Be Working?
- What Is the Client Looking For?
- What Benefits Does the Company Offer?
- What Should I Wear to This Interview?
- What Is the Time of the Interview and the Address?
- Do I Ask for Anyone in Particular When I Get There?
- What Questions Should I Be Asking at This Interview?
- Can You Help Me With My Resume?
- Do You See Any Areas in My Background That Might Cause Objections? if So, How Should I Handle Them?
- What Happens After the Interview?
- With Whom Do I Discuss Salary?
- A Reputable Agency With Experienced Counselors Can Be a Welcome Boon to Your Job Search
- 12. The Temporary Agency Interview
- Picture This:
- How a Temporary Agency Works
- Who Pays the Temporary Agency's Fees?
- What Kinds of Jobs Do Temporary Agencies Usually Provide?
- How Do I Know if Doing Temporary Work Is the Ght Way for Me to Go?
- Why Do Companies Hire Temporary Workers?
- What Are the Advantages of Doing Temp Work?
- What Are the Disadvantages of This Kind of Work?
- How Does the Temporary Agency Find Out About an Available Position?
- What Is the Temporary Agency Told About the Job?
- How Long Do Temp Jobs Usually Last?
- How Are Temporary-Agency Jobs Advertised?
- Do I Have to Call for an Appointment?
- What Is on the Application Form?
- Is There Anything I Need to Bring With Me to the Interview?
- What Happens After I Fill Out an Application?
- What Kinds of Questions Will a Counselor Ask Me?
- Why You Are Looking for Temporary Work?
- Is there anything you would not like or would refuse to do?
- What hourly rate are you looking for?
- How Do I Get Paid?
- Shop for an Agency You Like
- Should I Register With More Than One Agency?
- Is There a Good Time to Apply for Temporary Work?
- Questioning the Counselor
- Do you charge a fee?
- When you are given a job assignment, you should ask
- Who will I be working for?
- What will I be doing when I get there?
- What can I expect when I get to the job?
- What is the hourly rate for this job?
- Can I ever get a raise on my hourly rate?
- Summary
- 13. The Executive Search Firm (Headhunter) Interview
- Picture This:
- How an Executive Search Firm Works
- What Types of Jobs Do Executive Search Firms Usually Handle?
- How Are Headhunters Paid?
- What Are the Chances of Getting a Job Through an Executive Search Firm?
- Is It a Good Idea to Send My Resume to an Executive Search Firm?
- How to Get a Headhunter to Call
- High Visibility: Be a Star and Be Your Own Public Relations Consultant
- How Can I Become a Visible Presence Within My Industry?
- 1. Get your name in print
- 2. Write letters to the editor
- 3. Try radio and TV
- 4. Be visible in your community
- 5. Run for office in your trade association
- 6. Become a board member
- 7. Take advantage of in-house PR facilities
- 8. Do your own PR
- What to Do When a Headhunter Calls--or Writes
- How Does a Headhunter Contact Someone in Whom He Is Interested?
- What Should I Know About the Firm Before I Respond?
- Can I Get Information Directly From the Firm?
- Privacy Matters
- What level of responsibility does this firm cover?
- Does this firm specialize in a particular industry?
- Is there a particular person at this firm who specializes in a specific industry?
- What Should I Do if a Headhunter Calls Me "Out of the Blue"?
- The Initial Conversation
- Here are some questions you should ask the headhunter:
- What Do I Need to Know About the Job Being Offered?
- What are the major responsibilities of the job?
- What is the corporate culture like?
- Is it a large or a small company?
- Will it require relocation?
- Why is this position open?
- What is the compensation?
- What Happens After Our Initial Conversation?
- The in-Person Interview
- How Does an Interview With a Headhunter Differ From an Interview With an Employer?
- What Kinds of Questions Might I Be Asked During an Interview?
- Questioning the Headhunter
- Transition
- 14. The Personnel Department Interview
- Introduction
- How the Personnel Department Works
- Does Everyone Who Applies for a Job Have to Go Through Personnel?
- How Do I Get in to See Personnel?
- If the Company Places an Ad in the Paper, to Whom Are the Responses Sent?
- How Many Responses Are Typically Received for One Opening?
- How Important Is the Appearance of the REsume?
- Out of Those Two-Hundred Resumes, How Many People Get Called for Interviews?
- Who Calls the Selected Applicants?
- What Will the Personnel Interview Be Like?
- What Kinds of Questions Will Be Asked?
- What Qualities, Other Than Required Skills, Are Important to Interviewers?
- What Really Impresses Interviewers?
- What Turns an Interviewer Off?
- First Things First
- What Is the Best Way to Prepare for an Interview?
- Find out about the corporate culture
- Get to know as much as possible about the company
- Practice your interviewing techniques
- What if I'm not right for the job?
