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Now, take these actions:
1. Make a list of your best "selling points" for
the position. What qualifications, skills, experience, knowledge, background,
personality traits do you possess that would apply to this particular job? Write
them down and look for opportunities to work them into your answers.
2. In addition to any sample job interview
questions you find through various resources, you absolutely must develop your
OWN list of probable questions based specifically on the job for which you are
applying. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes… what kinds of questions
would you ask to find the best person for this job?
3. Write down your answers to likely questions.
Study the job announcement carefully. (If you don't have one, get one!) Note the
phrases they use when describing the desired qualifications. You'll want to
target these as much as possible when developing your answers. For example, if
the announcement says they want someone with "strong customer service skills,"
make sure you include "strong customer service skills" in at least one of your
answers. That will make a better impression than saying "I helped customers."
4. Review and edit your answers until you feel
they are "just right." Read them over and over until you are comfortable that
you know them fairly well. Don't try to memorize them; don't worry about
remembering every word. Practice saying them out loud. If possible, have a
friend help you rehearse for the interview.
Be A (Short) Story Teller
Make use of this old marketing tip: "Facts tell
but stories sell." During a job interview, you are selling yourself. Whenever
possible, answer questions with a short story that gives specific examples of
your experiences. Notice I said "short." You don't want to ramble or take up too
much time; you want to be brief but still make your point.
For example, imagine two people interviewing for a
job as a dog groomer are asked, "Have you ever dealt with aggressive dogs?"
Candidate Joe answers, "Yes, about 10% of the dogs I've groomed had aggressive
tendencies." Candidate Mary answers, "Oh yes, quite often. I remember one
situation where a client brought in his Pit Bull, Chomper. He started growling
at me the moment his owner left, and I could tell from his stance he wasn't
about to let me get near his nails with my clippers. I think he would've torn my
arm off if I hadn't used the Schweitzer Maneuver on him. That calmed him down
right away and I didn't have any problems after that." (NOTE: I know nothing
about dog grooming; I made the Schweitzer Maneuver up for illustrative
purposes.)
Don't you agree that Mary's answer is better?
Sure, Joe answered the question, but Mary did more than that--she gave a
specific example and told a quick story that will be remembered by the
interviewers.
In today's job market where there are dozens of
highly qualified candidates for each opening, anything you do that will make you
stand out and be remembered will greatly increase your odds of getting hired.
Keep the Interviewer's Perspective in Mind; Answer
His "What's in it for Me?" Question
While many questions asked during job interviews
appear to focus on your past accomplishments, here's an important tip: they may
be asking about what you did in the past, but what they really want to know is
what you can do NOW, for THEM.
The key is to talk about your past accomplishments
in a way that shows how they are RELEVANT to the specific job for which you are
interviewing. Doing advance research about the company (such as at their website
or at www.hoovers.com) and the position will be extremely helpful.
Here's another example with Joe and Mary. The
interviewer asks, "What is the most difficult challenge you've faced, and how
did you overcome it?" Joe answers with, "In one job I was delivering pizzas and
I kept getting lost. By the time I'd find the address, the pizza would be cold,
the customer would be unhappy, and my boss was ready to fire me. I overcame this
problem by purchasing a GPS navigation device and installing it in my car. Now I
never get lost!" Mary answers, "In my current job at Stylish Hounds, management
ran a special promotion to increase the number of customers who use the
dog-grooming service. It was a bit too successful because we suddenly had more
customers than we could handle. Management would not hire additional groomers to
help with the workload. Instead of turning customers away or significantly
delaying their appointments, I devised a new grooming method that was twice as
fast. Then I developed a new work schedule. Both efforts maximized productivity
and we were able to handle the increased workload effectively without upsetting
our customers."
Joe's answer shows initiative and commitment (he
bought that GPS gadget with his own money, after all). But Mary's answer relates
specifically to the job they are applying for (dog groomer). And Mary had done
research about the company and discovered it was about to significantly expand
it's dog-grooming operations. So she picked an example from her past that
addressed an issue the interviewer was likely to apply to a future situation in
his company. See the difference?
Here's one more example. Joe and Mary are asked,
"What's your greatest accomplishment?" Joe answers, "I won two Olympic Gold
Medals during the 2000 Olympics in the high-jump competition." Mary answers, "I
was named Stylish Hounds's Dog Groomer of the Year in 2003 for increasing
productivity in my section by 47%."
Joe's accomplishment is pretty spectacular. But
remember the interviewer's perspective. He might be impressed, but he's thinking
"What's in it for me? What does being a world-class high-jumper four years ago
have to do with helping me to increase sales in my dog-grooming department?"
Mary's answer is much less spectacular than Joe's, but it's relevant to the
position and indicates that she has what it takes to be successful in this
particular job. It tells the interviewer, "I have what you're looking for; I can
help you with your specific needs."
Looks like Mary has a new job!
Do Not Lie
Last but not least, tell the truth. It's sometimes
very tempting to "alter" the truth a bit during a job interview. For instance,
say you quit instead of being fired. But the risk of being discovered as a liar
far outweighs the potential benefit of hiding the truth.
If you are thinking about telling a lie during the
interview, ask yourself these questions (this technique has helped me make many
major decisions): "What is the BEST thing that could happen? What is the WORST
thing that could happen? Is the best thing WORTH RISKING the worst thing?" In
this instance, the best thing would be getting the job. The worst thing would be
getting discovered as a liar, which could lead to getting fired, which could
lead to unemployment, which could lead to more job searching, which could lead
to another interview, which could lead to the stress of deciding whether to lie
about just getting fired, and so on… a cycle that can go on indefinitely. Is all
that worth getting the one job, perhaps on a temporary basis?
Always consider the consequences of your actions.
In Summary, Here's What You Need To Do When
Preparing To Answer Job Interview Questions:
1. Study the job announcement.
2. Research the company.
3. Anticipate likely questions.
4. Prepare answers to those questions that are
relevant to the position and the company.
5. Promote your best "selling points" (relevant
qualifications, capabilities, experience, personality traits, etc.) by working
them into your answers.
6. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular
Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life
Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her
website:
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Lowe
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