Chapter Three —You're Not Facing Letterman
Bob thinks he's a pretty good interviewer. He has a list of 15 questions he asks every candidate—same questions, same order, every time. He takes notes on their answers, asks an occasional follow-up question. He gives them a chance to ask questions. He's friendly, humorous, and excited about working at Netcorp.com. As he tells every candidate ... in detail ... for hours. Then he wonders why only a small fraction of his hires pan out.
I've never really understood the interviewer who thinks telling the story of his or her life is pertinent. Why do some interviewers do it? Part nervousness, part inexperience, but mostly because they have the mistaken notion they have to sell you on the company, rather than the other way around. There are occasions when this may be necessary—periods of low unemployment, a glut of particular jobs and a dearth of qualified candidates, a candidate who's so desirable the interviewer feels, perhaps correctly, that he or she has to outsell and outbid the competition.
Under most circumstances, as I instruct novice interviewers in Ask the Right Questions, Hire the Right People (this book from the other side of the desk), you should be expected to carry the conversational load, white the interviewer sits back and decides if he or she is ready to buy what you're selling.
Is it to your benefit to find yourself seated before Mr. Monologue? You might think so. After all, while he's waxing poetic about the new cafeteria, you don't have to worry about inserting your other foot in your mouth. No explaining that last firing or how come you've had four jobs in three months. Nope, just sit back, relax, and try to stay awake.
But I don't believe Mr. M. is doing you any favors. Someone who monopolizes the conversation doesn't give you the opportunity you need to "strut your stuff." You may want to avoid leaving a bad impression, but I doubt you want to leave no impression at all. As long as you follow the advice in this book and, especially, this chapter, you should welcome the savvy interviewer who asks the open-ended, probing questions he needs to identify the right person for the job—the same questions you need to convince him it's you.
Once Upon A Time ...
Q: So, tell me a little about yourself.
There it is. The granddaddy of all interview questions. And one that still—unbelievably—makes some of you stumble.
It's really more of a request than a question, but it can put you on the spot like no question can. And if you're unprepared for such an open-ended prelude to the series of standard questions about your skills, background, and aspirations you've been expecting, it can stop you dead and earn you an immediate one-way ticket out of the interview.
Why is this question a favorite of so many interviewers? Many consider it a nice icebreaker, giving them a chance to gauge initial chemistry, get a little insight into the cipher sitting before them (that would be you), and force you to do all the talking, for at least a couple of minutes!
Should this time-tested question catch you unprepared? Certainly not. I guarantee that this will be one of the first three questions asked, often the very first one! So what happens if you do hem and haw your way through a disjointed, free-associating discourse that starts somewhere in Mrs. Mahamita's kindergarten class and, 10 minutes later, is just getting into the details of those 12th grade cheerleader tryouts? You may well tie the record for the shortest interview of the week.
Is the interviewer seeking specific clues (key words, body language)? Or, as I have secretly suspected of many an unseasoned interviewer, is she simply looking for the easiest way to get the ball rolling?
It shouldn't matter to you. If you are prepared, you know this can be your golden opportunity to get the ball rolling by demonstrating four of the traits every interviewer is desperately searching for: intelligence, enthusiasm, confidence, and dependability.
So dig out the personal inventory you completed in Chapter 1 (I told you it would be an important prerequisite for making good use of this book) and study the items you listed under these headings:
• My strongest skills.
• My greatest areas of knowledge.
• My greatest personality strengths.
• The things I do best.
• My key accomplishments.
What do they want to hear?
From this information, you will now construct a well-thought-out, logically sequenced summary of your experience, skills, talents, and schooling. A plus? If this brief introduction clearly and succinctly ties your experience into the requirements of the position. But be sure to keep it tightly focused—about 250 to 350 words, chock-full of specifics. It should take you no more than two minutes to recite an answer that includes the following information:
• Brief introduction.
• Key accomplishments.
• Key strengths demonstrated by these accomplishments.
• Importance of these strengths and accomplishments to the prospective employer.
• Where and how you see yourself developing in the position for which you're applying (tempered with the right amount of self-deprecating humor and modesty).
Again, we're not talking War and Peace here. Two-hundred-fifty to 350 words is about right (taking from 90 to 120 seconds to recite).
