Interviewing 101
© Gavin Pitchford, Delta Management CEO
INTRODUCTION
In writing this, I am assuming that you want to do everything you can to land THIS PARTICULAR POSITION and work for THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY, and that you will do EVERYTHING you can, to maximize your opportunity to achieve your goal.
If that’s not the case, go back to whatever else you were doing, and skip reading this…
My assumption is that you want the option of accepting this role when offered to you. Can you possibly know for sure that this is the company you want and the role you want before you interview? No, of course not.
But should you perform throughout as though it is? So that accepting or rejecting their offer of employment is YOUR choice – not theirs? Absolutely!
And of course, by performing throughout the process as well as you possibly can, you not only maximize your chance of getting an offer – you also maximize the size and terms of the offer!
If your interviewer(s) believe that you not only want the role, but that you went to some lengths to prepare for your interview, your chances improve dramatically. You will slide past other, better qualified, candidates, while they are still coming across as indecisive or uncommitted.
KEY PIECE OF ADVICE: EVERYTHING MATTERS
One key thing to keep in mind: EVERYTHING – absolutely EVERYTHING you do that the employer sees of discovers - matters. In today’s market, there are usually multiple well qualified candidates for every single role. Winning or losing out on a dream job can come down to the smallest thing. When I am evaluating candidates on behalf of clients I take notice of every single thing. Candidates try to put on their best face for an interview – but little things can betray them for the people they really are. Read the EVERYTHING MATTERS section at the very end of this piece to understand how important even a small thing can be.
DATING?
I have said many times that interviewing is like dating and, even in this post #metoo world, there is a lot from our collective experience and research with dating to apply to the interview process – on both the side of the candidate and the employer.
I want to be clear that when using the term “supermodel” anywhere in this article that I am referring to a very attractive person of any gender – their attractiveness to be construed when dating to the eye of the beholder – and in employment situations to their attractiveness as a candidate matching a particular job description or type of job. In the examples that follow, I am attempting to compare the way humans interact when pursuing a mate and the interplay between humans when pursuing either a job or a candidate. And to be clear, never suggesting that the two should be confused in any way that could be considered inappropriate.
There is ample research on the subject that is on point: When confronted with a choice between a “supermodel” who appears indifferent, or approaching a “not unattractive” alternative who seems eager, people will often gravitate to the eager alternative.
Fear of rejection – either now or later – is a big motivator. It has long been believed that men, when on the prowl in a singles situation, will settle for less than their idea more readily than will a woman. A study, very recently published, suggests that it is not actually a factor of their sex so much as a factor of the role men have traditionally played as a pursuer. And the latest studies show that if the woman was the pursued party, her standards remain quite high. If however she was put into the role of a pursuer, and the situation reversed, her standards dropped accordingly, just the same as the men’s. Regardless, there is a significant lesson in this behaviour that applies to getting hired.
Interviewing for a position is no different: Most employers / interviewers will talk about wanting a supermodel, yet often pick the most attractive – and eager - alternative they can find. They worry about their ability to land the supermodel rockstar super-candidate, and equally, worry about their ability to continue to be able to satisfy that person later, when up against competition on an ongoing basis.
Obviously there are exceptions to this: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence, Gisele Bündchen, Cisco, Google, Facebook, and Slack all perceive themselves to also be “supermodels” and so rarely hesitate to chase one. And individual managers can sometimes have that same degree of confidence, seeing their opportunity as exceptional and their own leadership as an opportunity for a top professional – and so pursue the “supermodel” candidate – but it’s rare.
So the lesson is, regardless of whether you are yourself an actual supermodel rockstar candidate or “just” a “not unattractive” alternative, you need to appear eager for the role - and back that up with meaningful proof. And that takes both ample preparation and the right attitude towards the interview.
And never lose sight of the fact that the hiring process is like dating.
BUTTON DOWN VS COMMUNE? A DISCLAIMER…
The content in this chapter is intended primarily for people interviewing in a more “normal / formal” setting – i.e. a traditional corporate / business environment. A great deal of the content in this article is based on 30 years of observing human nature in an interview setting – but some of it is based on a paradigm that may not accurately reflect the role you are seeking.
Some companies deliberately choose to attempt to bolster creativity by allowing employees far greater flexibility in personal attire and conduct, such as bringing pets to work and offering a “T” shirt, shorts and sandals culture. Some of the advice provided will hurt your chances in such an environment. Google and other bleeding edge tech companies come to mind as employers that seeks to break the traditional mold.
Most of the recruiting I do has been for more traditionally oriented companies, where it is never a mistake to arrive for an interview looking as good or a tiny bit better than everyone else in the department you are trying to join – and over dressing for an interview is expected.
But some companies view this type of thinking as rigid and indicative of someone who thinks in-the-box rather than out-of-the-box – so you need to know what the culture is where you are looking to go, and adapt my advice accordingly. If that’s going to mess with the culture in your office, say on “casual Fridays” plan ahead or schedule accordingly.
PREPARATION
The first step in a great interview is preparation. In fact the 3 most important things in an interview are preparation, preparation and preparation.
Ideally, walking into any interview, you should be so completely prepared in advance that there is little stress, and the interview becomes a conversation. Preparation includes being:
Physically prepared: You’ve planned and checked your clothing, your hair, what you carry with you, as well as making sure your brain and body are well set to respond: You’ve been out of bed long enough to be sharp, you’ve eaten some protein, and consumed the right amount of caffeine for you, as well as some water to offset the diuretic effect and ensure your voice lasts (and doesn’t betray you by going high or scratchy). You are ready to roll!
Research prepared: You know as much as is reasonable about the company, the role and the interviewer. You’ve read their financials, Googled everyone involved, and understand their longer term goals and shorter term challenges. You’ve looked at the profiles of others who work there and can draw parallels to your own skills and background. You are confident you can make a contribution.
