Candidate Interviewing Tips

The Other Side Of Interviewing

Getting to a face to face interview with a prospective new employer is hard work. How many times have we heard that finding a new position, whether or not one is employed at the time, can be a full-time job? As a “job”, all of the behaviors associated with professional work are called into play–being organized, deliberate, planful, doing your research, staying focused, acting in a way appropriate to the setting. In other articles, we will describe some of the more important business-like things that candidates can do to maximize their chances of receiving an offer.

Paradoxically, the very business behaviors that get a candidate to the interview often need to take a back seat during the interview itself…. in order to allow a whole other side of the candidate to be projected. In our opinion, this aspect of the interviewing process is frequently misunderstood, and we feel that it’s at least as important as showing up with the right business suit, or sending the best follow-up letters.

Over the past years, we’ve been involved in setting up and monitoring the results of thousands of on-site interviews, and we know that when candidates relax enough to be able to enjoy the process, and consider it an adventure, rather than an ordeal or a stiff negotiating process, the chemistry changes, and the hiring managers are much more likely to be left with a positive impression, and therefore are more likely to extend an offer. What sorts of things are involved when the interview is regarded as an exciting adventure?

Any adventure involves a certain amount of imagination, and the most successful interviewers we know are able to tap their imaginations. They are able to use the interview as an opportunity to imagine themselves in a totally new setting, with new technologies, or new problems to solve, with new people, often in a new geographical setting. It’s like going on a vacation to a new part of the world, and fantasizing about what it would be like to live there permanently. Here are suggestions about how to enter that mode:

Focus strictly on the positive aspects of the new situation …

Thank you for contacting us. We are sensitive to the fact that undergoing a career search may be an unfamiliar process to you. Because of this fact, we have compiled some very valuable information for you; including resume tips, interviewing tips, and strategies to help you in your search for a new career opportunity.

This has been compiled to help you – the candidate – to successfully land a new position. Please take the time to read this.

For additional information on interviewing, and career search methods I highly recommend a book called: Knock em Dead and Knock em Dead Resumes, written by Martin Yate.