Best Job Interview Tips #8: Lisa Quast, Career Woman Inc.

Interview

Pulled from the FREE e-book “70+ Tips to Perfect the Interview,” today’s advice comes from Lisa Quast of Career Woman Inc..

Know your unique qualities

 


The question I always ask when I interview candidates is, “Given all the many candidates who have applied for this position, why should I hire you over anyone else?” You need to have a ready answer to this question. Think through what makes you special, what makes you so unique that a hiring manager should hire you over everyone else.

Prepare potential interview questions ahead of time

 


Most people don’t take the time to prepare for an interview. But being prepared is the best way to ensure you get called back for a second interview. An easy way to prepare is to review your resume and think through key questions the hiring manager might ask, and then determine a brief response. Keep in mind, hiring managers usually ask questions within these five categories:
  • Background: Questions focused on gaining an understanding of the candidate’s work experience/history, education, and overall qualifications for the position.
  • Job/Company/Industry: Questions to test the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the open position, company, and industry.
  • Style/Personality: Questions focused on learning about the candidate’s personality, social style, and work style.
  • Skills/Abilities: Questions to verify/validate the candidate’s level of knowledge, skills, ability, and competency on key aspects of the open position.
  • Future Orientation: Questions that help determine the candidate’s goals and aspirations, how well they will perform in the job, and how well they will interact with others.

Be sure to find out where you stand at the end of the interview: Surprisingly, most candidates get so flustered at the end of an interview that they merely thank the hiring manager for the interview, shake their hand, and then leave. But if you end it like that you’ll never know what they thought of you. Remember to “close” the interview by posing a question back to the hiring manager, such as, “Based on my background and the skills and experience we discussed, how well do I fit the profile of the candidate for which you are looking?” This question will help you find out what the hiring manager thinks of you and whether or not they believe you’re a good fit for the position.

The simple follow on question then becomes, “What are the next steps in the hiring process?”

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