Mentally prepared: You go in, confident (but never cocky!) and almost relaxed, knowing you are as fully prepared and rehearsed on the basic questions as you can be, and comfortable you understand the objective of the meeting, PLUS – you remember that the interviewer is a little stressed as well – because interviewing is stressful on both sides – so you’re ready to have that conversation.
Assuming you have properly prepared physically and done you research, the mental prep is much easier to achieve.
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
YOUR MIND & YOUR BODY
This is often overlooked. You should think about whether you’re better / sharper in the morning or the afternoon, and try and schedule your interviews accordingly. Some people – me included – are less sharp at 8AM than at 4PM. If that’s the case for you, do your best to play to your own strength and book your meetings and interviews to play to that strength.Recent research suggests that the old adage and conventional wisdom of early risers being the most productive is actually false: In studies published in April 2009, it was found that those who arrived earliest at the office were more often measurably less productive 5, 6 and 8 hours later than those who arrived later. And the early arrivals more typically worked a shorter day to boot.
The study determined that not only were the late arrivals more productive at the 5-6 and 8 hour point of their day, they were also more likely to work 10 hours and remain productive throughout. (Finally! Vindication!)
My typical day rarely involves a meeting before 10 AM if I can avoid it – I like to devour the news between 7 and 9, catch up on my email, and get to the office for 10, at which point I feel ready for any meeting – but late as I “start”. I’m often still working at 9-10 PM. The message: understand your own body clock, and figure out how to use it to maximize your opportunity to succeed in the interview.
Some of these tips are pretty obvious – others less so.
Start with a great foundation: Make sure the previous couple of nights have provided ample sleep, and that you are well rested.
Make sure your body is ready to go: a heavy meal or too much fluid beforehand can slow you down. Too many carbs can produce an early kick – and poor performance later in the interview as your body responds. Ideally, a light protein meal an hour or ideally two before your meeting starts should maximize your ability to focus and execute. If you usually have caffeine, don’t over compensate and have much more, but do make sure you’ve balanced coffee with some water – and a bathroom break. Coffee is a diuretic – worst thing you can do is stock up, and need the bathroom midway through a meeting. Similarly, the coffee will dehydrate you, and may make your voice higher as a result – something your interviewer will interpret as “nervous”.
We all know – or should know – what works best for ourselves – so the purpose of this discussion is not to tell you what to eat and drink – but to be conscious of the effect it may have on your performance and plan accordingly.
YOUR CLOTHING & APPEARANCE
First and foremost, you must wear the right uniform.
People inherently trust people who mirror themselves – so pick the right clothing with care. Ideally you should dress to almost mirror what your hiring manager will be wearing.
Other physical preparation is critical: the right haircut, the right clothes, shoes polished, pants / skirt / suit pressed, and always a professionally laundered shirt / blouse – unless of course you are interviewing for a less structured environment. As a rule of thumb, show up – dressed up!
While your role going forward might not involve a jacket and tie or similar formal attire on a daily basis, if you might ever be in a situation where it would require that you don that uniform, (i.e. presenting to corporate customers or the Board) then prove right now that you can step up and look the part from the get-go.
For guys, In 99.9% of cases, a “T” shirt will never be acceptable for an interview, regardless of whether everyone else in the department wears one every day – always a collared shirt even if it’s a golf shirt. For women, nothing risqué, and generally no open toed footwear / sandals. In both cases, the message is “too casual”. This is NOT about what you might later wear to the office: it’s about getting hired!
Going to a jacket and tie / pantsuit rarely hurts in any interview. It demonstrates that you care about getting the job. Showing up under-dressed can kill you far more quickly that being overdressed, so always err on the side of conservatism.
There are other elements that will be noticed:
Shirts must – MUST – be pressed, and if in long sleeves, the cuffs done up.
Pants – recently pressed – and non-jeans with a sharp crease
Shoes – if they are leather and able to be shined, they should gleam!
Your hands should be clean, and the fingernails trimmed and perfect.
Invest in a recent haircut
No scent: there is an increasing incidence of people in the workplace sensitive to perfumes / aftershave. I had a candidate show up recently with an unpleasant and strong aftershave – needless to say the interview was substantially shorter than optimal.
Net, your appearance is made up of nuances which say to your interviewer “I can be detail minded” and “I can put together a good presentation” and “I’m not a slob around the office” without your saying a word – whereas failure to execute on any of those says the opposite – in loud volume. Every hiring authority is thinking to themselves “When my boss sees this person, will they think I made a good call – or a bad call”. “Can I count on this person to look the part when presenting to my boss – or to my boss’s boss”. Help them make an easy call…
Most companies expect people to dress up at least a little for an interview: in the absence of some other explanation, they will assume that what you wear to the interview is absolutely the very best you know how to look – as good as you will EVER look – when on the job.
Note: If dressing up would send a clear signal to your existing employer that you were out job hunting, and changing on the way is impossible, then be sure to explain in advance if you will be dressing down so as not to tip off your present employer.
GUT FEEL? First impressions are critical!
An awful lot of the message that your interviewer takes away from your meeting will be their “gut feel”. Gut feel is almost always a compendium of non-verbal things that your demeanour, appearance and personal conduct will say throughout your meeting. Not what you said – but how your body said it for you.
We’ll return to this theme, but net you have very little time to make a great first impression that is the single most important thing you will do in the interview: failing to convey the right first impression gives you a very high mountain to climb back up if you fall down early.
It’s worth your while to visit a clothing store that would likely dress your boss at the companies you are trying to join, and colour coordinating an interview outfit that you can work with for a second and third meeting as well. Get advice from the experts on a colour coordinated and fairly conservative look. For the guys, if you are wearing a tie, make sure it’s a fairly current model, silk not polyester, and is clean and pressed. If it looks like the only tie you own, hasn’t been worn in years, has a stain, or is not properly tied and at your neck (as opposed to pulled open or down) it will not reflect well on you.
