Now assume you never have a salary increase. Multiply the years you will work - say 5, 10 or 40 years - by the appropriate company cost and you obtain an enormous number. Does this help you understand the critical need to sell your talents? The longer it takes you to become productive and carry your load, the more expensive it is for the firm to hire you. The more profitable you are the more likely you will be hired. A job campaign should have top priority if you seriously want a better position.
The Interview Selling Game
PROSPECT. Locate firms that are actively hiring and need your abilities. A firm may still be interested in a person with critical skills even if they are not actively hiring. Prospecting can be even more important than a good interview. Follow-up with a letter restating your prime abilities and accomplishments or telephone. Product marketing means locating prospective purchasers and deciding what needs to be told about the product (you). You want the firm to buy from you - instead of a competitor.
ATTENTION. There is no sure way of getting an interviewer's attention. Show how you will satisfy the firm's needs. Attention getting methods should be natural. Say something to indicate your admiration of the company or for someone in its top management. Compliment the person about something he/she is wearing or something in the office. Mention a community activity the company provides leadership for or supports.
INTEREST. Find out the basic needs or problems of the firm. Ask intelligent prepared questions about the firm. Your dress, voice, and language must be compatible. Remember that body positions - sitting in a chair, hand and eye movements also convey messages.
DESIRE. Arouse the interviewer's desire to find reasons why you should be hired. Knowing company needs, you can specifically answer questions or show user benefits. Prepare answers for possible interview questions. Use different messages for different firms. Establish your trustworthiness and credibility. All of this is part of successful communications to advertise the product. You will certainly be hired if you represent a good investment for the firm.
ACTION. Summarize key points in your background which can be directly and easily used by the company. Ask to be seriously considered for any appropriate openings now or in the future. Do not press for a hiring decision; if you do push this is almost a guarantee that you will not get the job. However, a series of closing questions can be asked throughout the interview. Try to find out the date of the hiring decision. If you are not called on that date, you call one or two days later.
Now what is it that you want? Why should we hire you when we have just interviewed a number of people very similar to you? What can you do for us? You need to emphasize buyer benefits. Stress achievements and results that relate to profit or cost savings. Pay attention to the buyers point of view.
The Selection Process
Which job applicants will become new employees? Company size and job type determine the length of the selection process. Selection may require just a few days and a minimum of steps or it may be spread over several months and many steps. While each firm has its system; knowledge of the selection process may help you obtain a job. Possible steps are:
- Preliminary screening - on the basis of a phone call, a brief interview, a letter and/or a resume, or a test measuring job related skills.
- Application blank - background and experience information is provided; this may be screened before an interview.
- Interview possibility of applicant to qualify as an employee is determined by personnel department interview.
- Testing - characteristics known to relate with a particular type of work may be measured.
- Reference checks - phone calls or letters to previous employers and others.
- Supervisory interview - department head and/or others of the hiring department conduct interviews with those cleared for employment.
- Physical examination - a medical examination to find out if the applicant is fit for the type of work to be done.
The selection process can be compared to a large funnel. Lots of people may be screened and complete applications. Only a few come out the small end of the funnel with a yes. You need to "win" each successive interview to get the next and finally a job offer. Make a good first impression - each time.
Firms usually have hiring standards which indicate the background needed for the job. At each step of the selection process individuals are eliminated until only a few or just one are successful. Standards save company money. In the initial interview emphasis is on your background, education, and work experience. Information may be given about the firm and job. When you reach the supervisory interview, a firm is getting serious.
Typically the hiring decision-maker is the person with the job opening. She/he is interested in your technical skills (scientific/process/maintenance/office) of value to a certain department. Your overall knowledge of the work required and the personality fit are also important.
Application Forms
Job applicants typically complete a form that can vary from just a few questions to several pages. Areas often covered by the questions include:
- Applicant identity: name, address, telephone, birth date, social security number, military service,education, special training.
- Work experience: current and previous employers, employment dates, job titles, duties, salary, supervisor, reason for leaving.
- Interests: position desired, long and short term objectives, hobbies.
Accurately, thoroughly, and neatly complete the application form. Type the information or at least use a pen. Provide additional related information on a separate sheet of paper. Spell correctly. Provide ample information about your achievements and experiences - work and education - that are related and useful to the firm. Tell how your skills can be used. Types of equipment used, processing/mechanical skills, typing/office knowledge are examples of items useful to a company.
The information you give on the form goes a long, long way toward determining if you get the job - or even an interview. The information is used to screen, rate, and select the successful applicant from the others.
Show an Interest in the Company
Keep in mind that interviewers are interested in what you can do for the company. If applicants become lousy employees (quit, poor work, absent, poor attitude) this bad hiring record quickly reflects back to the interviewer. Management finds out and something will be done about the problem.
Show you are interested in the firm by asking organized and prepared questions. Have questions on an index card that you visibly use during the interview. Some possible subjects for questions include:
Company - products produced, raw material sources, sales, growth, competitors, company position in the industry, company problems, number of employees, strengths and weaknesses.
The Department - what does management want contributed, size and status within the firm, turnover of employees, equipment used, special procedures for production and safety, department supervision, number of employees.
Get Help from Your Spouse
Your spouse can help in a number of ways. A spouse can be a good listener, can re-establish self-confidence, perform record keeping duties, and help take care of the house and children. All of these things will go a long way toward influencing the search for the job you want.
A spouse can really help by playing the role of an interviewer. Review together any letters and resumes. Do these words sound like someone who can fit into the company? Rehearse the interview. Ask your spouse a number of interview questions. Listen to the answers. If you were the interviewer would you hire this person? Why? Why not?
Again, practice for the interview.
Some Interview Do's and Don'ts
Always remember - thoroughly and completely - that the employment process is essentially a negative procedure. Individuals involved in the selection are carefully looking for reasons not to hire you. As a job hunter, you need to constantly project a positive image - on the telephone, on the application, in the initial interview - in order to get the supervisory interview. The real selling of your talents can then take place.
Important things you should do to obtain a job are:
- Keep an optimistic attitude. Be positive. Underplay your job needs and use a soft sell approach.
- Have interviews for the purpose of improving your interviewing skills.
- Be neat, clean, and well groomed. Dress conservatively or as you would for the job you are seeking. Wear casual clothes if the job involves physical labor. Be careful of an excessive use of cosmetics. Look and act like a winner!
- Be on time for the interview - never too late or too early.
- The handshake should project a self-assured image. Have a firm handshake - not weak or strong -to show warmth, sincerity and stability.
- Show what you can do for the firm without implying that you are a super-person capable of solving any and all problems.
- If you don't know the answer to a question be honest and say so. h. Show confidence and ability. Look the interviewer in the eye. When possible comment on your concern for growth, cost control, and profits.
- Protect the confidence of your present employer.
- Check back at reasonable times if turned down. Openings develop frequently.
- Do not discuss politics, race, or religion. Do not discuss your personal or family health problems, financial difficulties, or relatives. These subjects can only get you in trouble.
- Do not volunteer negative information about yourself - on the application, a letter, a resume, or in the interview.
- Do not mention salary or fringe benefits until you have a job offer.
- Do not talk all the time. While a good interviewer will get you to talk most of the time you should ask job related questions.
- Do not wear sunglasses, a hat, smoke, or chew gum during the interview.
- Do not project indifference or superiority to the receptionist/secretary since many are indirectly involved in the hiring process. They could be potential co-workers.
