If you are interested in what someone tells you about his work or company, look for an opportunity to arrange a more in-depth meeting. Get a business card. Express your interest by asking, "How is your company doing?" or "How long have you been at the firm?" or "What kind of work does your department do?"
Participate in volunteer or church groups and professional associations. Once you have established a relationship you can build further contacts.
- Executive search firms: consultants retained by a specific employer to recruit candidates according to that employer's specifications.
- Employment agencies: firms that fill a variety of jobs and look for applicants across a range. The agency is usually paid a percentage fee by the hiring employer.
If you are seriously being considered as a candidate, explore the situation even if you are not ready to move. Ask the interviewer to describe the position and organization. If the call comes unexpectedly, reschedule it so you can prepare your questions. Even if you are interested, play hard to get. Don't commit to any salary levels over the phone. Learn more about the company and the position first.
Executive recruiters are well informed about the fields for which they are recruiting. You can ask them about current trends in the industry and what qualities and expertise a particular company finds desirable.
Executive recruiters need to maintain contacts, so you may be able to initiate an interview with one. This is best done through a referral from a client or a potential employer. Use the Directory of Executive Recruiters (Kennedy Publications) at your local library to locate search firms in your profession. If you are given a courtesy interview, use it to gather information rather than to pinpoint a particular job.
- Find out current, local, national, and international industry trends.
- Ask for a critique of your resume.
- Find out about salary and benefits packages in your field.
- Ask for the names of other search firms active in your field.
- Try to have someone the agency does business with refers you to a specific counselor with whom you can establish rapport.
- Before meeting with the agency counselor, be clear about your job direction. Find out what field he specializes in, and if it's not yours, ask him to recommend you to someone in the agency who does work in your field.
- Prepare a written description of your job target and requirements, including location, size of company, and position, to give to the counselor. The more precise you are about what you want, the better the counselor will be able to help you.
- Treat the counselor with the same respect you would an employer representative.
- Find out up front what the employment consultant can do and what she expects you to do.
- If a particular company interests you, ask the counselor if the agency has a contact there. Know, however, that if the agency recommends you to that employer and you land a job, the agency is probably entitled to a placement fee. If you made contacts earlier, let the counselor know about them to avoid future conflict.
- Explore salary ranges, but don't expect the final word from the counselor. It's in the agent's interest to get you placed quickly, regardless of the salary offered.
- Agency interviews are generally shorter than hiring interviews. At the end of your agency interview, ask what the plan of action is, how you can facilitate it, and when to follow up. Take notes.
Usually a host interviewer (generally from personnel) will be your guide through several interviews. Establish a solid relationship with this person, and ask for his or her feedback along the way. Adjust your presentation accordingly.
At some point, you're likely to be introduced to a senior official. This is usually not an in-depth interview (unless you'll be working directly with that person), but it is an important formality. This is a good time to demonstrate your knowledge of the company. For example: "I was impressed with the claims department's move to multi-tasking to improve client service?" or "I was interested to see that when you reorganized, several department operations were integrated."
Have one or two senior-level power questions to ask such as: "During the day we've had some conversations about the need to shift from domestic to global strategies. From your own point of view, how quickly could this happen?"
The visit might conclude with a debriefing session with your host. Ask what steps will follow and how you can facilitate the decision-making process. If you think you missed something along the way, explain this to your host so he or she can pass it along. On your way home, plan your follow-up strategy.
As powerful as the telephone is, it's frustrating as an interview medium. Lack of visual contact inhibits your ability to control the conversation.
The purpose of the screening interview by phone or in person is to eliminate unqualified candidates in less than thirty minutes. Many screening interviews are conducted according to a checklist, and the interviewer might not be particularly responsive to your taking the initiative. Do it gently.
Test your screener's familiarity with the company, the position, and you. Does she have your resume in front of her? Has she read it? Avoid embarrassing the screener if you sense a lack of knowledge about the field; you'll want to keep her in your corner. One alternative is to try to convert the screening call into a personal meeting. If that's not possible, find out who is calling and set a convenient time to return the call. If the caller insists on continuing the conversation right then, ask her to hold while you get pad and pen, and use this pause to gain your composure and remind yourself to screen the company before it screens you.
Some tips
- Find out what the caller knows about you. Has she read your resume? Is she a decision maker? What is the purpose of the call?
- In anticipation of such a call, have a list ready of a few questions to ask and points to make about yourself.
- Listen carefully to questions posed and, if necessary, ask for clarification before answering.
