The Interview

Copyright @ 2005 Foundation Coaching Group Page 1 of 14

Interview 101

Lori Smith Foundation Coaching Group

www.foundationcoaching.com


Lori Smith Who? Lori is a professional coach, consultant and CEO & Founder of

Foundation Coaching Group.

She shares what she learned after 10 years in the IT Service Desk support arena. Where she started as a help desk analyst and worked

her way up to be a Technical Team Lead. She shares her knowledge

and experience of both being in the trenches and being a tortured Mid-manager stuck in the middle of Head Office and employees. She

shares her experience of breaking free of the old Corp world and following her true passion.

Lori believes there is a better way to lead people... Empower them.

Empower them to define and reach their personal goals, Empower them to define and reach the companies goals. Simply put workforce

morale is directly linked to profitability. Low morale - low profits, High morale - high profits.

People that are happy, people that feel valued and appreciated are

more productive and more productivity means more profits for the company.


Table of Contents Interview 101 ...................................................................................................................... 1 Lori Smith Who?................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4 Evaluating Resumes............................................................................................................ 5 Phone Screening.................................................................................................................. 6 Interview Strategies ............................................................................................................ 7 Questions to Ask ................................................................................................................. 8 Interview Tips ..................................................................................................................... 9

Preparation before the interview..................................................................................... 9 Be Prepared................................................................................................................... 10 Successful Interviewing ................................................................................................ 11 During the interview ..................................................................................................... 12 Closing for the Job ........................................................................................................ 13 After the interview ........................................................................................................ 13

Keep a Positive Attitude ................................................................................................... 13


Introduction

As I was thinking about what material to put together for this Quick

Guide I thought that writing it from the employers view might give you more insight. After conducting hundreds of interviews and knowing

very well the criteria that we were looking for, I’ll let you know exactly what I thought during interviews.

As an IT hiring manager, we are the ‘one that gets blamed’ when we

do not hire people that a) are technically qualified or b) fit into the

team dynamics. So there is a lot of pressure on us to do the job well and quickly. Very often we are working from a point of emergency;

we needed 5 people, 2 weeks ago.

The first step we would take it to determine the exact job descriptions for the job we were posting. Now keep in mind as much as we would

like some time our managers or directors are putting together these requirements without the understanding of what is “really going on, on

a day-to-day bases.” As the person doing the hiring we are tempering the “Official Job Description” with what we really need to get the job

done.

Admittedly Scheduling of interview is the hardest part of the process. We need you; we need to make this as convenient as possible to

accommodate your schedule. As you might imagine we as managers

are trying to juggle our daily tasks with the various schedules of 5-10 people for an interview schedule. In most cases we put aside our

regular work to “make these interviews” happen. Then it is MOST annoying when scheduled people do not show, or bother calling us to

reschedule, most unprofessional.

This section offers tips on every aspect of interviewing from evaluating resumes and phone screening to interview

strategies, the types of questions you should ask and reference checking. As you might have guessed there is a process where

by we select people, we have no choice, with time and resources on the time; we need to get the job done quickly and

efficiently.


Evaluating Resumes

Define Requirements.

We have a detailed job description on hand. It will focus on technical skills and expertise that will truly impact job performance.

Requirements such as industry background, technical certification and

years of experience should all be included. As we sort resumes, the job description will help us narrow the field.

When reviewing a chronological resume, we pay close attention to

dates of employment and gaps in work history. For example, a resume that states a position was held in “1996” does not clearly indicate the

length of employment. The job could have lasted from one day to 12 months.

With functional resumes, we are on guard for vague job descriptions or

failure to list actual positions held. This can indicate that the job seeker hasn't acquired significant work experience.

Read Between the Lines. A resume should be well written and free

of any typos, misspellings and grammatical errors. Candidates who

take the time to produce a clean and professional resume demonstrate attention to detail and a desire to make a favorable impression.

Also be on guard for such vague phrases as “exposure to,” “familiar

with” and other qualifiers. These often indicate the candidate lacks hands-on experience. And read each entry from the bottom up; most

job candidates frequently list their least flattering information last.


