When preparing my clients for interviews, I often get to see the job description relevant to the interview. Usually, I caution my clients to take that job description with a grain of salt. I’ve learned through the years by working for major companies that the bigger the company, the bigger the mess. Of course I say that with sarcasm, but there’s a lot of truth in it.
Typically, job descriptions are documents that a human resources department requires on file for reference purposes. They have no practical use except during the hiring process or at the time of yearly employee evaluations should there be disputes. Once a position opens, the job description becomes the focal point for recruiting. However, sometimes the description on file has not been updated and made pertinent to the current position.
At times job descriptions are outright misleading! Evidence of this occurred when I interviewed with Honeywell. Truthfully, I was reluctant to apply for the position as advertised in the New York Times. It was two titles below my level but a 15-minute drive from my house. Since I was unhappy with my employer at the time, I was motivated to make a change. Evidently, my resume was so impressive that I was selected for an interview. However, during that interview, I learned they were looking for someone with my background and accomplishments and not what they advertised in the ad I answered. Turned out that I spent the best 15 years of my career with Honeywell.
So, what’s a candidate to do to be best prepared for an interview? The answer to the question is, learn the skills of (1) sleuthing by researching the company through networking contacts and (2) asking the interviewer questions whose answers reveal the key issues on the interviewer’s mind. The job description may disclose some of those issues, but many more of them may be buried among the details. The reason is easy to understand: Job descriptions are usually written by people in human resources, so how much can those workers understand the core needs of the position? Human resources most often uses standard-language descriptions that are overly generalized, such as, “Looking for a highly motivated self-starter with strong organizational and leadership skills. Must be an excellent communicator, with . . . ” The same goes for recruiters–unless they have a long-standing relationship with the company.
The conclusion is that the candidate should attempt to surface the true needs of the hiring manager as soon as possible at the start of the interview. One way of doing so is by asking the interviewer a question such as, “I understand what you’re saying, but I wonder whether you could tell me what the hired candidate would be doing during, say, the first six weeks on the job?” Any pertinent paraphrase of that question will get a reply that tells you what is important to the interviewer. After all, during the initial period on the job, a newly hired person would focus on what the boss needs done. Right?
Alex Freund is the founder of Landing Expert–Career Coaching. His Web site includes a current–and comprehensive–list of job search networking groups in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and the city of New York, and the site is visited by thousands of people every month. Landing Expert is a premier career-coaching service with the objective of preparing job seekers for interviews. Alex’s clients are gaining knowledge, receiving marketing material, and acquiring the know-how to beat the competition.
Alex can be reached at:
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In part 1 I talked about how defensive interviewing can sabotage results. In part 2 you’ll learn how to prevent it.
The first, and most obvious way, is to be prepared. Know what you want in a job and define it by looking at your previous positions. Consider what motivates you, in what kind of work environment you excel, know what type of company culture you want. This information gives you a basis for questions to tell you if the company is one you want to pursue.
Ask about company turnover. Find out how your potential manger envisions the working relationship. Measure these answers against what you’ve defined necessary for your next job. Pinpoint your negatives: holes in your employment, a termination, industry change, and instead of hiding them, find the positive spin and pipe up.
Defensiveness can strike out of nowhere as well. Knowing how to handle an awkward moment with grace can prevent you from dragging yourself down. Here are two of many specific examples that can be avoided by practicing interview questions and answers, defining how you can benefit a company, and remembering the decision is yours, as well.
SCENARIO #1:
You pick up a vibe – something’s gone wrong. Assumption: There’s something you said or did that isn’t favorable.
Normal response: You put effort into overcoming it.
Do this instead: “I seem to have said something that isn’t sitting well with you. Do you mind if I ask what it is so I can clarify or dispel any possible misconception?”
Why: Because it gets it out in the open. Then you can discuss it, address it, agree with it, wake up to it, whatever. It doesn’t sit on your mind, leaving you wondering what’s going on, and sabotaging – even mildly – the remainder of the interview.
