Thursday, March 17, 2016

What is an Interview?

I had the great pleasure yesterday of speaking at the Morristown Women In Business networking meeting. It was only my second meeting with the energetic, professional group. With a broad spectrum of experiences and goals among the attendees, I wasn't quite sure how to focus the twenty minute talk entitled Building Your Team. I'm a talker!  I decided to narrow the content to a) the Interview Process and b) networking.

What is an Interview? It is a business discussion. 

Interviews typically run 20 - 45 minutes. After that short amount of time, both parties have a big decision to make, so efficiency in acquiring the information needed is critical. A few tips to make each interview a success: 

  • Know information publicly available on the employer 
    • read website and press releases
  • Prepare a few questions 
    • see below
  • Brag! 
    • This is the time to talk about your accomplishments
  • Be honest / open about your skills and expectations
    • The goal isn't to get the job - it's to get the right job
  • Share information relevant to the position
    • It's easy to get sidetracked. 
I suggest preparing a few questions and answers before an interview. Even if you don't pick the ones that get asked, it will put you in the right frame of mind.

What decision do you need to make after the interview/discussion?
Prepare 3 questions to ask
1)___________________________________________________
2)___________________________________________________
3)___________________________________________________

Examples might be "what are the career prospects of someone taking this position?" "what training is available for this position?" or "what is the time commitment needed for someone to succeed in this role?"

What decision does the person you are meeting need to make?
Prepare 3 answers to potential questions
1)___________________________________________________
2)___________________________________________________
3)___________________________________________________

Be prepared to answer questions about your best and worst experiences, how you work with a team and what management style brings out the best in you. 

There's a great recap of my talk to the MWIB group on MorristownGreen.com for more information. Thanks, Kendra! 

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