COLOUR IS IMPORTANT!
Some basic rules: for corporate oriented roles don’t stray far from the traditional navy, grey or black suit / slacks or pantsuit. Avoid browns and greens especially if seeking a more senior role or one where you would interact with customers or executives. A red tie or accent piece can say “high energy”.
Don’t mix stripes and dots, Don’t wear patterns on two items of clothing (i.e. a checked shirt means a solid coloured suit or jacket, and a solid tie.
Dark on the bottom and lighter colours up top.
For guys, a black shirt and slack combo can make you look criminal, and black and white like a waiter. Try for something in between. Whatever you do, try for natural fibres instead of polyester or other man- made fibres: man-made fibres can generate static electricity and a handshake can thus become a shocking experience: not the first impression you are hoping for, trust me!
Going “GQ” is not a good solution either – again in most instances, people want their employees to be reasonably conservative in their approach – not the subject of every whim of the marketplace.
THE “EXTRAS”
You want a crisp clean look: not too busy or something that detracts from the message you are sending.
If you’re interested in an accounting role, a flashy tie and expensive jewellery that says “embezzler” is probably not a good idea. On the other hand, as a sales candidate, expensive but tastefully subdued jewellery (just not too much of it!) such as a Rolex can be a testament to your prior good results.
For a woman, the jewellery should match the opportunity: very limited and conservative jewellery in a button down company (i.e. diamond studs, not hoops) and a little less conservative – but not much less – in a less conservative environment. Again – safe is better.
Bottom line? Your “extras” should not detract from you. If your interviewer remembers the jewellery but not the fact you over-achieved at your past 3 roles, you blew it!! Tastefully conservative that doesn’t detract is usually fine: but remember that no one ever got hired for wearing great extras: lots of candidates have struck out for wearing the wrong ones. In this case, less is more.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON CLOTHING
In many years of interviewing technical people, I have seen way more than my fair share of bad ties, as well as pocket protectors, rumpled pants that are too short, white socks, and bad hair. If you’re serious about landing the job, invest in your appearance and make sure you look smart and successful. Lay the “outfit” out one or two days before so you have time to make corrections at the dry cleaners or the store.
And be prepared to invest in a suit that comes from a store where the people helping you pick clothing do so as a profession – not as part time job. I recently had a candidate – a bright young guy with a lot of promise – show up in a really nice suit – but one that was poorly cut for him and made it look like he was wearing his father’s suit – and his shirt button was done up, but the tie was at least an inch too loose. Net, he looked like a kid dressed up for a job interview in clothes that didn’t fit – and of course, he didn’t get hired for the role he wanted, because my client couldn’t picture him engaging with senior people at one of their customers, and being taken seriously. You want the job? Show up dressed to do it!
OTHER PHYSICAL PREPARATION
No matter what “extras” you take to the meeting, make sure they are both clean and organized. If you are taking a laptop, make sure the keyboard and the screen are both clean: one of my clients who was also being forced by his HR department to interview their internally generated candidates recently selected my less senior and less qualified candidate (complete with my not inconsequential fee) ahead of a seasoned veteran his internal HR had found – at no charge (I should point out the other candidate was someone I respected and who came with a lot more experience than did my candidate ) – simply because the seasoned vet showed up with a laptop my client thought was dirty and thus indicative of sloppy work habits. Not accurate – and in my opinion a bad decision – but it was a final decision.
Do not carry more than one thing: you must have a free right hand for a firm handshake. Women – leave the purse at home or in the car. In most cases if at all possible, the only thing men or women should have with them going into an interview is the tool(s) essential for that particular meeting: a portfolio / binder containing at least 3 copies of their resume, a fresh pad, and several working pens – and a laptop only if needed for the meeting.
More than that, and you’re juggling – and appear uncoordinated and / or disorganized. Neither is good!
PHONES
Anyone who shows up with a phone not set to “silent” should not only not get the job, they should be hung, drawn and quartered as a warning to those that follow.
If there is some compelling, incredibly important reason you absolutely MUST be reachable, you need to apologise in advance to your interviewer: “I’m so sorry, Jane, but my present company has a large deal resting on a particular call, and I tried to resolve the issue prior to getting here today but was unable to do so. I’m really looking forward to our meeting and I didn’t want to cancel it, and so I hope you’ll forgive me, but if that one person calls, it will be very short, but I will need to take the call “. The only other permissible excuse might be a wife about to go into labour, or a family member presently hospitalized you might need to hear about. i.e. life or death situations.
If it rings, turn it to silent without a glance at the screen and apologise profusely.
NOTE – The same phone rules do NOT apply to the interviewer. And that call might be deliberate. I have one client who, when interviewing sales candidates, becomes the very worst customer the sales person might ever encounter – just to test their response to those situations. One of those possible “tests” is taking 5 phone calls during a 45 minute interview. If your interviewer takes a call, don’t ever show your frustration – and always be gracious.
Once they’re off the line, and you are again the object of their attention, re-start the answer you were giving from the beginning. Do not re-start by saying “As I was saying….” (annoyance evident in your tone) – Restart by reminding the interview of their question, and then repeating your answer: “Jane, you had asked how I typically deal with co-workers who disagree with me… I find that situation rarely arises, but when it does, it’s usually when we’re working from a different set of facts or assumptions, so… “
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
No sweat! If you have a perspiration problem when nervous, wear a jacket to the interview – with perspiration guards if necessary,
Dandruff? Wear a white shirt, or a light blue shirt with white stripes
Halitosis? This is a killer! See a doctor and get it fixed. In the interim, floss before you leave home, find a coffee shop near the interview site, and run in to brush your teeth and tongue with toothpaste. Then drink / gargle coffee right before you enter the building where you will interview. Beware: Peppermint mints and / or mouthwash smell like you are hiding an alcohol issue. Coffee is about the best thing going for masking odour and should get you through the initial handshake. If you get offered a coffee during the interview say “yes”! And at the departure handshake, try to ensure you don’t speak into the interviewer’s face.