SCENARIO #2:
The interviewer says he thinks you’re overqualified. You sense an end to the interview.
Normal response: To overcome the objection and convince him that you’re not.
Do this instead: Ask him why he believes that is so.
Why: Because then you can specifically address why he has that impression. Perhaps you have experience you haven’t elaborated on or that isn’t on your resume. Perhaps he’s formed a quick opinion based on something that flew out of your mouth. On the other hand, maybe he’s right. And if he is, then acknowledge it and end the interview – unless you’re looking for something for which you’re overqualified.
And if you are, then we’re back to why you should know what you’re looking for, which would have eliminated this entire scenario as you’d have addressed it directly.
One client, a successful, senior-level commercial banker, had been fired from his last job. Addressing why he left was giving him problems. Secondary banks were willing to hire him, but top banks were turning him down. I gave him the exact wording to answer the question, and told him to practice it until he could say it smoothly, lightly and naturally.
He did. Instead of frowning and then an awkward silence, his interviewers laughed, nodded, and smiled in understanding. And he was hired by a top bank.
Many of you will stop to consider, “Am I a defensive interviewer?” And some will say, “No. I don’t have that problem.” And maybe you don’t. But many who think you don’t, do. You walk in the door, standing tall, shoulders squared, smile on your face, wanting to make a good impression, but you’re defensive and may not even know it.
Pay attention to what you’re feeling. Start practicing awareness. Notice the shifts in energy during the conversation. If this sounds too woo-woo to you, all the more reason to follow my suggestion.
When you start getting a grip on awareness, you begin to notice if you’re a defensive interviewer. Then you can pinpoint what the problem is and fix it. And if you already know that you’re a defensive interviewer, what are you doing about it?
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My favorite, all-time best practice for interviewing is by far the most effective. I literally came upon this approach by accident (I am not kidding). A few years ago, I was preparing for a phone interview with a company. Part of my process is to not only perform due diligence on the employer, but to really study and understand the job description. I happened to jot down a few bullet points from the job description into my notes. These were some of the of primary job responsibilities, which also matched-up well with my experience, background and track record. As the phone interview began, I was asked about what interested me in the job. I responded by saying that as I reviewed the job description, there were a few things that jumped out at me. I then ticked off the three job responsibilities that I had copied from the job description to my notes, which I paraphrased; I did not recite them exactly word for word.
Upon reciting the primary job responsibilities that garnered my attention, I confidently asserted: “That is exactly what I do today for my current employer, and I have the track record and results to prove it.” Not only did I successfully progress through the interview process, I was offered the job. I ultimately declined the offer, but that is not the point. By going on the offensive early on during the interview, I gained an important upper hand. Remember, interviews are all about making positive first impressions. Well, I made a very positive first impression by asserting myself the way I did when asked about what interested me in the job. According to Dale Carnegie–author of How to Win Friends and Influence People–I had “aroused in another person an eager want.”
I simply compelled the interviewer to want to learn more about my candidacy by demonstrating upfront that I was a good fit for the job. And I did it by focusing on the needs of the company. From that point on, I decided that this was the best and most effective way to stack the odds in my favor. However, I realized that not all interviewers will ask the question: “What interests you in this job?” So, I decided that as soon as I sit down with the interviewer, I would immediately thank the interviewer(s) for their time and then express my enthusiasm for the opportunity upfront and then launch into why (as illustrated above). Simply put, I was selling my services to the interviewer. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of doing this, because nobody will do it for you.
This approach does require a certain level of assertiveness and fortitude. For many, this approach will feel very unnatural. For Type “A” people, this approach will likely be instinctive and feel very familiar. It does require some practice. I can promise you this…if you make the commitment to yourself and incorporate this approach into your interview preparation, you will take your game to a completely different level. Your competition will not stand a chance. What best practices do you incorporate into your preparation process and how have these practices helped you to ace interviews and get job offers?