- Speak slowly and specifically, and ask for confirmation: "Does that answer your question?" or "Would you like more information about that?"
- If a tough question comes up, ask the screener to qualify it so you can focus your answer.
- Be pleasant. Your screener may be a new employee needing encouragement or an old hand needing a breath of fresh air. Most will reciprocate your goodwill.
- Ask for a review at the end of the interview. "You helped me cover a lot of ground. On the basis of this information, will you recommend me for further consideration?'
- If you didn't do well in the screening interview, you might attempt a strategy to secure another interview anyway: "I have some ideas about the job that differ from the way it's been described. Could you arrange a meeting with the hiring manager so I could discuss my ideas with him?"
- Close with a request for a personal meeting.
Most colleges have a period during which corporations visit the campus to recruit the best of the current crop of graduates. Both multinational firms and regional firms participate. Campus interviews are often set up by the various college departments: business, engineering, nursing, etc.
- Competition is tough. Many students take themselves out of contention by not knowing enough about the company. Do lots of research and role-play in preparation.
- Participate in campus placement-office activities before the interviewing begins.
- Since the interview may be only fifteen minutes long, make your presentation short and powerful.
- Ask students who have already been interviewed to give you a sense of the interviewer's style so you can respond to it.
- If your grades are low, be prepared to explain why and how they do not reflect your future potential.
- Extracurricular activities count. If working to cover expenses prevented you from participating in such activities, describe with pride the responsibility you've assumed.
- Don't limits yourself to jobs within your field of study. Be willing to engage a recruiter in a discussion of your possible contributions to other areas of the company.
- Dress as a professional, not as a student (which can eliminate you automatically).
- Reserve salary discussions for a later meeting.
- Ask for contacts in certain areas of the company the recruiter might not be familiar with so you can follow up on your own if necessary.
- Take care of the interviewer. Ask if you can get her a cup of coffee or be of any assistance during the day.
- Be willing to ask tough questions, even of a pleasant interviewer.
- Demonstrate confidence in yourself and your potential value to the company.
- Speak positively about your school and professors. Do not gossip or complain. The interviewer could be an alumnus or a friend of the person you're maligning.
- In closing, request for your interviewer's business card, and make arrangements for a follow-up meeting.
"During a day, I might meet twenty people. Nineteen of them ore just students--they look and act like students. One, however, is a future professional. He's a sharp dresser, has done his research about our business, and knows what he's going for."
In certain situations, especially where professional and academic positions are at stake, you may find yourself at a team interview with several people from the organization. The team interview is expedient for the company and stressful for the candidate.
Here are some ways to prepare:
- Before your interview learn the names and titles of those on the panel and writes them on a 3" x 5" index card to bring to the interview. Ask about the relationship of each of these people to the job for which you are applying.
- Make a strong introduction by taking a moment to establish eye contact and firmly shake hands with each person.
- Use names freely (first or surnames, as appropriate). This gives you an element of control.
- Ask specific questions of each interviewer while making eye contact and addressing each one by name. This gives you an element of control.
- If you are interviewing with a complete working unit, ask how it functions and to what degree the members work together and independently.
- Bring a copy of your resume for each interviewer.
Some tips:
- Contact your original interviewer to thank him for recommending you and to ask how you should prepare for the next round.
- Learn the name, title, and role of the next interviewer in advance. After this interview, will there be another farther up the chain of command?
- Review your notes from the first interview. What questions were emphasized? What did you find out about the firm? Conduct whatever further research is necessary. You now know someone in the firm (the first interviewer) who can provide a well of information, but don't take advantage of this relationship.
- If the second interview is with the same person as the first, refer to earlier topics and develop them further. Demonstrate your ability to pay attention and retain information.
- As you approach the end of the second interview, ask about the salary range for the job. You gain an advantage by raising the subject.
- Listen attentively. Often a question telegraphs a decision, for example: "We think you'd do quite well in this job. Are there any limitations on the amount of travel you will be willing to do?" or "If we make you an offer, when would you be able to start?"
- Don't be too eager with your answers. If given an offer, reserve the right to take a few days to consider it.
However, a lunch or dinner meeting at a second or third interview is usually a good sign, since most basic information has already been exchanged. This will be a more social get-together.
- Order simple dishes that you can eat neatly. Avoid expensive items.
- Decline alcoholic beverages.
- Don't criticize food, location, or service. It might be your interviewer's favorite.
- Eat while your host is speaking, so you'll be ready to speak when it is your turn.