Green light
Here's how Barb, a recent college graduate applying for an entry-level sales position, answered this question:
"I've always been able to get along with different types of people. I think it's
because I'm a good talker and an even better listener. [Modestly introduces
herself, while immediately laying claim to the most important skills a good
salesperson should have.]
"During my senior year in high school,
when I began thinking seriously about which careers I'd be best suited for,
sales came to mind almost immediately. In high school and during my summer
breaks from college, I worked various part-time jobs at retail outlets.
[Demonstrates industriousness and at least some related experience.] Unlike most
of my friends, I actually liked dealing with the public. [Conveys enthusiasm for
selling.]
"However, I also realized that retail had its
limitations, so I went on to read about other types of sales positions. I was
particularly fascinated by what is usually described as consultative selling. I
like the idea of going to a client you have really done your homework on and
showing him how your products can help him solve one of his nagging problems,
and then following through on that. [Shows interest and enthusiasm for the
job.]
"After I wrote a term paper on consultative selling in my
senior year of college, I started looking for companies at which I could learn
and refine the skills shared by people who are working as account executives.
[Shows initiative both in researching the area of consultative selling to write
a term paper and in then researching prospective companies.]
"That
led me to your company, Mr. Sheldon. I find the prospect of working with
companies to increase the energy efficiency of their installations exciting.
I've also learned some things about your sales training programs. They sound
like they're on the cutting edge. [Gives evidence that she is an enthusiastic
self-starter.]
"I guess the only thing I find a little daunting
about the prospect of working at Co-generation, Inc., is selling that highly
technical equipment without a degree in engineering. By the way, what sort of
support does your technical staff lend to the sales effort?" [Demonstrates that
she is willing to learn what she doesn't know and closes by deferring to the
interviewer's authority. By asking a question the interviewer must answer, Barb
has also given herself a little breather. Now the conversational ball sits
squarely in the interviewer's court.]
Based on the apparent sincerity and detail of her answers, it's not a bad little "speech" of a mere 253 words, is it?
Following is another good example from a more experienced interviewee. With nearly a decade of experience in his field, Ken is applying for his dream job as a district general manager for a firm that provides maintenance services to commercial and residential properties.
Going in to the interview, he knows he has a couple of strikes against him. First of all, he's already held four jobs, so he's moved around a bit. And he doesn't yet have the management experience required by the job—virtually the equivalent of running a business with revenues of $7 million a year.
But because he has anticipated what might otherwise have been a devastating first interview question—"Tell me something that will help me get a better feel for you than what I get here on the resume" (a slightly aggressive variation on "Tell me about yourself")—Ken is prepared with this winning counterpunch:
"I'm a hard worker who loves this business. I've been an asset to the employers
I've had, and my experience would make me an even greater asset to
you.
''I think these are the most exciting times that I've ever
seen in this business. Sure, there's so much more competition now, and it's
harder than ever to get really good help. But all the indications are that more
and more companies will outsource their maintenance needs and that more
two-income households will require the services that we
provide.
"How do we get a bigger share of this business? How do we
recruit and train the best personnel? Because they are, after all, the secret of
our success. Those are the key challenges managers face in this
industry.
"I can help your company meet those challenges. While
resumes don't tell the whole story, mine demonstrates that:
"I'm a
hard worker. I've had promotions at every company I've worked
for.
"I would bring a good perspective to the position because I've
been a doer, as well as a supervisor. The people who have worked for me have
always respected my judgment, because they know I have a very good understanding
of what they do.
"And I have a terrific business sense. I'm great
at controlling expenses. I deploy staff efficiently. I'm fair. And I have a
knack for getting along with customers.
"I've always admired your
company. I must admit I have adopted some of CleanShine's methods and applied
them in the companies I've worked for.
"I see now that you're
branching into lawn care. I worked for a landscaping business during my high
school summers. How is that business going?"
In a mere 278 words, this successful candidate managed to:
• Focus the interviewer only on the positive aspects of his resume. Sure, he has changed jobs. But after this answer, the interviewer is likely to think, "Gee, look at all he's managed to accomplish everywhere he's gone."
