22-03-2012, 03:45 PM
How To Be Successful At Interviews
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How To Be Successful At Interviews
No-nonsense rules that work…
By John Shreeve
Plain Words PR Consultant
The job marketplace is full of advice on what you should and shouldn’t do at interviews. Some of it is
good advice; much of it is trite – reminding you to wash and to refrain from wearing your Viking
helmet (yes, I know they love it down the pub…but are you sure it will help you get that technical
writing job?). I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to concentrate on a few simple rules that
work. They won’t get you every job you interview for. But they will help you to “sell” your skills in
interview situations more effectively, which will considerably up the odds of getting hired.
I’m also going to assume that you have the wherewithal to turn up at the interview on time, polish
your shoes, wear good-looking clothes (smart or casual, depending on the company’s dress code),
and to go to the toilet before the interview.
Okay, let’s look at rule number one…
Rule #1: Tell ’em what’s in it for them
The first rule of being successful at interviews comes from a well-established maxim of the
advertising world: Tell ’em what’s in it for them and keep telling them until they buy.
Translated to the job interview, this entails telling the employer exactly how you will use your skills
to make more profit for their company. You need to be specific about this. Research the company in
depth and isolate the problems and challenges they currently face.
See the Articles page for a list of search tools to help research the companies you will be interviewing with
Could you use your skills to help them solve one of them?
They might want to set up a programming application that is generally considered highly complex.
But maybe you could do it? If so, list in detail how you would do it. It takes time and effort. But
believe me, it’s a sure fire way of getting a job. (In fact, I know someone who did solve a complex
programming problem and got themselves a great job).
By focusing on the problems a company needs solving, you swing the emphasis of the interview
firmly on your work skills now – not on what you’ve done in the past. While your past
accomplishments are relevant (they got you where you are today), they aren’t as tangible to a
prospective employer as actually showing them how you can make their company more effective and
profitable.
Rule #2: Tell ’em you want the job
If you attend an interview for a job, it’s obvious you want the job, right? Well, it ought to be. But
statistics from head-hunting agencies suggest otherwise. Apparently, many job candidates fail to get
hired because the employer isn’t convinced the candidate actually wants the job!
Although that sounds crazy, I think I understand what is going on here. I’m an ad man by trade and
a rule of advertising is you need to ask your prospect (customer) to buy. You need to close the sale
that you’ve carefully prepared for. So you look the prospect directly in the eye and say: “Would you
like to buy our fantastic widget carpet cleaner?” A lot of salesmen do everything to avoid the close of
the sale. And with good reason – it’s embarrassing and uncomfortable. But to succeed in sales, it has
to be done. The customer needs to be asked whether they want to buy or not.
Rule #3: Be yourself – don’t be a zombie
A lot of people who attend job interviews read all the “how to succeed at interviews” guide books.
Most people would say it is good to be prepared and to get the right advice. And, yes, I’d go along
with that. But I’d also add this proviso: Be careful who you get your advice from: bad advice will get you
nowhere.
Think on this: three company owners of my acquaintance, all in the IT business, each said
something along the following lines to me: “I can always tell the job candidate who has read the
book on interviewing. You get the bone-crushing handshake, the zombie-like eye contact, the
contrived body language, and the rehearsed “model” answers to every question. They stand out a
mile!”
Attending the interview
• Take along the completed “Pre Interview Questionnaire” sent to you by us.
• Don’t forget your list of points for discussion, list of questions, copies of your
CV, samples, references, directions, and research notes on the company.
Travel expenses
• Companies rarely offer to cover travel expenses to the interview – not as a
matter of course, anyway. But it’s not a problem to ask politely if there is any
provision for reimbursing expenses.