- Is It Harder to "Sell" Myself to a Personnel Executive or Directly to a Potential Employer?
- Does That Mean I Should Try to Make Friends With the Personnel Executive
- What Should I Do if I Get Sent on for a Second Interview, but Don't Get the Job?
- What Should I Do if I Do Get the Job?
- What Will the Personnel Executive Pass on to Other Interviewers
- After That Interview, Will The Boss Discuss My Application With The Personnel Executive
- How and When Is Money Discussed?
- Your Turn: What You Should Be Asking
- What Kinds of Questions Should I Be Asking?
- A Few Words of Advice
- Impact of Long Gaps in Employment History
- What's the Best Way to Deal With Rejection?
- Part III: Tips, Tools, and Techniques: Mastering the Art of Interviewing the Employer
- 15. The "Hidden" Interviews
- The Introductory Letter
- What Is the Purpose of My Introductory Letter?
- How Do I Know Who the "Right Person" Is?
- Now That I Have My Targeted List, What Should My Letter Contain?
- What Does an Employer Look for When She Gets Such a Letter?
- How Will a Well-Written Letter Affect My Chances of Getting an Interview?
- Dialing for Interviews
- What's the Next Step After I Send My Letter?
- Picture This:
- What Do I Say?
- The Resume Question
- Should I Send My Resume When I Send the Introductory Letter?
- Don't Most Employers Expect to Get a Resume?
- How Do I Customize My Resume?
- What Is a Chronological Resume?
- What Is a Functional Resume?
- What Is a Customized Resume?
- How Do I Know Which Is the Best Type of Resume for Me to Use?
- Can I Just Send a Resume Without an Introductory Letter?
- 16. Calling the Interviewer: Making the Most of Your Telephone Connections
- Facing the Fear of Phones
- I Don't Know Why, but I Hate Making Those Follow-Up Calls. Is This Unusual?
- Are There Other Causes, Besides the Fear of Rejection, for Phone Phobia?
- When I'm Calling From Home, It's Hard to Feel Like I'm a Professional. What Can I Do About That?
- I'm Presently Employed and Looking for a New Job. Can I Make Calls From My Desk?
- Getting Past the Gatekeeper or Protective Secretary
- How Do I Get Past the Protective Secretary?
- Method Number 1: Stay (Politely) on Course
- Method Number 2: Candor
- Method Number 3: Develop a Relationship
- Method Number 4: Call Early; Call Late. if the Boss Isn't Available
- Method Number 5: the Technological Approach
- Method Number 6: Make the Telephone Operator Your Personal Secretary
- When Is the Best Time to Make These Calls?
- The Preinterview Interview
- What Happens When I Finally Do Get Through to the Decision Maker?
- How Do I Handle a Screening Interview?
- How Do I Go About Getting an Appointment?
- Why Do I Need to Suggest the Time for the Meeting?
- What Do I Do if She Says No?
- Objection: "I Never Received Your Letter."
- Objection: "Why Don't You Just Send a Resume?"
- Objection: "Everyone We Hire Must Go Through Personnel."
- Objection: "Before I Talk to You, I'd Like to Know What Kind of Salary You're Looking For."
- How Should I End the Conversation?
- 17. How to Reveal the Skeletons in Your Closet Without Talking Yourself Out of a Job
- Sell Yourself Into a Job
- Are Tough Question Designed to Trick the Candidate?
- So What Is an Interviewer Really Looking for When He's Asking Questions?
- How Do I Know if I've Answered a Question Correctly?
- How Do I Turn a Tough Question Into an Opportunity to Sell Myself?
- Finding the Boss's Concerns and Addressing Them in an Answer
- Questions You Don't Have to Answer
- Do I Have to Answer Every Question When It's Asked?
- Aren't There Some Types of Questions That an Employer Cannot Legally Ask?
- Tough Questions, Smart Answers
- Why did you decide to go to the university you attended?
- When you were in school, did you participate in school activities?
- How do you spend your spare time?
- Why is it that you've been unemployed for over a year now?
- What have you been doing during all this time of unemployment?
- What have you learned from some of the previous jobs you've held?
- Why do you want to work for our company?
- Tell me about yourself
- Can you tell me about any hardships or unusual difficulties you had to overcome to reach your goals?
- Do you prefer working with others or by yourself?
- Do you think you would have problems working for a younger man or woman?
- What did you like about your last job? What did you dislike about it?
- What was the last book you read (or movie you saw)? How did it affect you?
- What have you done that shows initiative?
- What would you do if you disagreed with your supervisor?
- What would you do if you disagreed with a new company policy that had been instated?
- Do you see this paper clip on my desk? Can you sell it to me?