Smoker? Beyond the obvious advice to quit, (you idiot) – you do know that your olfactory senses are completely compromised? And you do understand that to a non- (or worse – an ex-) smoker, you absolutely stink, right?
Have interview clothes that you dry clean and then don’t smoke in, prior to the interview, unless outdoors, and then follow the coffee instructions for Halitosis above.
RESEARCH PREPARATION
Researching prior to an interview involves obtaining as much data as you can regarding:
- The company
- The market
- The future
- The technology
- The interviewer
- The corporate culture
- The job itself
THE COMPANY:
Research here should include the company’s website, looking for recent financials, mission statements, interviews of the CEO, forecasts and a sense of how they see themselves. If applying for a sustainability role, read their sustainability report. If a tech role, the latest white papers.
You ideally need to be able to drop into the conversation “I noticed that your share of the widget market grew 12% last year” followed with a question that demonstrates that you understand the market. “Do you think that was based on the introduction of the new auto-configuration feature?”
At very least, you should know the name of the CEO, and the CxO responsible for the department you will be interviewing for, and have read about your interviewer, their boss and the CEO on Linked In and anywhere else they show up, including Facebook and Instagram (more below).
Is there growth? New product? New markets? A change in direction?
Two things go into driving this preparation: First, can you prove you are aware of the “bigger picture” for the company? And second, can you articulate a value proposition about yourself that ties your abilities and experience to the company’s bigger picture as well as the immediate opening.
THE MARKET:
Who are the players? What new products have they released? How is their market growth compared to the interviewers? What is the overall market growth? Is it impacted by current political / economic conditions or initiatives? Who is the biggest competitor? What risks do they enumerate in their SEC filings?
More to the point, what can YOU do to help? As part of your prep, make sure you generate questions for your interviewer about their perspective as to both the market and this company’s positioning within it.
THE FUTURE:
What is the future for this company? A dying industry or a growth opportunity? Bleeding edge or second wave / established market. Growing in Canada? Are they entering new markets? How can you help? What questions you can’t answer goes on your list to get details from the interviewer.
THE TECHNOLOGY: (for technology focused roles)
Whether they’re selling it or using it: what technology will impact on your role. What technology background do others in the company have – do you match it? or complement it? Use Linked In as a resource to see what as many other people you can find who work there have and look for commonalities. Especially pay attention to recent hires. One of two things will be the case: most likely, the technology that others have will be a match to the role they are trying to fill now. Less likely, but possible, is the expectation of deploying a new technology others lack – and that can be your opportunity. For clues, look to see the background of those who have joined in the past few months for clues as to what you should most likely highlight in your background.
Once you have established the most likely scenario, make sure you brush up on that particular piece of your arsenal: review a white paper or two if appropriate as well as whatever else you can find.
THE INTERVIEWER:
Linked-In, Facebook, Google – company website – anything that you can read that will give you a better understanding of your interviewer before going in. Where did they go to school? Grow up? Are hobbies listed anywhere? The smart person who comes in to interview with me and mentions sailing / boats / curling or woodworking gets my attention as someone who took the time – even if they have no personal connection to the sport – to do their homework. And if they can use that data as an icebreaker – all the better. Will it land them a job for which they aren’t qualified? Of course not. Will it help them become first among otherwise approximately equal candidates? Absolutely.
Part of what I assess in considering candidates – particularly sales candidates – for my clients is the degree to which they commit to doing the best possible job. Do they check facts – look for an edge – go the extra mile to improve their chances of success? Regardless of whether they’re in line for a sales or a non-sales roles, those are traits that can usually only benefit a company.
Other things to consider: has the interviewer steadily progressed in his or her career? Have they moved every 2 years? or every 5 or 10? Have they moved up and remained with the same company? Have they only worked for startups? or major Fortune 500 companies?
These facts can give you a sense of whether your interviewer in risk averse or a risk taker, ambitious, conservative, and perhaps a better view of how competent they will be as a manager, and you can present your background – without ever lying!! – in the light most likely to resonate with the interviewer.
A warning though – a 10 year stint with progression and success at an industry leader is not seen the same as a 10 year stay at a “B” player.
I have a client who has spent nearly 10 years at his firm, an acknowledged thought and market leader in its industry – and yet he has no time at all (or at least didn’t) for anyone who had stayed at one of his competitors – a firm with financial and reporting troubles – for more than a few years.
From his perspective, that length of time with a company he viewed as a “loser” indicated the individual was also likely a loser. To survive an interview with this manager, candidates from the troubled company had to make sure to properly position their 5+ year careers with that “loser” company as one of personal growth and challenge, despite the issues faced by the company.
As part of your preparation for this segment, make sure to add a few questions for the interviewer about themselves: why they work for the company – how they’ve grown – how the company has recognized their success.
THE CORPORATE CULTURE:
Earlier I referred to “button down” or “commune” corporate culture as two extremes. Obviously there are variations on those and other themes. Look again at the Linked-In profiles of your prospective colleagues: do they come from one side or the other in terms of prior experience? i.e. did they all work at IBM or a bank? or were they at a raft of different start ups. In the absence of a personal connection that can help you figure this out (or press or media coverage) these are clues that will help you in understanding what is most likely expected of you if you are going to “fit in”.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: THE JOB ITSELF
Try your best to get a job description – or infer one from other sources. If the company’s website doesn’t have the role posted, but you have a title, try inferring a job description from other profiles you can find on Linked In for people at the same company with the same title. Keep in mind the HR description on the website is usually generic crap and rarely reflective of the actual day-to-day roles and responsibilities.
