Posts Tagged ‘job interview’

By Martin Haworth

On many occasions of any career, there are times where it’s vital to represent yourself fully. To make the best publicity you can for ‘yours sincerely’. And there are easy tactics you can use…

Whether you are applying for a promotion in your existing organization; looking for a new job altogether; or simply experiencing a performance review, there are steps you can take that will enhance your outcome.

Most, if not all, individuals find it hard to tweak their achievements to make the best of them. Whether this comes from naivety, modesty or simply a misjudgement of what they can pluck from their experiences, it’s hard to say.

The truth is that long hours wringing hands and fretting need not be suffered. Because in the main, all you need when being assessed is already within you. All you need to create a really effective candidate – or A+ result in your performance.

There are six key steps to making the most of your assets:

1. Start Early

Be aware. When you are in the thick of experiences and learning, always, but always, be prepared to make a note – however small – of something that you did. You don’t have to write a whole portfolio of it, that can come later (just kidding!). Just notice when things happen.

2. Link To Role

By being aware of what you might need to take careful note of before you start looking for it. Here you’re simply looking for the categories upon which you will ultimately be tested and then you can start to create a list of your personal activities (the ‘What I did’ of your evidence).

3. Keeping Up

As you create this list of your activities, you categorize them as you go and, as the evidence piles up, create a note of the gaps too. Then you can pro-actively ‘create’ the activities you need to make your offer almost irresistible. You will become rounded and thorough and then have the luxury of deciding not just that you have enough, but you have a choice of evidence you can talk about when you are being assessed.

4. “I Can’t Find Enough”

It’s vital to understand that the evidence you create does not need to move mountains. A clear action you personally took, where you can demonstrate just four simple elements – What you did; Why you did it; What the outcome was and What you learned is perfect – and keep it short and succinct. It gives them clear facts and a space to ask you more too – A perfect candidate!

5. Last Minute?

Left it too late? No problem! All you need is a kindly colleague to ask you the questions and push you for answers. It’s amazing at what we leave out or underestimate in ourselves. With focus, it’s possible to create quite comprehensive evidence if you are coached to create it in a couple of hours with a ‘coach’ friend drawing from you the actual – even where you think there are few.

6. Blagging!

Actual lying can never be condoned – least of all because you’ll get found out and, if you were successful and got something without really deserving it, likely as not it wouldn’t suit you anyway. You can – and must – embellish, by really stretching out all you do in a category and make it really sing for you. Every scrap of paper evidence; every single impressive fact and figure pile up to become much more interesting to assessors.

7. And Finally

Always but always focus on what you did. Yes, you personally. Using ‘we’ and ‘they’ won’t cut it. Be brave and strong and shout about you out loud. Use the ‘I’ word and really show what you are made of.

We all do pretty good work. We all deserve that you be recognised and in the main, we don’t shout about ourselves enough. And when you don’t, who will?

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach and Trainer. For more useful stuff check out CoachTrainLearn.com.

You have done the hard work of completing the application form or CV and you find out that you have the interview for a job you are keen to land.  Often when it comes to the interview stage people perform well below their best.  Yes nerves are a factor and everyone has them. 

So how can you excel in interviews?  Here are my 8 top tips.

1. Be prepared.  So often candidates turn up for interviews ill prepared.  They have not found out about the company, its issues and challenges and plans for the future.  Take the time to do this and you will be off to a flying start

2. Think about possible questions that might be asked.  Strange as it may seem, by spending a couple of hours jotting down possible questions and answers you can probably be prepared for about 50% of the questions that are asked.  You might not get the exact question but most likely will get a variation on the theme

3. Listen effectively.  If you are going to give a good answer you need to listen to the question being asked.  Doing so will enable you to give a powerful and structured answer to the question

4. Be succinct.  When you are answering questions, what you are aiming to do is give the interviewer confidence that you know what you are talking about- not to give a verbal thesis.  For example, imagine the interviewer asks you what are the greatest challenges in managing a team?  You could talk for ever. Instead try delegating effectively, keeping people motivated and balancing time spent managing and doing.  If the interviewer wants more they will ask

5. Be honest.  A typical question is what are your weaknesses?  Don’t under any circumstances say you don’t have any.  At the same time don’t shoot yourself in the foot.  Try something like I see weaknesses as opportunities for development.  Some of the areas I am working on right now are….

6. Remember it is a two way process.  Candidates often forget that the interview is as much about them finding out if this is a company and people they could work with as it is the interviewer finding out if you could do the job and fit in

7. Have 2 or 3 good questions to ask them.  Good interviewers will always give candidates the chance to ask questions.  Poorly prepared candidates will ask about pay, holidays, benefits.  Candidates who excel will ask about what it is like to work there, how the company will contribute to their development, future plans for the business and individuals over the next few years

8. Ask for feedback.  Whether you get the job or not ask for feedback on what they liked about you and what was missing.  Good employers will take the time to give feedback

At the end of the day, what makes you stand out are the small but important things.  So pay attention to them and go forth and excel in your next interview.