I often advise candidates on targeting their answers in a job interview.  But sometimes this gets misinterpreted.  It's something hiring managers will complain about occasionally,  "I think the candidate was just telling me what I want to hear."  Avoiding that seems to be a very slippery slope, and a very fine line when trying to do your best in a job interview.

It is always a good idea to ask the interviewer what they feel are the most important qualifications to have in the job for which you are interviewing.  Listen carefully to the response.  Then try to target your answers accordingly.  What you want to avoid is attempting to interpret what the interviewer wants to hear in answer to each question.

Interview questions come in all shapes and sizes.  Some are quite innocent and straight forward.  Others are designed to see how your respond to tricky questions.  Others still are open ended and attempt to get you to "speak freely" about a subject.  Don't attempt to get tricky in your response.  Just remember what the job is, and what the interviewer said are the qualities they feel are important.  Highlight the truth about your background and skill set that compliment those things.

It will help to be well prepared.  Be sure you know your resume as it applies to the job description.  In a great article written by A-List Solutions' Jeff Lipschultz on How To Prepare for the Interview, Jeff suggests making a check list to bring with you to the interview:

• On the left side of your desk, put the job description (and any other company information beyond the job description—a good recruiter will have this, along with the company’s web site).  Put your resume to the right.  Then put a blank sheet of paper next to the resume.
• Literally connect requirements and company info on the left with the resume experiences and skill set on the right.  Literally, it’s like connecting the dots with a crayon—child’s play!  Hopefully, you create a complex web of connections as you may connect a requirement to several spots on your resume.  And several requirements on the left may link to the same experience on the right.  These connections are checklist items.
• Build your checklist by listing the requirements (and related company info) along with the best examples of your ability and experience.  You should include boxes to check off as you interview.  You need not write out details, as all you will need is some code words to remind you of the example(s) you want to share.  More

And what about those tricky interview questions?  It may help your nerves a bit to know, in advance, what some of the seemingly innocent and obviously tricky questions you may be asked are geared toward.  Colleen Clark has a nice list of What an Interviewer Wants to Hear on Monster.com.

What motivates you the most?
They want to know what gets you out of bed - helping people, building a safe facility, developing teams, completing projects on time, implementing fair and honest practices, making people laugh.

How would you describe your personality?
Mention two or three personal characteristics that you are confident about -- a sense of humor, patience, supportive of others or highly versatile. Try to make them relevant to the company or position being applied to. If you have done any assessment testing, take words you most identify with out of them. Of course, prepare for this question beforehand.

How do your subordinates perceive you?
Stick as much as you can to work-related skills that you know they know you have. Interviews are not personality disclosing interrogations; they are to ensure you have the skills and fit to do the job. Say you are conscientious, ambitious, tenacious or helpful.

What can you offer us that other candidates cannot?
You have no idea what the other candidates bring to the table so your best answer is to mention at least two benefits you will provide: I will save the company money on.... OR I will decrease OR improve OR increase OR implement...

What is the most demotivating work environment for you?
This question comes in the back door of what kind of people or office personality do you like best? Negativity, inflexible, non-team supported or closed-door policy are safe answers and not too revealing. You can always turn that question around and say, work environments that are supportive, friendly, helpful and congenial are my favorite places to work.

Where would you like to be in five years from now?
Keep in mind that you are not interviewing for any other position than the one you are there for right now. Best you say something like, I hope to still be working for the company and hopefully promoted based on my accomplishments. Telling them you want their job is not a job idea or saying that you want to start your own business, but you need some practical experience first, do not go there.

What important trends do you see coming in our industry?
This is your opportunity to tell them your opinions and to show that you have read up to the minute articles or books on what's coming down the pike.

In your last position, what where the things you liked the least? The most?
Have a reserved list ready of activities or tasks that you don't like, but really try to accentuate the positive as best as you can. Know your must-haves and flexibilities.

So now that you have seen these questions, remember not to try to do any interpreting on the fly by saying what you think the interviewer wants to hear.  Know yourself, your background, and your skills.  Know how they apply to this job.  Target your answers, but don't suck up.  A savvy interviewer will spot it and likely rule you out as a candidate. 

The bottom line is that if you are well prepared, you will be most likely to do well in an interview.  Being prepared gives you confidence and a positive attitude.  And if that still isn't enough to you you the job?  Chances are there are other factors involved about which you will never know.  No use worrying about them.  It's also possible that the job is not right for you.  In which case you chalk that interview up to good experience and move on. 

You will land the right job if you continue to prepare properly and stay positive.  Happy hunting!