So a significant part of your preparation involves the creation of questions regarding the role – and you should have lots! Interviewers will judge you by your questions – so ask thoughtful ones as well as ones that demonstrate you are prepared to get down to work and start adding value quickly.
Generic examples:
- How will you measure my success over the first month – 3 months – six months – year?
- What is the key deliverable for this role? By when?
- What’s the most important thing to you that I be able to do immediately – and over the initial period?
- Where do you see the biggest opportunity for success in the role?
- The biggest risk?
- What guidance / help will you be able to provide to the person you hire?
- Are you planning on being at the company for a lot longer? Why?
- Are you available to provide mentorship and advice?
- Why do you think this role is a good one?
- Your references on Linked in say xxx about you – do you agree?
- Is the company well prepared for the challenges it faces in the market?
- Where is the company’s biggest risk / opportunity?
SOURCES:
In addition to Linked In and Google, use the NYSE, Nasdaq, or the TSE and other similar sites run by any stock market your target employer is traded. If the company is – or is trying to be – a public company, the Edgar database of SEC filings as well as their own website will be a good source of financial, risk and biographical data. Newspaper websites are also often a useful hunting ground.
MENTAL PREPARATION:
If you have followed the suggestions above, then you should be on your way to going into your meeting feeling confident and well prepared – and ready to engage your interviewer in a productive way.
Keep in mind that in most cases, the initial interview will not necessarily get you the job – the objective is to make sure it will get you to the next interview – typically in the first meeting you need to make sure you hit the top two or three – and that over the longer evaluation process your commitment and follow up will help push you to the finish line ahead of your less focused competition.
Ideally, you should ask of your recruiter the process the hiring decision will follow. Some firms use HR up front, and others at the back end. Some not at all. Some an exhaustive, multi interview process, and others fairly quick. Knowing this you can prepare accordingly.
Some of the following are “HR type questions’. But typically you can count on the fact that at some point in the process, someone will ask at least one of the following. These can often be the “differentiator” questions – and nailing these in the interview can be a game changer.
To nail them in the interview requires that you have put some thought into them in advance. Like now…
So to blow your competition away, you need to have good answers that don’t sound rehearsed – but that you have actually rehearsed, out loud, in a mirror while watching yourself – to the following questions:
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF (ALSO KNOWN AS THE “ELEVATOR PITCH”)
This is a short, 3-5 minute capsule of your career so far, taking the listener from your education to the present day in chronological order. Skimming roles that were 7+ years back and focused on those most recent and / or closest to the role for which you are presently interviewing. Ideally it should be interesting enough to encourage questions, and also show some progression. I’ve added an example below, but in a nutshell, it has to cover your career from a 5000 foot level, be engaging, and end with a segue into why you feel the role you are interviewing for is the exact right next step for you.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 2-3-5 YEARS?
Needs to be realistic, and not too aggressive in timelines, Typically the safest answer is something to the effect of “The world is changing – technology is changing – so fast that it’s sometimes hard to tell what opportunities will open up in the next 5 years” but net, “I really enjoy what I have been doing – I hope perhaps some time down the road to pursue (next role up) but right now my priority is being as good at doing (this particular role) as I can, and continuing to learn more and making sure I stay current on technology /methodology / industry trends, and perhaps then move towards (whatever next step is)”.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF LONG TERM?
See above
WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?
This needs to make sense with the elevator pitch! Should show some logical progression – indicate what you hope to contribute and what you hope to learn.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS COMPANY YOU FIND INTERESTING?
You better have a reason for being there!
GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE WHERE YOU ENCOUNTERED A CONFLICT WITH A CO-WORKER / CUSTOMER. HOW DID YOU RESOLVE IT?
First of all, everyone – or almost – has a conflict with a co-worker at some point. If you haven’t simply say so, although you run the risk of looking like you’re lying or covering up. It’s okay to start your answer with a pause – rather than being too quick out of the gate – better to have to think a few seconds before coming up with a conflict. Try and think of a situation where consultation and communication were able to allow a positive resolution.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS?
Short of winning a gold medal at the Olympics, ideally, recall a situation that you can use to demonstrate your exemplary commitment to the team / company where that extra effort on your part produced a good result for the company. It doesn’t hurt to say, “well I’m proudest of x… but I also need to say it was a team effort…”
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST FAILURE?
Everyone fails – the key is to learn from the experience. Pick a situation where the results weren’t catastrophic, and where you are able to demonstrate that you grew – and won’t likely repeat the failure.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST STRENGTHS?
Humour can sometimes be effective here… “Gee – there’s so many – it’s hard to identify the biggest… “ but it needs to be followed up with “seriously … I would say ….” Good ones include – IF TRUE!!! – “my commitment to keeping my word – being reliable”, “creativity in solving problems”, perseverance in the face of adversity, my ability to get along well on a team, empathy – and always maintaining a sense of humour.
“I’m always right”, “I always stick to my guns” are not big winners.
WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESSES?
“I work too hard” – “I’m too tough on myself” – “I don’t take enough time for me” – these are all examples of things that people have said to interviewers which aren’t true! Try to be more creative!
You can use one of these if you absolutely must. Others that can be useful: if the job requires a “broad” perspective – “I find I’m not as effective if I can’t see the whole picture and understand where my part fits”. If, on the other hand, it requires you to be very detail minded “sometimes I can be very focused in ensuring I get all the details nailed”. Ability to articulate at least a couple of weaknesses is essential. Inability to do so indicates a narcissistic personality no one will like – or hire.
Keep them simple – and also be able to identify what steps you are / have taken to attempt to correct them.
THE INTERVIEW ITSELF (finally!)
THE “DO” LIST
- Dress appropriately
- Make sure you have the physical, research and mental preparation items planned / nailed 24 hours before, and execute accordingly.