• Steer the interview in the direction he wants it to go. He demonstrated leadership abilities, experience, and a good understanding of the market.
• Introduce just the right amount of humility. While taking every opportunity to turn the spotlight on his many accomplishments and professional strengths, Ken portrayed himself as a roll-up-the-sleeves type of manager who will be equally at ease with blue-collar workers and the "suits" back at headquarters.
• Turn things back over to the interviewer with a very informed question.
Although both Ken and Barb rehearsed their speeches, neither memorized them word for word. It's important to remember that the interviewer is not asking you to present a perfect essay, just to talk—person to person. Ken also sprinkled in a little industry jargon here and there, which was entirely appropriate.
Red light
Lack of eye contact. The interviewer is asking this question to find a little "chemistry," so give her the reaction she's looking for.
Lack of strong, positive phrases and words. It's the first question and, therefore, your first chance to get off on the right foot. Employ words that convey enthusiasm, responsibility, dedication, and success. If the very first answer is uninspired (especially an answer we all assume has been prepared and even rehearsed), I have almost never seen the interview improve very much. Many interviewers will simply cut their losses and move on to a more promising candidate.
General, meandering response that fails to cite/high-light specific accomplishments. It's a plus if you have been savvy enough to "edit" what we all know is a well-rehearsed set speech to ensure that it's relevant to the job at hand. Many interviewers will consider it a minus if all they've heard is a bunch of generalities with little or no actual specifics to back them up.
No relevance to job or company. Some candidates believe this question is an invitation to discourse on their hobbies, interests, beliefs, and other personal topics. Some interviewers may give you the initial benefit of the doubt, but most will quickly probe for some job-related specifics.
Lack of enthusiasm. If you don't seem excited about interviewing for the job, most interviewers will not assume you'll suddenly "get religion" once you're hired.
Nervousness. Some people are naturally nervous in the artificial and intimidating atmosphere of an interview, and most experienced interviewers won't consider this an automatic reason to have their secretary buzz them about that "emergency conference." But they'll wonder what may be lurking—a firing, a sexual harassment suit, something that isn't going to make their day.
Someone who asks a clarifying question, such as "What exactly do you want to know?" or "Which particular areas would you like me to talk about?" As I said earlier, I find it hard to believe anyone interviewing for anything has not anticipated that this question will be asked. What do you think the interviewer wants to know? Your opinion about Michael Jordan's retirement? She wants to know about your experience, skills, talents, and education, so answer the question, articulately and succinctly, and get ready for what comes next.
Variations
• What makes you special?
• What five adjectives describe you best?
• Rate yourself on a scale of one to 10.
• How would you describe your character?
Despite the nuances, you should merely edit your "set piece" to respond to each of the above questions in essentially the same way. So although the first and fourth questions appear to be more targeted, all four questions are really looking for the same information.
• Why should I consider you a strong candidate for this position?
• What's better about you than the other candidates I'm interviewing?
• What can you do for us that someone else can't?
These are more aggressive questions, the tone of each a bit more forceful. An interviewer using one of these variations is clearly attempting to make you fully aware that you're on the
Getting ready for the "killer question"
• Complete your personal inventory. If you bypassed the work in Chapter 1, go back and do it now, before we move on.
• Distill your personal inventory into a compelling opening. Use specifics to make this a short-and-sweet verbal picture of you, in which you frame yourself as an enthusiastic and competent professional—the ideal candidate for the job.
• Don't memorize it word for word. You want to sound fresh—not like you're reading from a set of internal cue cards. So know the content. Record yourself speaking it until it sounds sincere but spontaneous.
• Include strong, positive phrases and words. You want to convey enthusiasm and confidence as well as knowledge and experience. What you don't know, you're eager to learn.
• Use it to set the course of the interview. Anticipate that the "killer" will surface early in the interview, so be prepared to use it as an opportunity to steer the interview in the direction you want it to take. Fine-tune your response to give a positive slant to any potential negatives, such as apparent job-hopping and tack of related experience.
• End with the ball in the interviewer's court. By ending with a question, you get a much-deserved breather and, once again, demonstrate your involvement and enthusiasm. hot seat. This may be a matter of his particular style, the introduction to his own brand of stress interview, or just a way to save time by seeing how you respond to pressure right from the get-go.
