Preparing for an Interview - Integrity R



Preparing for an Interview

The objective of a phone interview (never use a cell phone!) should always be to sell yourself and your accomplishments so that the employer will want to bring you in for a face-to-face interview. This puts you in the driver’s seat to control your own destiny. Be in the frame of mind to sell what you can bring to the company rather than what the company can do for your career. Here are some tips that I’ve found to help strengthen the initial telephone interview.

It is always important to write down specific questions that you have about the position or company in advance of the interview. The quality of your questions can often tell an employer more about you than the quality of your answers. Here are some general questions that I have found to help add structure and confidence to a phone interview.

1. Tell me a little bit about the duties and responsibilities of the position.

2. If you were to hire me for this position, what do you feel like my top three priorities would be?

3. It is fine to tell a hiring manager what you are currently earning. If however, they ask you what it would take to get you on board, it’s best not to name a figure but answer this way. “I’d like as much as the position will pay for someone with my background and experience.”

4. How does my background and experience match up with your expectations for this position? Are their any areas of concern about my experience?

5. I’m very interested in this opportunity, what’s the next step?

Be ready to be asked questions such as:

Why are you looking for another position?

Describe your management style.

What are your leadership qualities?

Tell me about the best/worst boss you ever worked for.

Another tip that I think is helpful is to stand up during the phone interview. These interviews can be more difficult than in-person interviews because you don’t get any visual cues or feedback. By standing up, you add energy to your voice. Be prepared for the Strengths/Weaknesses question. When asked about your weaknesses, it’s best to talk about something that could also be construed as a positive; i.e. I’ve been told that I’m a workaholic and can’t let things go.

80% of any hiring decision is based on chemistry. Find out how long this person has been with the company, what originally attracted them, and what keeps them there. If personal issues come up, try to find things that you have in common with the hiring manager such as family, sports, or activities. Also, employers hire candidates with the right attitude and enthusiasm. You must project a “fire in the belly” attitude during the interview.

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