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REACH YOUR INTERVIEWING PEAK

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Turn an uphill climb into a landslide.

Interviewing is a lot like mountain climbing--one misstep can result in disaster. Without the right preparation, what might otherwise be an uphill climb can easily turn into a landslide. Here are a few interview preparation tips that books on the subject sometimes overlook.

Do Your Homework


One client recently told me that a company he interviewed was impressed that he had called them to get information before an interview. They told him he was the only candidate who had done so. They also offered him the job.

Research--or, rather, the information that research unearths--gives you leverage in an interview. It can affirm your interest in a company or position and it can help you sell yourself as a qualified applicant. With background information at your disposal, you can more easily draw parallels to connect your own experience and skills with what you know the employer needs.
"Your mission statement refers to teamwork as the number one priority, and I value that same goal in my current work as Project Team Manager."
Likewise, incorporating facts and details creates unique and memorable questions.
"I understand you have very little employee turnover. If hired as supervisor, what pros and cons could I expect, considering the dynamics of the department?"

Take advantage of libraries, bookstores, university career services, and the Internet. Each resource can also be a useful way to find company information, either from companies' Web sites, or from third party research.

Show and Tell
Patrick Combs, motivational speaker and author of Major in Success, recommends bringing a "show-and-tell" item to the interview--reports, computer programming, analytical forecasts, award certificates, etc. Showing examples of your skills is more effective than simply talking about them, and Combs's personal experience confirms this.

After learning his boss was to be the new Video conferencing Manager, Combs went out and discovered over 80 articles on the subject, which he organized and presented to his boss in a binder. Combs successfully convinced his boss that he was highly qualified and managed to jump from a $10/hour internship to an $80,000 salaried position.

If you're not in a position to showcase a portfolio of any kind, bring tangible experience to the table.

For example, a significant majority of employers use behavioral interviewing techniques--they believe that past behavior is a likely indicator of future behavior. So if you're asked about a general skill, provide a specific example to help you take advantage of the interviewer's expectations. It isn't enough to say you've got "excellent leadership skills." Instead, try:
"I have excellent leaderships skills through my supervisory experience of 15 fundraising volunteers. Through effective communication, delegation, and personal intervention, I was able to successfully achieve our goals."
Practice! Practice! Practice!
I'm always surprised at how many candidates improvise an interview! Not practicing can make you feel like a free-climber--no ropes to save you if you tumble. Planning your answers has several advantages. You can try out appropriate phrases and words while practicing out loud. Keeping potential responses at hand reduces anxiety and slows rapid, nervous speech. Words and phrases such as "like," "you know," "kind of," "maybe," and "stuff," disappear. Filler words ("um" and "ah") likely will too. Practice inserting pauses; they can also help solve these problems.

Make Your Case
Why should you get the job? You're the best person for the job, that's why! You have to believe you are the best person for the job, or you won't convince anyone else. Granted, you may not have all the necessary experience, but you got into the interview, didn't you?

After you've described your specific skills during the interview, a summary of general categories of skills and experience will suffice.
"Mr. Smith, throughout my ten years of professional experience, I've demonstrated the leadership, technical ability, and customer development that I believe you are seeking in the ideal candidate. Should you hire me for this position, I would strive to become a valuable member of Widget Tech, Inc."
Climbing your way to the top isn't necessarily a solitary endeavor. Seek assistance from individuals whose counsel you value most: mentors, supervisors, professors, career coaches, or colleagues. They'll be happy you see them as valuable resources. With the necessary equipment--rehearsal, research, a show and tell item, and confidence--interviewing won't inspire as much fear as it once did.
If this article has helped you in some way, will you say thanks by sharing it through a share, like, a link, or an email to someone you think would appreciate the reference.



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