In one respect, I think phrasing the first question this way helps you: He has virtually required that your answer match specific strengths, accomplishments, skills, etc., to job requirements he's already enumerated (in an ad, through personnel, or whatever). You've gotten a bit more "direction" than a simple question like "Tell me about yourself" gives you.
You've also been given a golden opportunity to display the extent of your pre-interview research. And if you haven't done any, you may well find yourself in a sea of hot water. The interviewer has set you up, trying to separate the "misqualified" by using a single question. You, for example, may emphasize your ability to meet deadlines and cite specific instances, which clearly shows you worked virtually alone in your last position. In the position for which you're interviewing, the successful candidate may have to coddle and cajole a wide variety of managers in several offices across the country to get input for the documents he is then supposed to produce—and then he will have to follow through by getting each one to sign off on the finished product. Although "tenacity" and "meeting deadlines" may come trippingly off your tongue, the interviewer is seeking a very different—highly diplomatic, team player, etc. —individual. (And, again, that would now not be you.)
Tell Me More, Tell Me More
Q: What are your strengths as an employee?
What do they want to hear?
To prepare for this question (as well as the variations just mentioned), pull out those Data Input Sheets you labored over in Chapter 1 and write down the description of the position for which you're interviewing. This will help you clarify each specific job requirement in your mind. Now, match your strengths and accomplishments directly to the requirements of the job.
Say that you have a singular skill for meeting even the most unreasonable deadlines. You are tenacious. Nothing can stop you. If "meeting deadlines" is a key job requirement, be sure to cite two or three pertinent examples from your experience. The more outrageous the deadline and herculean your efforts, the more important it is to bring to the interviewer's attention—at least twice.
Are there any gaps in your qualifications? Probably a few—especially if you're reaching for the challenge at the next level of your career. So now it's time to dig in and deal with the hard questions that you know will follow right on the tail of the ones above.
Q: How would your best friend (college roommate, favorite professor, favorite boss, mother, family, etc.) describe you?
What do they want to hear?
Personally, I would start with the "best friend" variation if I were interviewing someone. Supposedly, that's who should know you best. So if you presented me with a half-baked picture of yourself, I'd shorten the interview—by about seven-eighths of an hour. Another approach some interviewers prefer is to ask you to describe you best friend and how you differ from one another. This is based on the untested but reasonable theory that if they're your "best" friend, you probably have quite a lot in common. Because you are supposedly describing your best friend, not yourself, some interviewers believe you may inadvertently reveal character insights (read: flaws) you would otherwise like to conceal. So, take pains to describe a person the interviewer would find easy to hire.
All of the other variations on this question may be used by experienced interviewers to hone in on specific times (college, high school, last job) or just to get a fuller picture of you—what your mother or father would say, for example, may give the interviewer a clear illustration of the kind of environment in which you were raised.
Back to the Future
Q: What do you want to be doing five years from now?
What do they want to hear?
Are the company's goals and yours compatible? Are you looking for fast or steady growth in a position the interviewer knows is a virtual dead end? Are you requesting more money than he can ever pay? How have your goals and motivations changed as you have matured and gained work experience? If you've recently become a manager, how has that change affected your future career outlook? If you've realized you need to acquire or hone a particular skill, how and when are you planning to do so?
Green light
Naturally, you want a position of responsibility in your field. But you don't want to give the impression that you're a piranha waiting to feed on the guppies in your new department. So, start humbly:
"Well, ultimately that will depend on my performance on the job, and on the
growth and opportunities offered by my employer."
Then toot your own horn a bit:
"I've already demonstrated leadership characteristics in all of the jobs
I've held, so I'm very confident that I will take on progressively greater
management responsibilities in the future. That suits me fine. I enjoy building
a team, developing its goals, and then working to accomplish them. It's very
rewarding."
In other words, you want "more"—more responsibility, more people reporting to you, more turf, even more money. A general answer (as above) is okay, but don't be surprised when an interviewer asks the obvious follow-up questions (using the answer to the above question as a guide): "Tell me about the last team you led"; "Tell me about the last project your team undertook"; ''What was the most satisfying position you've held, and why?"; "If I told you our growth was phenomenal and you could go as far as your abilities would take you, where would that be, and how quickly?"
