A few days ago Frank wrote about the need to be prepared for an interview. It’s true. You do need to be prepared, perhaps now more than ever. Sure, there is a lot of competition out there for every job that is posted, but most importantly there is just so much literature on the matter that NOT being prepared is pretty much inexcusable.

Q: Tell me a bit about yourself.
A: uuuh, uuh, I don’t know.

See, it just doesn’t cut it, you KNOW they’re going to ask these questions, so you need to have an answer prepared.

GONE IN 60 SECONDS

So, how to do it? Well, a book I always recommend for is 60 Seconds and your Hired. I swear by this book and recommend it to anyone willing to listen, from administrative support staff to CEOs.
For those that haven’t read it, here’s a quick summation on how to get yourself ready for an interview:

Step 1: Get a paper and pen.

Step 2: Write down 5 adjectives (strengths) that best describe you.

Step 3: Think of an example from your career that demonstrates each one of these strengths, and write them down.

Step 4: Put all 5 of these examples down into 1 short, 60 second story about yourself. Don’t make it sound like a shopping list. It has to sound like a story about yourself, peppered with 5 keywords that an interviewer can write down.

Step 5: Practice, practice, practice.

Oh, now that you’ve practiced it…trim off all the excess fat from the story, and condense it to 1 minute. I know this sounds tough…but, it’s essential, and non-negotiable. 5 adjectives/examples x 12 seconds each = 60 seconds.

LAUGHING IN 60 SECONDS

Once this is done, you are laughing. All answers to the most important interview questions can then be answered using any combination of your stories above.

Q: Tell me about yourself
A: 60 Second pitch.

Q: Tell me your 3 greatest strengths.
A: Pick 3 of the above, and elaborate on the experience for each.

Q: 3 Weaknesses.
A: Pick 3 of your weaknesses, and discuss how you MADE them into strengths using the experiences that you wrote down, in the above exercise.
There is much more to the book then what I have mentioned, but these were the key points. This is what I use to prepare for interviews and what I recommend to candidates to use.

What do you use?

On average, an interviewer will make up their mind about a candidate in the first five minutes of the interview.

This is true. I hear it all the time. That is not a lot of time to sell you or to win a job. Consider that you are going up against at least a handful of candidates that have been recommended by a friend or relative, as well as a few that are more qualified then you are. So how to you get yourself hired? By preparing for the interview.

A FIGHTING CHANCE

The single best thing you can do before a job interview is to prepare for it. Some people actually go into interviews and try to wing it. This is the wrong approach. You may know yourself and your skill set, but most of the time your answers should vary depending on the type of job you are interviewing for and the company that is hiring.

Each interviewer is looking for specific skills or characteristics when interviewing a candidate so you need to go into the meeting well prepared and with a strategy.

For every interview you land, consider the following group of questions and generate short, concise answers based on the information you are able to gather about the company, the position, and the product/service you will be involved with.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO SMASH

When going through these, please remember to keep all answers work related and plug in your skills and experience as often as possible.

• Tell me a little about yourself…

• What are your strengths?

• What areas do you think you could improve on (weaknesses)?

• Give me an example of a past experience where you had a conflict with one of your co-workers. How was it resolved?

• How do your skills make you a good fit for this position?

• Why do you want to leave your current job (why did you leave your last job)?

• Give me a description of your ideal manager/worst experience with a previous manager.

• What do you know about our company?

• Describe your ideal job.

• What are you doing now to improve yourself?

These are just some of the hundreds of questions that you may be asked, but this list should get you started on creating a good preparation plan for job interviews. If you have any more, please send them too me or add them in the comments below.

Losing your job can be extremely depressing. It is tough to deal with especially when you are let go as a result of cut backs, rather than performance. Being in the recruitment industry, I know this better than most. Currently our industry is undergoing a 55% attrition rate in the workforce. Overall, the market has ballooned to a 10% unemployment rate.

So I am here, back from my honeymoon, with some important advice for all those that are looking for work…get over it and your story straight.

JT HAD IT RIGHT

Just because it is ok that you are a victim of the economic downturn, it does not make it ok that you were fired for performance issues. It also does not make it ok for you to be miserable and downbeat during your interview. Don’t hate the world for the economic crisis and the situation it has put you and your family in…at least not in the interview. It does you no good to walk into an interview and look for sympathy from the recruiter/hiring manager. I’ve had too many sour pusses walk in my office or ‘cry me a river’ on the phone. No more please unless you are singing the song version by Justin Timberlake.

Don’t get me wrong, be honest and explain you situation to the interviewer, but there is a proper way to do this.

WHEN INTERVIEWING, PLEASE REMEMBER:

1. BE CLEAR ABOUT WHY YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED. The smart recruiters can appreciate that you were RIFED (reduction in force) for economic reasons. But you still have to tell them. Don’t hide it. It’s ok, we understand! Just be professional about it when you say it.
2. SMILE! Employers are looking for positive leaders to help them drag their companies out of the doldrums, so be positive about you, and the world!
3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Lack of interviewing experience is no longer an excuse in this economy (although we all know that if you are just applying to job ads, rather than networking, you probably haven’t gotten that many opportunities to practice). So, keep working on your elevator pitch, and be strong, be positive and remember to project confidence in yourself and your experience.
4. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. It’s hard in this economy, especially if you have been unemployed for a while. But remember. You are not alone and you will find another job!
5. Finally, GET OVER IT! The market is turning around and hiring managers (My clients) are looking for visionaries, so buck up (that’s right, I said buck up)!

If you are looking for additional interview help, check out 60 Seconds & You’re Hired! By Robin Ryan. It’s are great resource and will get you ready to give a great interview.

How do you prepare for an interview?