Interview Funda

8/12/2019 Interview Funda

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Being prepared is half the battle.If you are one of those executive types unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. he !ob interview isconsidered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face"to" facewith the future boss. #ne must prepare for it with the same tenacity and $uickness as one

does for a fencing tournament or a chess match.his article has been excerpted from %&(IN) *#+&NY -ow to urvive the /ossof a 0ob and 1ind nother uccessfully% by 2illiam 0. +orin and 0ames *. *abrera.*opyright by 3rake Beam +orin, inc. &ublised by -arcourt Brace 0ovanovich.+orin is chairman and *abrera is president of New York"based 3rake Beam +orin,nation's ma!or outplacement firm, which has opened offices in &hiladelphia.4. ell me about yourself.

ince this is often the opening $uestion in an interview, be extracareful that you don't runoff at the mouth. 5eep your answer to a minute or two at most. *over four topics earlyyears, education, work history, and recent career experience. 6mphasi7e this last sub!ect.

(emember that this is likely to be a warm"up $uestion. 3on't waste your best points on it.8. 2hat do you know about our organi7ation9

You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. But don't act as if you knoweverything about the place. /et your answer show that you have taken the time to dosome research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish tolearn more.

You might start your answer in this manner %In my !ob search, I've investigated a number of companies.

Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons...%

)ive your answer a positive tone. 3on't say, %2ell, everyone tells me that you're in allsorts of trouble, and that's why I'm here%, even if that is why you're there.:. 2hy do you want to work for us9

he deadliest answer you can give is %Because I like people.% 2hat else would you like"animals9

-ere, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done yourhomework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say thatyour research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involvedwith, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you. 1or example, if theorgani7ation is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact andshow that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal ofemphasis on research and development, emphasi7e the fact that you want to create newthings and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the



organi7ation stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence fornumbers.

If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this $uestion " if, for example, thecompany stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really

doesn't interest you" then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn't be considering a !ob with that organi7ation.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able "or wouldn't want" to function. ince most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it,your pri7e is a !ob you don't really want.;. 2hat can you do for us that someone else can't9

-ere you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bitegotistical. alk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from

your resume or list of career accomplishments. ay that your skills and interests,combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. +ention your ability toset priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.<. 2hat do you find most attractive about this position9 2hat seems least attractive aboutit9

/ist three or four attractive factors of the !ob, and mention a single, minor, unattractiveitem.=. 2hy should we hire you9

*reate your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and yourenergy. >ee $uestion ;.?@. 2hat do you look for in a !ob9

5eep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organi7ation. alk about your desire to perform and be recogni7ed for your contributions. +ake your answer oriented towardopportunity rather than personal security.A. &lease give me your defintion of the position for which you are being interviewedC.

5eep your answer brief and taskoriented. hink in in terms of responsibilities andaccountability. +ake sure that you really do understand what the position involves beforeyou attempt an answer. If you are not certain. ask the interviewerD he or she may answerthe $uestion for you.E. -ow long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm9

Be realistic. ay that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull yourown weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expectto know the organi7ation and its needs well enough to make a ma!or contribution.4F. -ow long would you stay with us9



ay that you are interested in a career with the organi7ation, but admit that you wouldhave to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organi7ation. hink in terms of,%s long as we both feel achievement"oriented.%44. Your resume suggests that you may be over"$ualified or too experienced for this position. 2hat's Your opinion9

6mphasi7e your interest in establishing a long"term association with the organi7ation, andsay that you assume that if you perform well in his !ob, new opportunities will open upfor you. +ention that a strong company needs a strong staff. #bserve that experiencedexecutives are always at a premium. uggest that since you are so well$ualified, theemployer will get a fast return on his investment. ay that a growing, energetic companycan never have too much talent.48. 2hat is your management style9

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management stylewill complement it. &ossible styles include task oriented >I'll en!oy problem"solving

identifying what's wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it%?, results"oriented>%6very management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottomline%?, or even paternalistic >%I'm committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction%?.

participative style is currently $uite popular an open"door method of managing inwhich you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.

s you consider this $uestion, think about whether your style will let you work hatppilyand effectively within the organi7ation.4:. re you a good manager9 *an you give me some examples9 3o you feel that youhave top managerial potential9

