Work Strategically!
"10 Secrets for Career Change Success"
Discover why midlife is the PERFECT
time to change careers!
"Exactly what I needed to take the stress and chaos out of my job search!"
Did you know...?
†Lee Hecht Harrison study
People
who work with a Career Coach find jobs 15 - 46% faster than those who don't!†
who work with a Career Coach find jobs 15 - 46% faster than those who don't!†
Is it time to get serious about YOUR job search?
Request your free
Career Strategy Session with
Kim Avery,
The Midlife
Career Change Coach.
Your free 30 minute session will focus on YOUR goals, and a strategy to pursue them with confidence!
Career Strategy Session with
Kim Avery,
The Midlife
Career Change Coach.
Your free 30 minute session will focus on YOUR goals, and a strategy to pursue them with confidence!
†Lee Hecht Harrison study
The Job Interview
Your voice is shaky, your hands are sweaty, and your mind has gone blank.
Where are you? The dreaded job interview. And while this is the typical scenario
for many job candidates - it doesn't have to happen to you.
In fact, you can show up confident, communicate clearly, and beat out the
competition by taking the time to master the top three skills.
In its most basic form, you have only three things to accomplish to ace your interview and get the job.
Three Essential Skills
Connect
Communicate
Close
Connect
While it seems that employers should only be interested in your qualifications and ability to do the job, this simply isn't true. Research shows that when an interviewer is faced with two candidates with roughly the same skill set, he will choose the candidate with whom he best connects. You can be that person.
Learn how to make those first crucial 30 seconds count by flashing an engaging smile, dressing appropriately, and shaking hands firmly. Mirror the interviewer's personality and pace.
Find common ground and listen with all you've got. Your attentiveness will not only demonstrate interest and respect, you will also discover exactly what the employer is looking for and the problem they are trying to solve.
Communicate
Having successfully connected, it is now time to communicate your skills, education, experience, and work ethic. At this stage, the employer is gathering information and internally measuring them against the job requirements.
Preparation is critical. With honesty and sincerity, you want to highlight the qualifications of yours that most closely match their need. Rehearse ahead of time the answers to the most common job interview questions and then do more.
Increasingly, employers are giving behavioral interviews. Prepare success stories peppered with real life examples and hard evidence to demonstrate why you are the best candidate.
Never forget, that at the heart of all their questions, the employer really just wants to one of three things:
- How you can save them time
- How you can save them money
- How you can solve their problem.
Don't leave them guessing. Let them know exactly how you will deliver.
Close
You have established rapport, sold your skills, and now it is time to close the deal.
Express interest in the job.
Ask, "What's the next step?"
Try to schedule your next interview
Added Bonus
To make a lasting impression, leave something memorable behind. As you prepare to exit, hand the interviewer one last fact sheet, a collection of testimonials, or a meaningful quote. This will cause them to remember you long after you are gone.
Follow-Up
Follow-up with a timely thank you note that, of course, includes a reminder of your top skills.
Congratulations. By preparing and practicing these three steps, you will ace the job interview and once again have work you love.
For more great resources, follow these links:
Free Interview Answers
Common Interview Questions
Behavioral Interviews
Job Interview Quiz
Interview Illegal Questions - A List
Illegal Interview Questions - How to Handle
Job Interview Etiquette
Interview Thank You Letters
Sample Interview Thank You Letter
Back to Free Resources from Job Interview