Labels: careers, First Impressions, Hiring, interview tips, jobs

"I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire.  I own a mansion and a yacht."  That is an example of a personal branding statement.  It's concise, to the point, and pulls no punches.  It sells the fact that you are in the presence of a successful and powerful person, sort of.  But you'll need more than that for a good first impression.

It's easy to forget that Personal branding is about more than your online persona.  Occasionally we must creep from our lair to venture out into the real world in the name of business and networking.  For those times when you have to endure a face to face encounter, here are some keys to making a strong first impression in the physical realm:

body language - establish your space, don't slouch, make eye contact;
conversation skills - focus on the person you are speaking with, not yourself;
your voice - avoid speaking in a monotone, too quietly, or too quickly, 
elevator pitch - aka your personal branding statement.

These excerpts from How to Make a Powerful First Impression, an article on Entrepreneur.com by Robert Jones, offer some great insight:

"Lillian Bjorseth, a communications consultant and author of Breakthrough Networking, says people decide many things about you within 10 seconds of seeing you--usually before you even open your mouth. That's why entrepreneurs should always be conscious of their aura, she says.

Body Language
"The aura is the area around you that you create by what you wear, how you act, how you look," she says. "It all goes together to make one impression. You could wear a very expensive suit, but if you stand slumped over with your head down, you won't give a confident aura."

Though every person's aura is complex and unique, Bjorseth says entrepreneurs can focus on a few simple, non-verbal priorities to appear confident and in control. First, don't slip into a room "all smiles." Instead, "claim your space" in the room by planting your feet six inches to eight inches apart, one slightly ahead of the other--a stance that will make you feel grounded and confident.

After you've established eye contact, Bjorseth says a smile will create an upbeat, positive environment. Maintain eye contact 85 percent of the time during a conversation, she recommends. Doing so will make you seem trustworthy and it will demonstrate that you're interested in what the other person has to say.

Conversation
When it's time to move beyond the handshake stage, simple conversational skills are the key to a successful first meeting, says Rosalie Maggio, bestselling author of How to Say It and The Art of Talking to Anyone.

"Prepare in advance, then just try to forget yourself," she says. "Being too self-conscious is the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot. Remember that it's about the other person--that's the best possible way to make a positive first impression." 

Voice
Beyond body language and conversational skills, the actual tone of your voice is an important part of the impression you create, says Sandra McKnight, owner of Voice Power Studios in Santa Fe, N.M.

"In face-to-face conversation, the other person first sees you, then hears the tone of your voice, and only then listens to your words. It can create a negative impression very easily if you're not in control of the way you speak." 

Branding Statement
To avoid a fumbling introduction, Bjorseth says every entrepreneur should have in mind a "verbal business card"--a quick, 30-word summary of who you are and what you can do. Focus on benefits for the other person rather than job titles or even company names, she recommends. "You want to make sure people remember you as opposed to others who do the same thing you do."

When it comes time to offer your verbal business card, elevator speech, personal branding statement, or whatever you like to call it, an article on The Interview Edge entitled   Networking - How to Capture Attention offers these tips:

"You need to get around the barriers and cut through potential resistance to or apathy about your message.

Let’s say you’ve just met Jim, and asked him what he does. Which of these answers is more apt to peak your interest?

“I’m the VP of Sales at Company XYZ.”

“I deliver extreme bandwidth into people’s homes.”

I’ll bet you were more drawn to the second statement.

In the first response, Jim simply labels himself. The second answer describes an action (he delivers)…and the benefit derived from this action. That’s more effective than a label.

There’s also a good chance you want to know more. How does Jim accomplish this? What exactly does he mean when he says extreme bandwidth? How much is extreme? You might be a lot more interested in his company. Maybe you want to know how you might get that kind of performance in your own house…or how can you get it for your customers. You get the idea.

It’s a more effective conversation starter. It's more likely to engage the other person.

Think about what you do, and how you might describe it in a way that will make the listener want to hear more. Avoid labeling yourself (“I’m a financial analyst” or “I’m an ad sales director”).

Instead, turn it around. How do other people benefit from what you do? What’s “in it” for them? Try crafting your answer to “what do you do?” in those terms. "

If all else fails, tell the other party that you are, indeed, Elmer J. Fudd, Millionaire, and that you own a mansion and a yacht.  If they aren't too young to know what you're talking about, that will be a good icebreaker.  But I recommend working on your branding statement ahead of time so you don't have to resort to that.

I am Craig Fisher.  I use the power of social media to help great companies recruit talented people, and to help talented people get noticed and move ahead.  And I own a mansion and a yacht.

Labels: branding, Branding Statements, First Impressions, Social Media, Social Networking, web2.0