Phone Screening

We've collected resumes, selected candidates and are ready to begin talking to top contenders. What's our next step? It could be a

telephone interview. With overwhelming constraints placed upon IT hiring managers, phone interviews can be an effective time-saver,

enabling you to quickly identify the most qualified candidates. In a

recent survey of executives commissioned by our firm, 58 percent of respondents said screening prospective employees by telephone prior

to meeting them was very important relative to other stages in the hiring process. Here are some guidelines to help prepare you for the

phone screening:

We Have a Candidate's Resume on Hand. We Review the resume

and cover letter carefully before we call a candidate, and make note of any questions you have. We keep these materials on hand when we're

talking with the applicant, and jot down his or her responses and our impressions.

Develop a List of Questions. For comparison purposes, we ask the

same or similar questions of each candidate. You'll likely see a pattern

emerge among the applicants who are a good fit for your company. Here are a few good questions to we ask:

• “Tell me a little about yourself and your work history.” • “What interests you about this job?”

• “What skills (technical and interpersonal) can you bring to the job?”

• “Can you tell me about your current job?” • “What sort of work environment brings out your best

performance?” While phone screening is no replacement for an in-person interview, it

can be the ideal vehicle for narrowing the field of possible candidates for IT job openings.


Interview Strategies

The interview is easily the most important step in the hiring process. A strategic approach to these meetings can help us identify and attract

the best talent for our team. Following are strategies for conducting a successful job interview.

Prepare in Advance. We Develop an approach we'll use with all

candidates. Rank job requirements in order of importance, and prepare a list of questions that will enable you to assess applicants'

talent and expertise in these areas. We will include questions designed to gauge interpersonal skills and problem-solving abilities.

Make Your Candidate Comfortable. We will start by engaging in

small talk – you can gain insight into the candidate's personality and also put him or her at ease, increasing the likelihood that you'll receive

candid responses.

Ask Diverse Questions. To assess the candidate's work style and compatibility with our firm's culture, we will vary the style of our

questions.

Ask closed-ended, factual ones (“How many years did you work for

Firm A?”), open-ended questions (“Can you describe your major accomplishments?”) and hypothetical, job-related scenarios (“How

would you handle constructive criticism?”).

Write It Down. Our memory is unreliable, so we take notes in an unobtrusive way during the interview. Don't transcribe everything the

candidate says – jotting down the highlights should be sufficient. Be sure to record our impressions along with the applicant's responses to

questions.

Try Not to Overemphasize Interview Performance. We do not want to attach undue importance to how well the person interviewed.

Smooth interviewees may not necessarily be the best people for the

job – they may just be well practiced. Sometimes the most talented IT or technology professional can be the most shy person interviewed.

End on a Positive Note. Once we feel we have enough information,

we will end the interview politely. Thank the applicant for his or her time and interest, and briefly mention subsequent steps.


Questions to Ask

The information we gather during an IT interview is essential for making a well-informed hiring decision.

Before meeting with job applicants, we create a standard list of

appropriate questions, and prioritize them by topic. Most interview

questions fall into three general categories: job-related accomplishments, experience and skills; business aptitude and

problem-solving abilities; and interpersonal skills.

Job-Related Questions. Job-related questions help us determine

whether a candidate possesses the necessary background for the position. Examples include: “What are your primary responsibilities?”

and “What skills would you like to develop?”

Business Aptitude and Problem-Solving Abilities. Questions that assess business aptitude and problem-solving abilities allow us to

evaluate a person's strategic and creative thinking, general business knowledge and project management skills. A typical question might

be, “How would you handle the technical implementation of a new

accounts payable system for a company's expansion effort?”

Interpersonal Skills. Questions relating to interpersonal skills help you evaluate an applicant's sense of teamwork, honesty, career goals

and ability to work under pressure.

Typical questions might include: • “How do you handle conflict?”

• “How do you cope with stressful situations and multiple tasks?” • “Why do you want to leave your current job?”

• “What are your key strengths and weaknesses?”

Because we're also trying to ensure a good fit with our organization, we might also ask,

• “What sort of work environment do you prefer?” • “What kind of atmosphere brings out your best performance?”

To obtain further insight into a candidate's character or his or her

global view of the industry, consider asking the following questions:


• “What is your opinion on the role of technology today?”

• “What do you think your current (or past) company could do to be more successful?”

While we want to make it clear we're not looking for proprietary or

specific information, we are looking for the applicant to display a clear understanding of his or her employer's missions and goals as well as

whether or not he or she thinks in terms of those objectives. Inability to answer this type of question may signify a lack of interest that could

carry over into our organization.

Interview Tips

The first step toward a successful interview is thorough preparation.

Here are some quick tips to remember before going into your next interview.