Red light
If you answer "your job." Hasn't everyone tired of that trite response by now?
If you refuse to offer more than a "general" answer—that is, no real specific goals—no matter how much the interviewer probes for more. Your inability or unwillingness to cite specific, positive goals may give the impression, warranted or not, that you have not taken the time to really think about your future, which makes it impossible for the interviewer to assess whether there's a "fit" between his goals and yours.
If you insist you want to be in the same job for which you're applying (unless it is a dead-end job and the interviewer would be pleased as punch if someone actually stayed longer than three weeks, unlike the last 14 people to hold the position!).
Any answer that reveals unrealistic expectations. A savvy candidate should have some idea of the time it takes to climb the career ladder in a particular industry or even in a company. Someone hoping to go from receptionist to CEO in two years will, of course, scare off most interviewers, but any expectations that are far too ambitious could give them pause. If a law school grad, for example, seeks to make partner in four years—when the average for all firms is seven and, for this one, 10—it will make even novice interviewers question the extent and effectiveness of your pre-interview research.
There's nothing wrong with being ambitious and confident beyond all bounds, but a savvy interviewee should temper such boundless expectations during the interview, knowing full well that some candidates do "break the rules" successfully, but most interviewers get a little nervous around people with completely unbridled ambition!
If you have made an interviewer worry that her company couldn't possibly deliver on the promises you seem to want to hear, you can expect a follow-up question: "How soon after you're hired do you think you can contribute to our success?" Even someone with a tremendous amount of pertinent experience knows full well that each company has its own particular ways of doing things and that the learning curve may be days, weeks, or months, depending on circumstances. So any candidate—but especially an overly ambitious young person—who blithely assures an interviewer they'll be productive from day one is cause for concern. The interviewer is really trying to assess, in the case of an inexperienced person, how "trainable" you are, and you've just told him you think you already know it all! Not a good start.
For some reason, some applicants fail to remember that this is an interview, not a conversation in a bar or with friends. As a result, they rattle off some remarkable responses that can only be deemed "fantasies"—to be retired, own their own business, etc.—though why they would think this is an answer pertinent to their job search is beyond me. I would seriously discourage ever answering this question in such a manner.
Variations
• What are your most important long-term goals?
• Have you recently established any new objectives or goals?
These questions provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate how your goals and motivations have changed as you've matured and gained valuable work experience. If you've recently become a manager, talk about how that experience has affected your career outlook for the future. If you've realized that you must sharpen a particular skill to continue growing, tell the interviewer what you're doing about it.
Und, zo, Dr. Freud
Q: If you could change one thing about your personality just by snapping your fingers, what would it be and why?
What do they want to hear?
A savvy candidate will take a trait previously (or now) identified as a weakness (but, if you're really savvy, not a weakness that would ever get in the way of work) and put together a brief answer that indicates awareness and motivation:
"Boy, I had a hard time with procrastination in college. But I licked it
because burning the midnight oil all through exam week every semester was
driving me nuts.
"I have to confess, I still have the urge to
procrastinate. [You might smile disingenuously here.] I wish that I never felt
like putting things off, because I know what will happen if I do."
Red light
Identifying a weakness that is job-related or, worse, essential to the job at hand (for example, the inability to work with others when the job at hand is highly team-based).
Citing a weakness that is so basic or stupid that the interviewer has to wonder if that's the biggest thing (she did say one thing) you could change.
Variations
• Tell me about the one thing in your life you're proudest of.
• Tell me about the worst decision you ever made.
The former puts you on comfortable turf—a positive question you can answer positively. The latter forces you to turn a negative question into a positive answer, and, because any negative question invites the unwary to descend into a sea of recriminations ("Working for that last jerk, let me tell you!"), it is a potential quagmire.
In both cases, the interviewer is inviting conversation but not as "one way" and open-ended as in earlier questions. These might well be follow-up questions if "Tell me about yourself" or something similar didn't "open everything up'' as much as the interviewer hoped it would. You should, therefore, take them as a sign that you've yet to tell the interviewer what he wants to hear.
Dictator or Pushover?
Q: Describe your management philosophy.
