Interviews that Land the Offer Shira Harrington Founder & President Purposeful Hire, Inc....
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Transcript of Interviews that Land the Offer Shira Harrington Founder & President Purposeful Hire, Inc....
Interviews that Land the Offer
Shira HarringtonFounder & PresidentPurposeful Hire, [email protected]
Purpose of an Interview
More than just landing an offer…it’s about the MATCH!
Focus on mutual benefit Don’t interview “for the practice”
Connecting with the Recruiter
List contact information everywhere (cover letter, resume, email signature block, LinkedIn)
Respond with interest (or lack of interest) ASAP Reschedule with caution
Being Prepared: READ THE JOB POSTING
• Highlight key words • Match requirements and duties to your resume• Develop questions on every aspect of the job• What requirements do you fulfill extremely well?• Where are you deficient?• Is there anything about the job that strikes you as
odd or inconsistent?
Being Prepared: RESEARCH THE ORGANIZATION
Mission and current corporate initiatives Position within organizational chart Reporting relationships Bios on website, Linked In, Google Read the strategic plan, if posted
Being Prepared:GOING DEEPER
NONPROFIT -- Guidestar.com (review 990s) FOR PROFIT -- Hoover’s or other research tool
Develop appropriate questions (Wait to ask financial questions until at least 2nd level interview)
Use contacts on Linked In to inquire about organization and/or supervisor
The Phone Interview
Use a landline (when possible) No noise in the background (dogs, kids) Have the website open Dress professionally Stand up SMILE!
When You Arrive
10 minutes early = ON TIME; On time = LATE The interview starts before you walk into building Be friendly to the receptionist Shut off cell phone Polite refuse beverages Fill out or submit application…with a smile
Your Personal Presence
Dress code – Nothing to distract – Clothes that fit– Conservative suit is safest
Refrain from perfume/cologne Show your enthusiasm, eye contact,
open body posture SMILE!
Icebreakers
Find something kind or amusing to comment Mention any personal connections Ask the recruiter about themselves Comment on the website / company
reputation
Group Interviews
Be as confident as you would be on the job Ask questions of each participant Make eye contact with each person when
answering questions
Answering Basic Questions
Personal (eg. Age, family status, etc.) Travel / Overtime Compensation “Tell me about yourself.” Weaknesses
Preparing to Answer:COMPETENCIES AND PASSIONS
What do you most WANT to do?
– In what areas am I both highly skilled AND highly motivated?
Public Relations…Legislative Advocacy… Project Management… Operations… Fundraising…Strategic Visioning… Consensus Building…Policy Analysis… Board relations… Staff Development…Public Speaking…etc.
Preparing to Answer:CHOOSING THE RIGHT EXAMPLES
Demonstrate skills for the position you are APPLYING FOR!
Relate your answer to what you know about the position
Use it as a jumping off point for discussion
Behavioral Interview Questions
Explores your past behavior Allows the interviewer to probe into your
answer Hard to fudge your response! Interviewer wants a story with detail
(but not too much)
Sample Behavioral Questions
“Describe a time or a situation when you…” …were faced with a stressful situation …used good judgment in solving a problem …showed initiative to increase revenues …motivated others (team or direct reports) …effectively handled a difficult customer …tried to accomplished something and failed
Preparing to Answer:CULTURAL COMPETENCIES
How well do you “play in the sandbox?” Typical organizational competencies:
– Critical Thinking– Independence vs. Team Orientation– Mentoring / Delegating– Crisis Management– Customer Service– Self-motivation– Willingness to Learn
Behavioral Interviews: Use S-A-R
Situation – Action – Result Situation (S):
Revenues were decreasing for my division last year. Several loyal clients did not renew their contracts.
Action (A):While some thought this was owed to the economy, I believed this might be due to the clients’ lack of perceived value in our product offerings. I designed a new promotional packet to go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits of our products with those of our competitors. I also set-up a special training session for the account executives to discuss competitive selling strategies.
Result (R):We ‘won back’ 15 former clients and were able to up-sell additional products beyond what they originally purchased. We increased our overall revenue by 20 percent over the same period the prior year.
Prepare a Homework Assignment
Prepare a portfolio of documents (budgets, programs, brochures, writing samples or awards)
Addendum to your resume (detailing specific skills and accomplishments related to the job)
Prepare a deliverable (onboarding document)– A 30, 60 or 90-day action plan – A formal proposal outlining a project or program
Asking the EMPLOYER Questions
Showcase your interest AND curiosity Ask about:
– Long-term goals of company / department– Short-term objectives during 1st year– Corporate / departmental culture– Challenges in role– Resources (financial, staff, technology)– Management style
Closing the Interview
If you want the job, say so! Ask about next steps in the decision making
process Can you meet with future co-workers Supplementary documentation
(if appropriate: financials, pubs, reports) Email Thank You note (within 24 hours)
EXERCISE
1. Choose your greatest competency and create a S-A-R story to demonstrate it
2. Choose a related behavioral interview question “Describe a time when…”
Get into groups of two: Each person alternates between
interviewer/interviewee. Give honest feedback.
Questions?
Shira HarringtonFounder & PresidentPurposeful Hire, Inc.
www.purposefulhire.com