Preparation before the interview

• Make sure you know the dress code of the organization; if it is not clear from the invitation to interview correspondence, phone

and ask.

• Make sure you know your journey - how long will it take? Check whether there are any expected delays if traveling by public

transport or road works if traveling by car. It is never impressive to be late.

• Thoroughly review your application/CV. Be comfortable with what you have written and be prepared to answer questions

about it.

• Think about the types of questions you may be asked - if you

were interviewing, what would you want to know? Make sure


that, whatever you decide to talk about in the interview, you

know well and can talk clearly and intelligently about it.

• Research the firm and think about why you are particularly

interested in joining it. Find out what major deals/matters the firm has been involved in, look at the website etc.

• Be prepared to talk about why you are particularly interested in this career. How have you come to make the decision?

• Attend mock interview sessions run either by potential employers or your careers service.

• Try to settle your nerves before the interview / assessment day.

Interviews are a two-way process; you are there to find out about the

employer as well. Therefore, think about what you would like to find out about the firm / organization - most interviewers give you a

chance to ask questions (generally at the end of the interview).

Be Prepared You wouldn't take an important test without studying beforehand.

Likewise, you should never go into an interview without advance preparation. Learn pertinent facts about the company, such as annual

sales revenue, principal lines of business and technologies used. Visit the company's web site to review its annual report and recent press

releases.

You should also prepare a list of questions of your own to ask during the interview. These will help the hiring manager to evaluate your

professional needs and determine whether your working relationship

will be mutually rewarding. It's also your chance to show you have done your homework. Here are some questions you might ask.

• What would I be expected to accomplish in this assignment?

• What is the current status of the project? • What are the greatest challenges in this position?

• How do you think I fit the assignment?


Successful Interviewing

Your primary goal during an interview is to sell yourself for the position. Follow the interviewer's lead, but try to get him or her to

describe the job and its duties as soon as possible. That way you'll know how to best present your background, skills and

accomplishments. Stress your achievements in a factual, sincere manner, and remember that showing genuine enthusiasm for

the job can boost your chances of being further considered for the position.

Here are some important "Dos and Don'ts" of successful

interviewing:

DO:

• Arrive on time.

• Greet the interviewer by name. • Smile and shake hands firmly.

• Look alert and interested at all times. • Speak firmly, clearly and loudly enough to be easily understood.

• Look the interviewer in the eye while speaking. • Structure your comments in a positive manner.

DON'T:

• Exhibit overbearing, overaggressive or egotistical behavior.

• Show a lack of interest or enthusiasm about the position or company.

• Appear excessively nervous. • Overemphasize your compensation.

• Make excuses for unfavorable factors in your work history. • Disparage past employers, managers, projects or technologies.

• Answer only "yes" or "no" to questions.


During the interview

• When you meet the interviewer(s), shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact. Remember their names.

• Speak clearly and concisely.

• Try not to fidget.

• Think about the way you are sitting, try not to cross your arms as this looks defensive and not relaxed/confident. At the same

time, try not to slouch, or look too laid back.

• Take your time to answer questions. If you are unsure as to what the interviewer is asking of you, ask for clarification.

• If you do not know the answer to a question, be honest and say so. Tell the interviewer how you would go about finding the

answer, if appropriate.

• When asked to provide examples to demonstrate your

capabilities, use the best examples you have, but do not use the same example for every question. Some thought should have

been given to what examples you might use prior to the interview.

• Use a balance of academic, work experience and extra-curricular activities in your examples.

• Make sure you listen to and answer the question - try not to go off on a tangent.

• Always ask the interviewer(s) questions.

• Portray yourself honestly, but in the best light possible.


Closing for the Job

If you are interested in the position, let the interviewer know. If you feel the position is attractive and you want it, be a good salesperson

and say something such as: "I'm very impressed with what I've seen here today: your company, its products and the people

I've met. I am confident I could do an excellent job in the position you've described to me." The interviewer will be

impressed with your enthusiasm.

Ask the interviewer, "Are there any concerns you have about my background?" This is your opportunity to readdress any objections

before you leave. Otherwise you probably won't get another chance.

After the interview

• Review how you got on. Think about what you did well and what could be improved.

• Reflect on the questions the interviewer(s) asked and the

examples you used in response.

• Think about what you liked and disliked about the organization

you visited.

• Make learning notes for your next interview.

Keep a Positive Attitude Thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. If you

have answered the two questions - "Why are you interested in this position?" and "What can you offer?" - you have done all you can.


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The Interview