What do they want to hear?
Most companies want someone who can demonstrate a desire and ability to delegate, teach, and distribute work—and credit—fairly (unless, of course, the interviewer is an autocratic bastard seeking a mirror image). In general, you probably want to come across as neither a dictator nor a pushover. A successful candidate should convey that he or she has the ability to succeed should opportunity present itself. But they should avoid giving the impression that they're fire-breathing workaholics ready to succeed no matter what (or whom) the cost.
Green light
"More than anything else, I think that management is getting things done through other people. The manager's job is to provide the resources and environment in which people can work effectively. I try to do this by creating teams, judging people solely on the basis of their performance, distributing work fairly, and empowering workers, to the extent possible, to make their own decisions. I've found that this breeds loyalty and inspires hard work."
Red light
One of these wishy-washy answers I've actually heard during interviews:
"I try to get people to like me, and then they really work hard for me."
"I guess you could say I'm a real people-person."
Let's Ask Mr. Webster
Q: What does "success" mean to you?
What do they want to hear?
You should offer a balanced answer to this question, citing personal as well as professional examples. If your successes are exclusively job-related, an interviewer may wonder if you actually have a life. However, if you blather on about your personal goals and accomplishments, you may seem uncommitted to striving for success on the job.
Green light
Strike a balance and talk about success in terms such as these:
"I have always enjoyed supervising a design team. In fact, I've discovered that I'm better at working with other designers than designing everything myself. Unlike a lot of the people in my field, I'm also able to relate to the requirements of the manufacturing department.
"So, I guess I'd say success means working with others to come up with efficient designs that can be up on the assembly line quickly. Of course, the financial rewards of managing a department give me the means to travel during my vacations. That's the thing I love most in my personal life."
Red light
If the interviewer identifies any of the following problems from your answer, you're already on thin ice and better get back to shore:
• Incompatibility of his/her goals and yours.
• Lack of focus in your answer.
• Too general an answer, with no examples of what success has already been achieved.
• Too many personal examples.
• Too many job-oriented examples.
Q: What does "failure" mean to you?
What do they want to hear?
A specific example to demonstrate what you mean by "failure," not a lengthy philosophical discussion more suited to a Bergman film than an interview. This question offers an experienced interviewer the opportunity to delve into mistakes and bad decisions, not a happy topic as far as you're concerned. He is looking for honesty, a clear analysis of what went wrong, a willingness to admit responsibility (with a small plus if it's obvious you're taking responsibility for some aspects that weren't your fault), and the determination to change what caused it (or examples to show how it's already been transformed).
Green light
"Failure is not getting the job done when I have the means to do so. For example, once I was faced with a huge project. I should have realized at the outset that I didn't have the time. I must have been thinking there were 48 hours in a day! I also didn't have the knowledge I needed to do it correctly. Instead of asking some of the other people in my department for help, I blundered through. That won't ever happen to me again if I can help it!"
Red light
A wishy-washy, nonspecific answer that forces the interviewer to ask more and more follow-up questions to get some sort of handle on what makes you tick.
Always remember why the interviewer is asking you such open-ended questions: to get you talking, hopefully so you reveal more than you would have if he or she had asked a more pointed question. So answer such questions—clearly, succinctly, and specifically—but avoid any temptation to "confess" your many sins.
Tips for convincing the interviewer you're a good catch
• Do your homework. Find out as much as you can about the company and how the position for which you're interviewing contributes to its goals.
• Demonstrate experience—and exude confidence. Give the interviewer strong answers using concrete examples that are relevant to the position you are after.
• Be humble. Convey the impression that you have the ability to succeed, should opportunities present themselves. But avoid giving the impression that you're a fire-breathing workaholic ready to succeed no matter what (or whom) the cost.
• Appear firm, but not dictatorial. When you talk about your management philosophy, let the interviewer know that you are able to delegate and still keep track of each person's progress.
• Talk about growth. Tell the interviewer how you've grown in each of the jobs you've held and how your career goals have changed as a result.
• Admit to your failures. Concentrate on what you learned from past failures, using examples that show how you've changed as a result of them.
• Showcase your successes. Make sure to position yourself as a professional with a satisfying personal life.
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