GETTING READY


You have to play the interview process like a game. It has
certain and specific rules and you are a player with
defined roles and goals. If you win, you get a job offer.
If the interviewer wins, they get a person they can feel
good about doing the job. If all goes well, this is one of
those games where no one loses and everyone wins.

              PREPARE FOR THE GAME:

** Go to the library and spend some time researching the
company, the reference desk can be of great help.

Interviewers are impressed when someone they are
considering can show some knowledge about their company.
It speaks volumes about your dedication, ability, interest
and foresight. Also make some phone calls and find friends
who might have worked for similar companies. It can also
pay off if you ask your friends if they know someone that
works for that company, or even if they know someone that
knows someone. IMPORTANT!: Stress that you just want to
talk, you are not looking for a recommendation. If you
find someone, ask intelligent questions and tell them why
you are asking. Be polite and cordial and thank them for
their time ( a written note is in order ). By stressing
that you are not seeking a recommendation or favors, just
information, you may be surprised to find that the person
you spoke with actually does recommend you. It happened to
the author ( I got the job).

This is also great practice. You can never be to good for
an interview!

** Use a tape recorder.

Interview yourself until you feel comfortable with every
conceivable question and answer you can come up with. You
are ready when you can hear the confidence in your voice.

** Try to find out what happened to the last person who
had your job without being too direct. Do this by asking
great questions like what is it that the best people do,
what mistakes to watch out for, who is outstanding and
what makes them so. You can gain lots of ammunition from
questions like this.

** Be prepared for the "tough" questions, like, "I like
you but I'm a little worried about your lack of
experience. . . " or "Why have you been out of work for so
long?" or "Why did you leave your last job?" Don't give
canned speeches, again be brief and confident.

Ask questions to maintain a degree of control. Don't
answer any questions until you fully understand them.

Maintain eye contact.

DON'T LIE!!!! Instead, prepare reasonable answers that do
not reflect negativity on either yourself or any of your
past employers. An interviewer doesn't want to hear about
how you just couldn't stand the way your last boss smelled.

During an interview you should be doing about 85% of the
talking. If this is not the case, when you leave the
interview, the interviewer might discover that they know
very little about you. This may cost you a job.

If necessary, try to gracefully make your points. This
should not be necessary unless the interviewer is new at
the game.

Warning!! If the interviewer spends more time building up
the company than questioning you, beware of the job
itself. Some companies play numbers games, especially in
sales, and figure that the more bodies they have the better
they will do. You do not want to work for these people.

** Interviewers have four basic "plays."

Mr/Ms Friendly is very much a company player and is warm,
concerned and of course friendly. They are looking for a
team player and it is suggested that you emphasize those
attributes.

Mr/Ms Bullet is direct and target oriented, impersonal and
all business. You should reflect that attitude as well
during the interview.

Mr/Ms Spock is logic oriented and wants to know the how
and the why of things. Both what you've done in the past
as well as what you will do with their company. Give
concise and logical answers and then expand on your
methods and theories.

Mr/Ms Intuitive can be a nightmare if you aren't prepared.
They are prone to snap judgments and often say things just
to see how you might react. Be responsive and confident
and let the interviewer run the show. If they try to
provoke you just to see how you handle stress, smile, be
confident and win them over!

   STRESS YOUR ASSETS AT THE INTERVIEW BY EXAMPLE.

Use specific stories to convey your greatest assets, but
don't make them up. The toughest thing about lying is that
you have so much to remember. Keep it simple, keep it
honest, that way you don't have to remember what you
fabricated. You already have the memory. Example. . .

"Every other employee had given up on XYZ as being
hopeless. They thought they would never get an order so no
one even tried anymore. I called on them every six weeks.
It only took four months to get an order. It was small,
but within a year, we were doing over two hundred thousand
in business with them."

One simple paragraph. Takes less than 20 seconds to tell,
yet look at the information you have conveyed. . . That
you are tenacious. That you are not afraid of failure. You
possess initiative. You take pride in your
accomplishments. You did it for the company. You are good
at what you do. You are a risk taker. You are a problem
solver. You work hard. You are imaginative and
resourceful.

Not bad for a single paragraph.

Interviews are sometimes advancing, meaning that you will
first talk to lower echelon and if approved, passed on up
the ladder. Sometimes several times. If this happens,
don't be discouraged. Even if you don't "click" or get
along with the interviewer, sell yourself and keep an open
mind. The person you might ultimately work for could be
the exact opposite. Don't give up on the job until you
have all necessary information.

