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Although you may spend an hour or more in an interview, in fact the interview is really over in five minutes. If you have not convinced the interviewer within the first five minutes that you are the right person for the job (or at least a contender who should be taken to the next level), it can be next to impossible to recover. Recoveries do happen, but they are very rare.
In that first five minutes of the interview, expect the interviewer to have noted your appearance, your grooming, your handshake, your personal presence, your eye contact, your articulation and most importantly, your personality. It is the "soft factors" that will take you to the next level. Conventional wisdom holds that being late for a job interview is an automatic black mark against a candidate, as is showing up on time with only a very sketchy knowledge of the company's business.
The next level starts with your ability to “sell” your experience, background and value proposition. Your job is to ensure that the interviewer hears where you bring value to the business, in both the short and long-term as well as how quickly will you “ramp up” and provide results. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of hiring managers say they would pass over inarticulate candidates or those candidates that are vague about their previous experience. If an candidate is a vague communicator in an interview, chances are that he or she will not communicate well on the job either.
It is important to be prepared so that you can verbally articulate your “value add”. If you have done your interview homework and have fully researched the company and where you “fit”, the words will flow smoothly. If not, it will show. This is where a positive attitude and demonstrated confidence will establish the tone for the interview. This is also where you have the opportunity to make your personal connection with the interviewer. The clearer and more specific you can be, the more likely an interviewer is to be impressed.
There are many kinds of questions asked in interviews. Two key styles include:
Behavioral questions
This type of question includes "Can you give me a specific example of how you did that?" or "What were the steps you followed to accomplish that task?" Its purpose is to anticipate predictable future behaviors based upon past responses.
Competency questions
This type of question includes "Can you give me a specific example of your leadership skills?" or "Explain a way in which you sought a creative solution to a problem." Its purpose is to align your past behaviors with specific competencies which are required for the position.
Behavioral and competency interviewing is gaining greater acceptance by trained interviewers because past performance is the most reliable indicator of future results, especially when it is tied to the specific competencies for the position. Always provide examples and stories. That makes you a real person with real experiences. Real experience benefits a future employer.
The following is the list of the top ten critical success factors that nearly every employer is seeking:
Positive attitude toward work
Proficiency in field of study
Communication skills (oral and written)
Interpersonal skills
Confidence
Critical thinking and problem solving skills
Flexibility
Self-motivation
Leadership
Teamwork
Show your competence in as many of the above critical success factors as possible and you will rise above the competition.
One of the worst "sins" an interviewee can commit is to speak in generalities rather than specifics. It is not enough to say, "I'm a very goal-oriented person." You have to back it up with specifics. For example: "I'm a very goal oriented person. In fact, I regularly update a list of personal and business goals with specific time frames. Since I started keeping this goal list three years ago, I've successfully reached or surpassed over 95% of these goals. I'm confident that the other 5% are also within reach in the coming year."
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