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One of the frequent reasons a new client seeks me out is because they’re getting interviews, but no offers. The primary problem is always that the seeker has very little idea, beyond some basics, of what they’re looking for.
But there are always additional layers, one of which is lack of preparation, and is, not surprisingly, closely tied to the primary problem. And as this pattern continues, other problems develop, the most prevalent of which is getting defensive. Ironically, the harder you try, the worse things get.
Here’s the prevailing – and mistaken – train of thought: “It’s an interview. They want to know what I’ve done. It’s me; it’s my career; I know all about that. Piece of cake.” And you want a job with a similar title, in a solid company that pays well, and a boss that appreciates his employees. Twenty minutes of research on the company website, and period. End of sentence. Nothing more necessary.
Then you’re in the interview and you notice you’re not learning much of import. Maybe you even realize you’re not quite sure how to find that out. Not only that, but that last question was tough to answer. Now you’re a little unsettled. You try to regain what you perceive as lost ground. Funny. You’re equally unprepared every time you interview. Why is that?
Sometimes the defensiveness began long before your job search. If you’ve been fired, you’re defensive walking in the door. If you don’t have a degree and they want one, you’re already preparing your defense. If you really need a job, you’re mentally groveling and don’t even know it.
Job seekers try to fit themselves into a job without knowing if they want it. (See People Oriented post below, for starters) As a result, people try to get every job for which they interview. And yes, I do advocate that. But you need to know the difference between a job you’re pursuing because it fits your profile – and jobs you’re just…pursuing.
Also, when you know what you want in your perfect job, you realize an interview is a two-way street and you don’t give your power away. When you give away your power, the subtext of what you’re saying – your tone of voice, your body language, your answers, everything – says, “Hire me! Please!”
How do I know this? I was a recruiter for 22 years, and I worked with both sides of the equation. I’ve had my consulting business for two years since that. This behavior – which is prevalent across all management levels and salary scales – will eventually get you a job, but not one in which you’ll be happy.
Companies who respect their employees hire people who respect themselves. Self respect shows when a job seeker has thought clearly about their next job and asks insightful and relevant questions to reflect that thought process. The person isn’t afraid to ask for clarification. They’re a discerning individual who doesn’t waste their time or the company’s.
Defensive interviewers don’t behave like this. They trip over themselves to answer a question. They’re careful not to give answers that displease and sometimes quick to correct themselves if they sense a hint of displeasure from the interviewer. It’s no surprise, really, that defensive interviewers frequently end up at companies where they’re unhappy and subsequently hate their jobs.
There are companies who use their employees as a means to the goal, and companies who value their employees for contributing to the goal. Defensive interviewers end up with the first type, because those who prey on weaker beings take advantage of those who don’t stand up for themselves. When you’re afraid of not being hired, that’s all you think about – getting hired. And you’re ripe meat for those who just want a skilled body but don’t care about the person.
Thursday - part 2: How to stop it, no matter how much you need a job.
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Jan 19th President Obama spoke to a class of 6th graders in Falls Church, VA using two teleprompters. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to interview with the answers being streamed to you via a couple of teleprompters?
Well since it’s not going to happen and not everyone can have their answers prepared for them, the next best thing is preparation that you can get from jobadviceblog.com. The articles that we have on this blog are helping a lot of people get prepared for the big day. If you have not yet read these articles I would highly recommend some of these so that you are prepared.
Interview answers must be short. Know why?
Dress Attire 101 for Job Interviews
Prepare for and treat a job interview like a sales call
What Might Have Gone Wrong in the Interview
5 questions you should always ask on an interview
5 Things You MUST Do Before a Job Interview
If you want your resume and profile to stand out and to utilize some effective tools then sign up for FREE at myjobcast.com. For a free profile click here and look at the top of the page for the free account coupon code.