- Confirm the location, plan your travel time to arrive 20 minutes ahead of time. Make sure you have the interviewer’s cell number if at all possible.
- Use the 15 minutes spare to review your notes, and concentrate on the first few moments
- Arrive at the location 5 minutes before the appointed time
- Have at least 3 copies of your resume on plain white paper, a clean lined pad, and two pens in a portfolio type cover
THE FIRST 10 MINUTES
Research suggests you have 5-10 minutes (typically 5 minutes with a man, 10 with a woman) – and an absolute maximum of 15 minutes – to cement your interviewer’s first impression of you. Therefore it is absolutely mission critical that you nail the first few minutes. Here’s some things to do that in the first few minutes:
- Greet your interviewer (we’ll call him or her “Sam” ) warmly, with a firm handshake, looking them in the eye and saying “Sam, – so pleased to meet you – thank you for making the time for me – I’m really looking forward to our meeting!
- Let them usher you through the doorway
- As you enter the office, though, they sit first – or they tell you to.
- Offer a business card, and a copy of your resume – regardless if you know they have one (look prepared!)
- Keep a copy for yourself open and accessible on your lap so you can refer to it as needed if questioned on a specific point.
- Do NOT help yourself to their desk space – keep the portfolio on your lap. If you are at a table, it is permissible to use your side of the table
As the interview begins, keep your answers short and fairly concise. Listen to the question first – before responding – and never NEVER interrupt your interviewer other than to nod in agreement or signify your agreement with a “yes” or “absolutely” – or similar brief comment that doesn’t interrupt – merely affirm you are aligned.
You are still in that initial phase where the last thing you want to do is provide a 10 minute answer to a 10 second question. I have had candidates speak for 10 minutes in response to a simple “so what did you do at your first job? “ Their answers sometimes go from job 1 to job 5 without a breath. By which time I am no longer remotely interested.
That doesn’t mean you answer in monosyllabic “yes” or “no”. What it does mean is that you start with “Yes” or “no” – followed by a ~30 second explanation, and can then say “Do you need me to expand on that?”
For example:
Q. “So in job 1, did you have any interaction at the CIO level?”
A. “A fair bit actually, Sam. I was asked several times to meet with the CIO, to respond to his questions, and to present our proposed solutions. There were also several times during cutovers that I was part of the key planning team and so we met once a week for several months to identify and resolve interdepartmental issues where he was often present. – Would you like me to expand on that?”
In that first 10 minute phase your answers should never exceed 60 seconds unless you are being actively encouraged by the interviewer to continue. At the 45 second mark wind it down with an invitation to the interviewer to have you “drill down” /” expand” /”provide more detail” if needed – or simply ask “Did I cover that?”
As in the example above, “yes” is usually insufficient and will usually be interpreted as surly / aloof behaviour. Equally so would be providing the full detail of the purpose of every meeting. As best you can, find a 30-50 second answer to any detailed question.
Q. Do you understand MPLS?
A. Yes, Sam, reasonably well. I’ve worked with Multi Protocol Label Switching since 2006 quite extensively – designed two large networks and implemented other people’s designs several times, which involved significant trouble shooting, both at the edge and in the core. Did I cover that? or would you like me to drill down a little further?
Note that this answer provided both a high level overview (i.e. over 10 years experience – multiple projects) as well as a specific demonstration that the candidate knew details – what the acronym stood for – and clearly identified that the candidate understood there was a difference between implementing MPLS in a core, or at the edge of a network. In some instances, this answer will be more than enough to satisfy the interviewer that the candidate has enough background to warrant further investigation – but if the drill down part of that investigation is going to happen in a peer tech review, it allows the interview to move forward now focusing on the other broader elements of the job. At the same time, by using the phrase “reasonably well” the candidate trod a diplomatic path between claiming expert knowledge and setting himself up for a technical grilling designed to prove he isn’t the technical genius he claims to be.
Sometimes a “yes” or “no” – or equivalent – will be acceptable:
If the question was about GRESB or ESG or GHG Accounting – a similar protocol makes sense.
Q. Are you legally allowed to work in this country?
A. Yes – Absolutely!
That question really did only need a “Yes”.
PHASE TWO – ~ 15 MINUTES OR SO…
As the interview continues, and you better start to understand your interviewer’s thought process, you might expand or contract your answers accordingly.
As the interview continues, you will build empathy and a connection by using – subtle – mirror techniques. If your interviewer leans forward – you lean forward. If they lean back, you lean back. Your response should be time delayed by a few seconds in some instances, to instantaneous in others. Mix it up – and try not to be obvious.
If the role is one that requires a lot of energy, lean forward as you start to answer, and back in your chair as you finish as you answer different questions. Use your hands / arms. Sit on the edge of your chair. All of these things suggest high energy. While sitting back also suggests you can listen, it is not something to do a lot as it may convey complacency.
If the role is more analytical, pause longer before answering to think the response through, and use your hands less often.
Pause longer when answering a personal question – give such questions due consideration. If you think a question is a good question, and you’re not quite prepared for it, don’t hesitate to say so: “Wow Sam – that’s a good question – I’ve not thought about that before!” – or – “I need to think about that…” and then take a moment to consider the question – and live with the silence that might entail while you consider – and answer – the question. Sometimes the interviewer will screw up and answer for you!
Remember: Sometimes interviewers mess up too! Like you, they can be nervous, especially if new at managing, new at interviewing, or if interviewing for a subject matter expert when they themselves are not.
If you have answered a question already – and your interviewer asks it again, never give the impression you are annoyed they didn’t get it the first time. Simply answer the question to the best of your ability – again!
