‘Inter-Viewing’ Techniques

First, and foremost, do your homework – ‘Research’. Secondly, remember that ‘inter-viewing’ is always a two-way street. Try to remember that the firm you choose to interview with are just as anxious to make a good impression on you through the ‘information exchange’ process of the interview. The fact that you have been asked to interview with the firm is automatically in your favour as you share your career background, how you ‘present’ in the interview, and your personality profile.

We all know the interview process can be a stressful experience, particularly if you have been at it for a while, or conduct and participate in a number of interviews daily. Both the interviewer and the interviewee are expending a great deal of energy and effort toward meeting a mutual goal of filling the staffing requirement.

I believe the interview process has an amusing parallel to ‘apartment hunting’ as odd as that may sound. Just as an Apartment Manager does not want to take excessive time in the ‘interviewing and reference checking’ of potential tenants, the employer wants to complete the interview process in a timely and efficient manner as well. Looking at interviewing in this way will also alleviate some of the apprehension you may be feeling during your job search. Hiring is a time consuming and expensive endeavour, as often other projects remain on hold until the final candidate selections are made.

Given that I have experience on ‘both sides of the desk’, I feel confident in passing along my views and techniques of the interviewing process to my readers.

It is imperative that jobseekers conduct full research and if possible, contact the firms directly and see what knowledge can be gained from a ‘social networking contact‘, or perhaps the Receptionist. Speaking to the Receptionist may sound old fashioned, but remains an effective avenue today. In fact,this type of  ’networking’ works much better than in previous years, as we have so many useful ‘social and business networks’  to select from. I suggest you use these resources wisely and completely. These networks provide the opportunity and tools for you to ‘directly link’ with the firms that hold interest for you. While it is a time consuming process that takes careful thought and consideration, I believe it is a very useful tool in any job search program.

I have composed the following list for jobseekers based upon my own interviewee and interviewer experiences throughout my career:

• Conduct your research on the firm and try to connect with anyone in the firm through ‘social networks’ to gain ‘inside’ knowledge;
• Always arrive at least 10 minutes early for an interview – this shows punctuality, and gives you an opportunity to ‘observe’ the ‘feel’ of the office and its staff members;
• Be sure to include ‘current financial analysis and forecasts’, and any ‘recent’ news articles, mergers or acquisitions etc., as part of your research, and share this knowledge during the course of the interview;
• Be prepared to ask and answer questions relating to ‘why the firm holds interest for you ‘specifically’, and why you should be selected over the bevy of candidates available to the firm;
• Be very precise with your appearance, and dress for the role you are applying for; not under or beyond what would be considered appropriate;
• Ask if it is alright to ‘take notes’ and do so, – this will most certainly be noted by the interviewer and aid you in remembering specifics of the interview – ‘two way street’;
• Take your ‘Portfolio’ with you to share during the course of the interview;
• Shake hands on introduction to the interviewer and others as appropriate;
• Have a complete and up-to-date ‘reference’ list and/or reference letters to submit to the interviewer;
• Do not take over the interview with ‘chatter’;
• Be sure to ‘ask questions’ in relation to ‘goals of the firm; – their ‘vision’, and ‘your contributions’ as it relates to the specific position you are applying for’;
• Ask about what ‘growth opportunities’ may be available in the future; use your ‘gut instinct’ on this query, and judge whether appropriate or not;
• Learn ‘why’ the position is available – have they let someone go, did the individual quit, is it a new or expanded position, etc.;
• Determine what, if any, ‘learning curve’ will be required;
• Ask to meet with the person you will be reporting to directly, or at least one of the professionals on the team – this may have to wait until the ‘second’ interview – use your judgement here;
• If you are requested to return for a ‘2^nd’ interview take it if you are sincerely interested regardless of your scheduling;
• Shake hands with the interviewer at closing, and thank them for their time; and
• Remember to write a ‘thank you letter’ and either courier or hand-deliver within one business day.

Your ‘Thank You’ letter should include a sincere appreciation of the valuable time spent with you in the interview, and reiterate your interest in the position with the firm. The letter may include a `personal` note with respect to something that came up during the course of the interview, which is where your notes come in handy. Be sure to speak to the contributions you feel you can make to the role and the firm overall.

Following the delivery of the letter, be sure to ‘follow-up’ after a couple of days to (a) confirm receipt of the letter by the appropriate recipient and (b) try to determine where the firm is at in their hiring decision process. With this new knowledge in hand, you can determine the timing of your next ‘follow-up’ communication, if appropriate.

If you do not get the job, ask why. If you had a ‘good’ interview and feel that you connected with the interviewer, you should be reasonably comfortable with asking why you were not selected for the role. Let the firm know that in answering this question  for you,  they will be of great assistance in your future job search endeavours.

Tags: 2-way street, arrive early, background, confidence, homework, interviewing, notes, personality profile, portfolio, present, questions, research