Preparing For The Interview
The hardest part to getting a job is surviving the interview. Some of us can be too closed mouth afraid to say too much while at other times we are too outspoken and become annoying. Not only do you need to know how to act – but you also have to answer all those hard questions with the answer that they are looking for.
There are a few good tips to remember before you step foot into that room:
#1: You need to sell everything
Interviews are the time to “sell” what you’ve accomplished – not tell them a long drawn out story. For example, if you’re asked how many people you managed in your last position, you might just answer with a quick, “I had a team of 35.”
Make sure that you explain everything that you did. You don’t need to give too much detail - but you can explain how many people you had under you and what exactly you and your team accomplished. This lets them know exactly what you have done in the past – which may have answered some of the questions that he was going to ask. So you saved him time and showed how competent you can be at your job.
#2: Stay Positive
What do you do if your interviewer asks about your experience managing other people and you’ve never done that before? Your first inclination might be to say that you don’t have any direct supervisory experience. Don’t do that; you never want to answer “no” or “I don’t know.” Instead, use related experience to answer the question and demonstrate your specific skills.
For example, you’d answer that question with, “My background includes extensive experience coordinating workload distribution among a team of 50+ personnel, and responding to their specific questions about job assignments, deadlines, and resources.”
Then, even though you’ve been honest (you never said you supervised anyone), you’ve positively positioned yourself.
#4: Be confident, not nervous
I know that sitting in an office with the top guys in the biz can be nerve wracking. You need to clear hour head and remember that you made it to the office – you passed the first test. Stay professional, calm, and remember that they are interested in you.