5eep your answer achievementand ask"oriented. (ely on examples from your career to buttress your argument. tress your experience and your energy.4;. 2hat do you look for when You hire people9

hink in terms of skills. initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortablyand effectively with others. +ention that you like to hire people who appear capable ofmoving up in the organi7ation.4<. -ave you ever had to fire people9 2hat were the reasons, and how did you handle thesituation9

dmit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for thecompany and, you think, for the individual. how that, like anyone else, you don't en!oyunpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and "in the case of firingsomeone" humanely.4=. 2hat do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive9



+ention planning, execution, and cost"control. he most difficult task is to motivate andmanage employess to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget.4@. 2hat important trends do you see in our industry9

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand yourindustry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economicconditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the directionin which your business is heading.4A. 2hy are you leaving >did you leave? your present >last? !ob9

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. (efer back to the planning phase of your !ob search. where you considered this topic as you set yourreference statements. If you were laid off in an across"the"board cutback, say soDotherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. 3o notmention personality conflicts.

he interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clearthat you were terminated. he %2e agreed to disagree% approach may be useful.(emember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for aninterview.4E. -ow do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new !ob9

+ention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to acceptsome risk to find the right !ob for yourself. 3on't suggest that security might interest youmore than getting the !ob done successfully.8F. In your current >last? position, what features do >did? you like the most9 he least9

Be careful and be positive. 3escribe more features that you liked than disliked. 3on't cite personality problems. If you make your last !ob sound terrible, an interviewer maywonder why you remained there until now.84. 2hat do you think of your boss9

Be as positive as you can. potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about himin similar terms at some point in the future.88. 2hy aren't you earning more at your age9

ay that this is one reason that you are conducting this !ob search. 3on't be defensive.8:. 2hat do you feel this position should pay9

alary is a delicate topic. 2e suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure foras long as you can do so politely. You might say, %I understand that the range for this !obis between GHHHHHH and GHHHHHH. hat seems appropriate for the !ob as I understand it.%You might answer the $uestion with a $uestion %&erhaps you can help me on this one.*an you tell me if there is a range for similar !obs in the organi7ation9%



If you are asked the $uestion during an initial screening interview, you might say that youfeel you need to know more about the position's responsibilities before you could give ameaningful answer to that $uestion. -ere, too, either by asking the interviewer or searchexecutive >if one is involved?, or in research done as part of your homework, you can tryto find out whether there is a salary grade attached to the !ob. If there is, and if you can

live with it, say that the range seems right to you.

If the interviewer continues to probe, you might say, %You know that I'm making GHHHHHH now. /ike everyone else, I'd like to improve on that figure, but my ma!or interest is withthe !ob itself.% (emember that the act of taking a new !ob does not, in and of itself, makeyou worth more money.

If a search firm is involved, your contact there may be able to help with the salary$uestion. -e or she may even be able to run interference for you. If, for instance, he tellsyou what the position pays, and you tell him that you are earning that amount now andwould /ike to do a bit better, he might go back to the employer and propose that you be

offered an additional 4F.

If no price range is attached to the !ob, and the interviewer continues to press the sub!ect,then you will have to restpond with a number. You cannot leave the impression that itdoes not really matter, that you'll accept whatever is offered. If you've been makingGAF,FFF a year, you can't say that a G:<,FFF figure would be fine without sounding as ifyou've given up on yourself. >If you are making a radical career change, however, thiskind of disparity may be more reasonable and understandable.?

3on't sell yourself short, but continue to stress the fact that the !ob itself is the mostimportant thing in your mind. he interviewer may be trying to determine !ust how muchyou want the !ob. 3on't leave the impression that money is the only thing that isimportant to you. /ink $uestions of salary to the work itself.

But whenever possible, say as little as you can about salary until you reach the %final%stage of the interview process. t that point, you know that the company is genuinelyinterested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.8;. 2hat are your long"range goals9

(efer back to the planning phase of your !ob search. 3on't answer, %I want the !ob you'veadvertised.% (elate your goals to the company you are interviewing 'in a firm like yours,I would like to...%8<. -ow successful do you you've been so far9

ay that, all"in"all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed so far. )iventhe normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done $uite well and have nocomplaints.

&resent a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. nanswer like, %6verything's wonderfulJ I can't think of a time when things were going



betterJ I'm over!oyedJ% is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying tofool him . . . or yourself. he most convincing confidence is usually $uiet confidence.

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Interview Funda