- Give an example of leading a team to a specific objective and how you achieved it
- If you were a project leader or director, how would you handle disciplinary problems?
- Where might fail to meet your needs and how would you compensate?
- I'm not sure you have the experience (or training) for this job. Do you think you can handle it?
- Where do you see yourself five years from now?
- What sort of money are you looking for?
- How much money were you making on your previous job?
- Transition to next chapter
- 18. Questions You Should Be Asking at Every Interview
- The Two-Objective Interview
- Do I Always Want to Get a Job Offer, Even if I'm Not Immediately Sure I Want the Job?
- Who Asks More Questions, Me or the Prospective Boss?
- How Do I Get the Information I Need?
- How Does Asking a Question Put Me in Control?
- How Can I Sell Myself by Asking Questions?
- Questions You May Want to Ask
- What are the key responsibilities of this job?
- What changes or improvements would you like to see in this job?
- What do you foresee as possible obstacles or problems I might have?
- Of the people who have had this job before
- If you hire me, what would your specific expectations be?
- What would you most like for a new employee to bring to this job?
- Why is the position open?
- How long has the position been open?
- How many people have held this job in the last five years?
- With whom would I be working on this job? Is it possible for me to meet them?
- How is job performance evaluated here?
- How is performance rewarded?
- What behaviors are rewarded here?
- How many women and minorities are in middle-to-upper management?
- Have you had any major layoffs or cutbacks in the past few years?
- Does the company have plans for expansion in the near future?
- What type of training is available for this job?
- How often would I meet with you?
- What is the corporate culture here? Can you describe the general atmosphere?
- Why did you join this company?
- What is it about this company that keeps you here?
- Make a list of at least ten questions you would like to ask at your next interview
- Closing the Case: Asking for the Job
- How Can I Be Subtle When Asking Closing Questions?
- Is It Ever Appropriate to Come Right Out and Ask for the Job?
- What if the Position I'm Interviewing for Is Not Sales-Related?
- Is That My Final Question?
- Once Again, the Follow-Up
- How Do I Keep Track of What Happens in Each Interview I Go On?
- Interview Follow-Up Worksheet
- What Should I Include in the Follow-Up Letter to the Employer?
- What Should I Do if I Call Back and Find Out I Didn't Get the Job?
- Transition to next chapter
- 19. "Callback" Interviews
- When You're Offered the Job
- What Should I Do if I'm Offered the Job?
- I've Decided Not to Accept the Job. What Do I Say?
- I've Decided to Accept the Job. Do I Just Say Yes Over the Phone and Leave It at That?
- A Second Interview With the Same Interviewer
- What Do I Do Now?
- How Do I Stand Out From Other Candidates Called Back for a Second Interview
- Should I Refer Back to the Earlier Interview?
- When You're Asked to Meet Outside the Office
- Do Interviews Always Take Place in the Office?
- When You're Asked to Interview With Someone Else in the Company
- Why Would I Be Asked to Meet With Someone Else?
- How Do I Prepare for the Second Interview?
- When You're Asked to Come Back for a Panel-Style Interview
- What Does This Mean?
- Should I Focus My Attention Equally on All the Panelists
- What Happens if I Can't Get This Information?
- With So Many People Asking Me Questions, Will I Get a Chance to Ask Questions of My Own?
- What's the Best Way to Prepare for a Panel Interview?
- This Seems Like Such an Intimidating Situation. What's the Best Way to Handle It?
- Interviewing for a New Position Within the Same Company
- How Do I Apply for My Boss's Old Job
- What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a "Known" Quantity?
- Another Job Within the Company
- Transition to Next Chapter
- 20. Negotiations: What to Do When You Get the Job Offer
- What's Wrong with This Picture?
- Cash in Your Bargaining Chip
- Why Is This the Best Time to Negotiate?
- What Exactly Is Negotiation?
- I'm Not a Professional Negotiator. How Do I Know I'll Be Any Good at It?
- Keeping Your Goals in Sight
- How Do I Know What to Negotiate For?
- How Do I Set Negotiating Goals for Myself?
- How Do I Determine My Priorities and My Limits?
- What do I want to get out of this job?
- How does this job fit into my long-term career goals?
- What are my real needs (other than money)?
- What is the most I could get?
- What is my bottom line?
- Where specifically can I compromise?
- Do I have a clear understanding of what's at stake, what issues are involved?
- Once I've Decided on My Negotiating Goals, How Flexible Should I Be?
- What Are Some of the Things I Might Want to Negotiate for (Besides Money)?
- The Money Question
- 1. What is your personal bottom line money figure?
- 2. What is the going rate for similar jobs in this industry?
- I've Gotten Through the Negotiations and I'm Ready to Accept the Offer. What Should I Do?
- Conclusion: Thirty-Five Secret Strategies for Interviewing Success
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