Practice, practice, practice. Rachelle Cantor, a career coach, has an excellent insight. Practicing minimizes the chance that job seekers will be caught off-guard. If you want to sound spontaneous and conversational during the interview, spend time practicing.
“What’s the worst boss you had?” The commentary here is absolutely on point. It’s not so much as have you had a bad boss, but how did you adapt to it? It’s an opportunity to demonstrate your tolerance and perseverance. It’s also an opportunity to show your ingenuity — that is, how did you make the most out of a bad situation?
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Once in a while, an interview candidate will blurt out, “Gosh, I didn’t expect to get that question.”
It’s a reasonable reply during an interview coaching session; my job is to pepper my clients with tough, unexpected mock interview questions. However, it’s the wrong response at an actual interview.
A challenging question can trigger a range of emotions: surprise, helplessness, anger, and a sense of impending embarrassment. It’s uncomfortable, but save the emotions and “I didn’t expect that” commentary. Expressing your emotions during the interview won’t help you get the job. It might actually hurt, especially if your comment is seen as your lacking confidence or preparation.
After the interview, if you still have concerns with a particular interview question, you can discuss it with the employer’s HR representative.
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Having been in the recruiting industry myself for 15 years, I rarely see that question asked anymore. Why? Because people have been coached to death on it and employers know it.
Here are my thoughts on the topic:
Many hiring managers still ask the “What’s Your Weakness?” question or a slight variation. Why? They need to determine each candidate’s weakness; they can’t make hiring decisions by only comparing strengths across candidates.
Reflecting on candidate responses to the weakness question, they fall into three buckets: average, above-average, and top-notch.
Average: These candidates probably heard the tip: “turn your weakness into a strength.” These folks are likely to say, “I’m too detail-oriented” or “I work too hard.” Most hiring managers have caught on to this gimmick. Candidates that answer this way come off as insincere.
Above-average: These job seekers know this is a booby trap. They tiptoe through this question with a weakness that doesn’t set off any alarms. Savvy hiring managers can sniff out a safe response and will most likely give the candidate partial credit.
Top notch: These interview candidates are the best of the best. They mention a genuine weakness because they can see a accurate reflection of themselves and have nothing to hide. They drive for continuous self-improvement, so if they haven’t addressed the weakness already, hiring managers are confident that they will.
Here’s one last thought: with behavioral interview techniques becoming more popular, it’s more likely that interview candidates will unknowingly expose weaknesses during the interview. The best defense: build a arsenal of 10-15 interview stories that put your experiences and skills in the best light.
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Getting a job should not be your immediate goal. Job seekers often ask for a job at the beginning. Resist that temptation. If the manager does have a job, asking for it at the beginning is premature, especially if you haven’t proven yourself. If he or she does not have a job, you and the manager have to overcome the early letdown. Instead, focus on asking good questions and creating a good impression. Then, at the end, do ask if the manager is hiring, but don’t push it.
Doing informational interviews is like dating. Show interest in the other person and demonstrate value; you’ll gradually make your way to a big payoff. If you don’t show value or if you’re perceived as too eager and direct, you’re likely to get brushed off.
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During a recent press conference, Jeff Zeleny, a NY Times reporter, asked President Obama: “During these first 100 days, what has surprised you the most about this office, enchanted you the most about serving in this office, humbled you the most and troubled you the most?”
Long, multi-part questions are tough. It’s hard to remember everything. But answer one part and neglect the other, you may be perceived as evasive or not taking the interviewer’s qusetion seriously.
Obama handles the situation gracefully. Weissman writes:
He immediately reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a pen and said, “Let me write this down,” producing a wave of laughter from the crowd gathered in the East Room of the White House.
As Obama began writing, Zeleny began to restate his question, “Surprised … troubled…”
Obama said, “I’ve got–what was the first one?”
Zeleny repeated, “Surprised …”
Obama repeated, “Surprised …”
Zeleny repeated, “Troubled …”
Obama repeated, “Troubled …”
Zeleny repeated, “Enchanted …”
Obama said, “Enchanted,” then smiled and added, “Nice,” evoking more laughter.
Next time you get a multi-part question, use Obama’s technique. You’ll get points for handling the situation with respect, precision, grace, and attentive listening skills, like a top American president.
Share tips on how use online networking resources such as LinkedIn
The weekly meetings are free, and Steve hosts the events in two locations: one in North Seattle and the other West Seattle.
I haven’t had a chance to attend a meeting, but it sounds like a great place to share search tips and leads. Most importantly, the group has a good track record. Kevin tells me that two members recently received job offers. Congrats to the Notes from the Job Search group, and keep up the good work!
Careerbuilder’s “The Work Buzz” blog writes about unusual tactics job seekers are using to get noticed. One of the more recent examples is Eric Jacobsen, an IT professional in Austin, Texas who bought a billboard to promote himself and his website eric4hire.com.
I love unusual tactics. It shows creativity and effort. Emilia Bolsas tweeted one of my favorite examples:
One job applicant sent $5 Starbucks card with resume: “Would love to talk over coffee.” Didn’t get job, but got a call.
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Here’s a fascinating observation: non-profit and government positions are becoming more desirable. Even beyond the top 10, employers such as the CIA, American Cancer Society, and the US Department of Energy are becoming more popular among job seekers.
Harry Joiner offers a detailed 10 point analysis of a fantastic cover letter. Most cover letters are absolutely terrible, but this cover letter (and Harry’s analysis) definitely grabbed grabbed my attention.
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Ask good questions. The interviewer may judge you based on the questions you ask. For instance, don’t ask “What does the company do?” Instead, do you research before the interview.
Ask open ended questions. Stay away from questions that elicit yes/no answers from the interviewer. The information will have limited usefulness, and it’ll break down momentum and rapport between you and the interviewer.
Keep it positive. Don’t raise sensitive or controversial topics. For instance, the interview is not the best time to inquire why 2,000 people were laid off last week.
Don’t assume you have the job. Don’t ask about vacation time or other corporate benefits. You may come across as arrogant because your questions assume that you have the job. Save those questions until after you’ve received the job offer.
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