If the interviewer has it wrong, be very careful as to how you respond. Sometimes it’s a trick question designed to see how you cope with a co-worker who has it wrong – and sometimes they just have it wrong. If you are going to answer the question in a way that involves questioning the questioner, make sure you are respectful. Ask a question back, rather than make a flat statement. “You know Sam, I may have it wrong-, but I thought….”
If the interviewer misunderstood your answer – apologize for the disconnect and poor communication on your part – but make sure they have the correct information
TRICKERY IS ALLOWED! BE CAREFUL!
We had a candidate once who was keenly interested in a job in the heart of downtown Toronto, but who lived in the heart of Welland – an extensive commute away. We all agreed that his ideal job looked exactly like the one we had put him forward for – and we equally all agreed that it was a shame the commute would be so bad, because the job was remarkably good.
We asked the candidate to carefully consider the impact on his family, himself and his career – and figure out if he was prepared to live with the commute – or not. Because we warned him there was absolutely no chance the role would be a “work from home” role even one day a week. And that if anyone in the process felt he was put off by the commute, they would never hire him – the last person had left over the commute so this was fresh in their mind.
We told the candidate that if he concluded that he still wanted the job, he had to embrace the commute in the interview as though he was absolutely fine with it. He had to come across as “No problem – happy to do it”. He agreed – and so that was the plan.
Of course you know what happens next.
Candidate gets to the final (third) interview, meeting the boss’s boss’s boss – the VP. The meeting goes fabulously. There’s no question this is a role the candidate would die for – and even drive 90 minutes each way daily to get it.
As predicted, they get to the commute question. The VP, (smart dude), says to the candidate – “How are you with this commute thing?”
Candidate toes the line: “I’m fine with it – really. I don’t mind driving – I might be a little late once or twice in the event of a significant snow storm but I have a 4×4 … blah blah blah.
VP: “Really? Because we were considering implementing a work from home part time policy for this and a few other roles. Would that be something of interest to you?”
Candidate: “Oh wow – that would be great! Even if it were just once or twice a week it would help significantly.”
The interview continued for a short while after that, and the candidate left, calling us excitedly from his car. Shared the exciting “work from home” news.
My immediate reaction to his play-by-play story: “You just lost the job”.
“No” he says – “The VP was for real – they’re making this a work from home role part time”.
“No they aren’t “ I informed him – “You just got bluffed – and you lost”.
Sure enough, an hour later the Manager called - and confirmed the VP had rejected the candidate over – he was looking for someone with no commute, or for someone who was truly okay with the commute, and no attempt to convince him the candidate would live with it and be happy was acceptable.
And of course the candidate was furious he’d been played.
Ironically, we later found the candidate an alternative role that initially called for a 75 minute commute and he made it faithfully most days for 7 full years before the employer did, in fact, turn the job into a work from home option. He’s stayed at that same company for 17 years and 6 months from June 2000, where his contribution was substantial and significant, before finally taking a role in Niagara. So the original company made an error – but a forgivable one.
In the meantime, the VP hired another candidate who was clearly less qualified but lived nearby, and that candidate lasted about 18 months before being lured away to another role in the dot boom.
SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY? SEVERAL IN FACT…
- If your recruiter seems a reasonable person and gives you specific advice on a particular topic, for crying out loud LISTEN! And take the advice.
- Interviewers can, and will, take you down a rat hole to see how you react. It’s a test. They will criticize their competition to see if you will do the same. They’ll complain about their hours, moan about their boss and colleagues, suggest that they pad their mileage /expense accounts, admit to lying to customers, tell an off-colour joke – all to see if that encourages you to agree with them that you would do the same inappropriate thing. Don’t fall for it! If it turns out they are actually for real – do you really want to work there?
- If you really are prepared to live with a shortcoming in the particular position you are pursuing, embrace the entire job like the issue didn’t exist. Any less, and you’re risking not getting hired.
SITUATIONS AND RESPONSES
You are asked a technical question for which you don’t know the answer for sure
Tell the interviewer – “Sam, I’m not 100% on that one – if you were a customer I’d promise to get back to you- but I think its – such and such (substitute best guess here)- Is that correct? No? Fine – I’ll get the answer and get back to you with it as soon as possible. Then make a note of the question AND make sure you respond!!
A technical question for which you definitely don’t know the answer
“Sam, I’m sorry – I don’t know. I’ll look that up and get an answer to you asap”.
(in both instances record the question on your note pad! Together with any other action item you develop over the course of the meeting).
Q, How much are you looking for?
First – keep in mind this is a buying question – people don’t usually ask if they aren’t interested! But try and avoid giving a direct answer…
A1: “Sam, it’s really about the challenge, and the opportunity to grow professionally, and to be part of a team where I can contribute, and from whom I can learn from over the next 5 years – and this role offers all that and more”.
The interviewer persists…
Q2: No really – How much?
A2: Seriously – I haven’t given it as much thought as I should, and obviously it will depend on other things as well – my focus is really about the role, the company and the team first and foremost – and hopefully the compensation will be market appropriate.
And still persists. At this point there’s no hiding…
Q3: Yeah yeah – how much?
A3: Well in my last / present role I was / am earning $xxx, and ideally I would like to see at least the same (or a reasonable increase since my past company hadn’t increased salaries in 2 years) but it truly is more about the role than the money. Another factor might be opportunities for advancement, and for merit increases.
PHASE THREE
At some point if things have gone well – and sometimes even if they haven’t, the interviewer may come back to you with an offer to answer your questions and this is your opportunity to demonstrate a little more of the research you did – and your interest level as well.
Pull out your questions about:
- The role
- The company / market / future
- Your specific boss to be
And ask them. If appropriate, make notes – or at least appear to. The questions should be well thought out, and more than just superficial. And they should be asked in a way that demonstrates that you did some homework – but are looking for validation.
