 |
|
|||||
Who's afraid of a little JOB INTERVIEW?
Are you good at being interviewed?
Most people would say "no," and, unfortunately, a lot of them would be right. Being interviewed is a skill, and it must be practiced if you are going to be any good at it.
Why do people in public office pay consultants to teach them the ins and outs of being interviewed by journalists? Politicians and high-level executives know that, while facts are facts, perceptions can become "facts." By learning to be good interviewees, they control those perceptions and gain their own objectives from the process.
That sounds underhanded, doesn't it? If you're uncomfortable with words like "control," you won't like the rest of this column very much. But if you're willing to ask yourself some tough questions about the impression you're leaving in job interviews, read on.
The first thing to remember about job interviews is that most people, including interviewers, are not trained in this process. Depending on his or her job title, however, the interviewer is likely to be much more experienced than you ever will be. For all you know, your meeting this afternoon will be the interviewer's fourth of the day, while it could be the first for you in several years. Uncomfortable yet?
The interviewer is also on home territory, is dressed in his or her normal work clothes (not in a suit that hasn't been worn for ages) and knows what the general course of the conversation will be. All advantages seem to be falling on the interviewer's side of the table.
If you undertake training and preparation in this process, you will level the playing field at least a bit. Before jumping in, consider these motivational points. If they're helpful to you, keep them to review as you prepare for interviews.
1. You are being interviewed because the employer already believes you to be qualified for the job. With few exceptions, employers don't spend time with people they don't think can do the work. The purpose of this meeting is to find out more about you as a person and as a colleague and to compare you with other candidates.
2. You have been invited to this meeting; you are welcome here. Even when the interviewer is not playing the part of host very well, remember that you're a guest of the company. Hold your head up and be confident.
3. You have the least to lose from this meeting. The interviewer is the one with a lot on the line. His or her job can be jeopardized by making a poor hiring decision. You're walking in the door without a job, and the worst that can happen is that you will leave the same way.
Now for the preparation part. Before every interview, consider the following questions. If you don't know the answers, find them or make very educated guesses.
1. What is the job for which you are interviewing? What is this job's role in the company? What are the main tasks you would perform?
2. What is the company asking from candidates for this job, in terms of training and experience? Why? (Is training or licensure required by law, for example, or is it only the company's preference?)
3. Which of the tasks they need performed can you do? Which areas of knowledge do you have? How does your experience relate to this work?
4. Which of the things that they've requested do you lack? How much will this gap in your experience or knowledge affect your ability to do the job? What is your plan for overcoming this gap? (Which training courses could you take, for example, if the employer hires you?)
5. Based on your analysis of the above information, what are your primary points to make in the interview? What three or four things must the employer know about you in order to decide to hire you? How do you plan to make these things known?
If you do this preparation earnestly, it will be time-consuming and challenging. That's good. Because job offers come only from job interviews, this is where your attention belongs. If you have an interview scheduled, prepare for it with all the time you can spare.
Next week's column will focus on practicing for the interview itself.
- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.