If, while you are being interviewed, a subject is brought
up where you may be weak or lacking, take charge and steer
the interview towards your strengths. Don't allow yourself
to be daunted, see every question as the opportunity it is.

Some interviewers might try the old "gunslinger method" on
you. This is where they place your chair where the sun
might be shining in your eyes or some other ploy to make
you uncomfortable or to give them the advantage. You want
to be as comfortable as possible. If something like this
happens, just take charge and ask if you can move the
chair or whatever it takes to make you comfortable.

         ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE ON TIME!!!

If you don't know where the business is located, do a
practice run the day before so you won't have any
surprises. This will also help to keep you relaxed
(important!). In fact, arrive early enough that you have a
chance to hit the restroom and check and adjust your
appearance before the interview.



DON'T SMOKE! Or drink for that matter, even if offered. It
could hurt your chances. Even if the interviewer offers
you a cigarette, refuse. If you do smoke and are asked
about it, don't lie unless you are prepared to quit. If
you have to give an affirmative answer, qualify it by
saying that you have cut down, don't smoke during working
hours, only smoke after meals etc.,. Damage control is the
name of the game here, but if you lie you could be setting
yourself up for future troubles. Ditto with alcohol.

How do you dress for the interview?
You dress just like you think the interviewer will dress
only cleaner and neater.

               BODY LANGUAGE YOU BOZO!

You can't erase a first impression. Make sure you have a
firm handshake. If you are nervous enough that you think
your palms will sweat, put anti-perspirant on them in the
morning.

Make eye contact. Sit up straight and proud, look like you
could kick butt all day and come up smiling. Confidence!
Most interviewers like to say things about "gut feelings,"
or "good vibes." What they are really talking about is
unconscious observation. Your appearance, how you held
yourself, your handshake, how you sat, eye contact,
nervousness, hands around your face, interest,
friendliness, compatibility, and so on.

As long as you don't lie about anything, you should have
no problem with the above.

        PERSONALIZE THE INTERVIEWER

Try to learn something about the interviewer, it
personalizes the process and you can give more meaningful
answers to questions. This is especially important if you
are being interviewed "up the ladder," or by higher levels
of management.

Try to find out in advance the name of your interviewer.

If possible, check them out by asking employees at the
firm that you might know about them. Ask about personality
and reputation.

Go to the local library and check out the local "Who's
Who" you may strike pay dirt. Keyword searches at the
local newspaper may also help.

Armed with this information, you just might have an
advantage. At the least you will know where their
interests and priorities might lie. Once you're in, say
something personal about them or their office. Example;
Are those your horses in the photo? They're beautiful
animals." Or, "Your receptionist is really great, how long
has she been with you?" Or, "I'm impressed with the
professionalism I see around here, you must be very proud."
Mean what you say so that you don't sound like a kiss up.
              ------------------------
             | THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS  |
              ------------------------

               TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

Don't you just love this question? One good way to answer
is to provide just a little personal history and then gear
the rest of your answer to the position you are seeking.
EXAMPLE; I was born in the Midwest and have one brother
and one sister. I had a happy childhood and was
entreprenurial even at the age of 7. I attended Cal State
where I Majored in Business Administration and also took
several classes in Marketing. I am currently involved in
reshaping the growth of the department I am in due to
improvements I initialized blah . . . blah . . ."

Or you might ask the interviewer to be more specific.
"Would you like to hear more about my training and skills
as they relate to this position or the experiences and
education that define my career objectives?"

Don't be intimidated by any question. Just remember to
answer it so that the response is favorable to you by
presenting your related skills or experiences, preferrably
by example.

         WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES?

Again, emphasize the positve, back it up with an example,
and show proof by illustration. Strengths will be easy.
Begin by emphasizing your self-management skill and
adaptability. Other strengths will naturally follow.

For weaknesses, adhere to the same rules. Be honest but
positive. Show a strength as a weakness. For example;
"I have trouble delegating authority and tend to take on
too much responsibility myself. I know I can usually do
things faster and better than someone else, so I tend to
do it myself. I realize this is a problem and have been
working on it by spending more time showing others how to
do the things that I should be delegating. It helps to
remember that someone once had to show me these things and
be patient with me."

           TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE

This is usually a fishing expedition by the interviewer.
They are looking for things like;
* How do you handle your leisure time.
* Do you have any marital or family problems.
* Financial problems.
* Children may affect days off.
* Stability (do you rent or own?).
Remember to respond in the positive always. "I have two
children at home in daycare during the week. Child care is
never a problem since their Grandparents live so close and
watch them whenever there is a problem with their regular
daycare provider."

     WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU? WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME?

They are really asking if you want to work for them or are
you just looking for any job. Be prepared for this one.
You should have done some research on the company or be
familiar enough with it to give a solid answer. They want
someone who is commited to a particular sort of position
or field.

Again keep it positive. Mention your motivation for
seeking work with them, what your special skills,
training, credentials and objectives might be. Just like
your resume, your answers must be tailored for the
position you are applying for.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF 10 YEARS
FROM NOW?

Another trap is set. They are really asking if you can be
depended upon to stay with this job and bust your butt
while you're there. Your answer is an unqualified "Look
what I can do for you." type of response. Again give some
sort of example; "I've considered long and hard about
where I want to be years from now. My goal is to be
considered one of this companies most valued assets. I
believe I can achieve that goal in a reasonably short
period of time because . . . " And then go on to give
examples of how you can benefit them (or any company for
that matter), and why they should hire you.
WARNING . . . Don't BS the interviewer. If you really
can't see yourself working for them years down the road,
you shouldn't have applied in the first place.

             HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH?

Already discussed, see Salary Negotiations. Remember the
first rule of salary negotiating. Don't! Until you have
actually been offered the job.


            BEWARE THE SILENT TREATMENT

A favorite technique of interviewers is to suddenly shut
up about half way through the interview. Most applicants,
seeking to fill "dead air" will often begin babbling and
hurt their chances. Don't ramble.

Take advantage of this time and see it as an opportunity
by being prepared with interesting ideas and pertinent
facts.

Take advantage by talking up your strengths and abilities
as they might specifically apply to your working for that
company. By being prepared, you will be ready to turn
negatives into positives.

Ask if there is anything they want to know about you.

Don't get carried away however. After a few minutes ask
the interviewer if they want you to go on or if they would
like to ask you another question.

If they want you to go on, simply repeat the process.

Remember at all times that you are playing the game, and
play it with skill. Be confident, succinct and to the
point.

Another interview trick is to ask a question like, "If we
were to offer you the job today, would you accept it?"

Respond with something like . . . "I'd love the job. I
think it would be good for both of us. I do feel an
obligation to keep the other appointments I've made for
the week. I am almost certain however, that I would accept
the offer. Shall we make an appointment for Wednesday (or
whenever)?

                THE DISTRACTION GAMBIT

If your interviewer is getting lots of phone calls or is
constantly being interrupted by a secretary or co-
workers, suggest coming back on another day. The
interviewer should then either refuse further
interruptions or take you up on your offer. It is just a
common consideration, a matter of politeness.

In the interview game, you should always seem to be
already committed to the job. Come across to the
interviewer as if there is no place else you would rather
be. Listen to them with your whole body and genuinely be
interested. Make them the temporary center of your
universe.

While your goal is to sell yourself, don't come across
like the image of a used car salesman. Develop the
attitude that you can help and benefit the company and the
interviewer and communicate this with your responses.

             CONCLUDING THE INTERVIEW

When the interview seems to be winding down, tell the
interviewer that you like the job, the company and that
you'd like to work for him or her. Be confident and state
that you know that you could do a great job for them and
that they can count on you. DO NOT SEEM PATRONIZING, do
seem confident. Conclude the interview by asking for the
job, this is called closing the sale. Restate why you
would be perfect for them.

                      FOLLOW UP

After the interview, be sure and follow up by sending a
note. Send the secretary a thank you note. Secretaries are
incredibly under rated. Many of them function like the
character Radar on the old television show M*A*S*H and are
a lot more involved than their position would indicate.
Besides they might mention you favorably to the boss.

Always Always Always give yourself an honest evaluation of
the interview process afterwards. What answers would you
change, what should you have said about . . . what could
you have done to improve your chances, was the outcome
affected by . . . could I have prepared more? Ask lots of
questions of yourself and review your answers. It could be
a gold mine down that job hunting road. 

It is important that you make notes AS SOON as the 
interview is over, while the whole thing is still fresh in 
your mind. Don't neglect this part, it can be immensely 
helpful. 

If you are ultimately turned down for the position, ask
why. Phrase it so that it is obvious that you are seeking
improvement, not that you are angry. Remember that
looking for a job is a trail that looks sort of like this;

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, YES.

When you get to that yes, everyone is a winner. You get a
job, they get a good employee. Unless . . .

You turn down the job offer. Could happen. Don't just jump
on the first offer unless you feel good about it. I have
heard too many times about people who accepted a job just
because they thought they had to take it, only to miss out
on a great opportunity a few days later because they were
unavailable.



                   - END FILE -