Don’t be afraid of asking some tougher questions – people generally warm to people whom they have persuaded of something. If you ask meaningful questions and your interviewer has to sell you a little, they will respect you more – but also like you more if you demonstrate to them that you embrace their answer as compelling / persuasive / something you like.
Net, asking some tougher questions and then allowing yourself to be persuaded can help your interviewer like you more than the person who doesn’t and is very careful to be nothing but positive. How hard you probe requires that you read the interviewer. If you ask a tough question and they embrace it, go with it. If they cross their arms and legs that’s a clear signal to pull back.
THE CLOSE
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL!! – ASK FOR THE JOB – BE A WILLING BRIDE!
No one – well almost no one – asks someone to marry them unless they think there is a pretty good chance the answer will be “yes”.
You can dramatically improve your chances of an offer by making clear the fact that you believe you are qualified for the role, can contribute, and hope to have an opportunity to do so – and that your answer will be “yes”.
“Sam, please let me be straight with you. I’m really interested in this position. I personally think it’s a great fit: you offer me a chance to learn some new stuff, such as x and y, but at the same time I have my strong knowledge of A, B, C and D, so I can contribute. Everything I’ve heard and read about you and the company sounds great – and I’ve really enjoyed our conversation today. I can see a good long term opportunity for myself. Are there any questions or concerns you have about my ability to do the job or fit in here?
And if the answers are (mostly) positive…
Sam, may I ask… Do you see me as a potential fit for the role and the organization?
Your interviewer may come back at you with “I’m sorry – I have 3 more interviews to do”. You’ll have to make a call at that point if they seem stressed by your question as to whether to pursue the line of questioning, or back off.
If you’re looking at a role which involves sales or persuasion as part of the role, you have to continue…
“Sam, of course. I wasn’t asking you to compare me to the other candidates really – more the role itself. Obviously you’re far more familiar with the company and the role than I am, so I was trying to get your take – ignoring any other candidates – as to whether you saw me as a fit to the role and what you’re looking for”
If it’s a more collaborative role and your interviewer is stressed… back off with
“Sam, I’m sorry. A little over enthusiastic on my part. Let me reiterate how interested I am – and I look forward to hearing from you. And of course would be more than pleased to answer any further questions…
If you get a clear signal to pursue further, then respond with “Well that’s great! What are the next steps”?
Be sure to again shake hands warmly, and firmly, and with great eye contact.
Call your headhunter as you exit the building to share follow up. It’s critical we hear from you before we hear from our client.
AND THEN – IDEALLY WITHIN 12 HOURS AND NO MORE THAN 24 - SEND A THANK YOU NOTE!
Say:
- “thanks” for the interviewer’s time
- How valuable you found the discussion – maybe highlight one thing in particular.
- Remember to address any items you had on your follow up list
- Identify the 2 key areas where your skills / experience match the role
- Confirm your interest, and that you hope to hear about next steps soon
- DOUBLE CHECK spelling and grammar – we’ve seen hiring fail here.
- TRIPLE check you haven’t used the wrong homonym: you’re vs your being one of the most common – the others being hear vs here, and it’s vs its (it’s is short for “it is”. “Its” is a possessive for a genderless thing as in “the elevator is taking its time”.
- Make sure you have not referred to “taking the other tact” or called something “a mute point” (it’s “taking the other tack” or a “moot point”) or abused a phrase from Shakespeare. If you’re going to use a similar phrase, maybe google it first, to make absolutely sure you have it right?
EVERYTHING MATTERS:
Here’s an example: I recently interviewed a candidate whose first name was of Gaelic derivation. Having never seen the name before, I inadvertently pronounced it in the way it would be pronounced in English.
In Gaelic, for example, (not this candidate’s real name) “Siobhan” is not pronounced “see-ob-han” or “sigh-ob-han” as it would be in English, but rather “she-von”. In Gaelic, Seamus is “Shaymus”, Aiofe is “Eee-fah” and Mairin is Maureen,.
In this case, the candidate’s name was much less common than Siobhan, and when I made the error, the candidate snapped at me, correcting me in 3 curt words. “Not XXX. YYY.”
Their options? Maybe a gentle “everyone makes that mistake – it’s not a big deal, but my name’s actually pronounced YYY”. No waiting until I did it the third time. Didn’t introduce themselves with the correct pronunciation at the outset, which could have avoided the entire issue. None of the above, all of which would have been acceptable. Instead a snapped correction. No doubt letting loose their years of frustration at having their name mispronounced. And displaying a bit of self-entitlement in the process. Like we should all know that this one in a million name is pronounced completely differently than it is spelled.
We moved on. Excellent candidate in many respects, but I still worried about their behaviour, the way they snapped, and the way in which they might engage with others in similar circumstances. Sustainability is about collaboration.
As we progressed through the entire multi-week process, Delta identified 4 exceptional candidates and with our client, narrowed that down to two finalists, who both came in for a final evaluation to make presentations.
I deliberately mispronounced the candidate’s name in front of the client twice. Both times I was abruptly and borderline rudely corrected. My client took note, and later, we deliberately pushed back against one of the assertions the candidate made in their presentation. Again – sharp resistance – not able to explore a difference of opinion without becoming quite sharp in tone, almost scolding us.
Net: they lost the job and the other candidate got the job. All because they corrected me with a tone.
I’ve seen candidates lose roles they otherwise had locked up because they treated the receptionist poorly, because they got frustrated by an interviewer who repeatedly (and deliberately, as part of a test) asked the same question several times. Because their laptop keyboard was dusty. Because they glanced at their phone during an interview. Because they didn’t send a follow up note and the competing candidate did. Because they didn’t ask for the job. Because their tie was loose, shoes were dirty – the list goes on. And on.
Are any of these things truly catastrophic? No. But when employers have an competing alternative who didn’t make that same error, it’s easy for them to go the other way.
So be aware: Simple errors can cost you your dream job. Prepare and execute accordingly.