The Interview

by Gene Columbus - Feb 19, 2010

When you go to an interview, you must present yourself as a problem solver. Think about the competition of the company. Demonstrate that you are committed. Above all, know their mission statement.

One question you may hear is, "Tell me a time when you were particularly effective at ..." To be prepared, go to the job posting, dissect it, and look for ways that your skills, experiences are transferable.

Redefine your interview theme and make sure it's consistent. Close with what you can do for the organization. Show the value you can bring to the organization.

If opportunity presents itself, and you're not prepared, it's a missed opportunity. Your job during the job interview is to audition, not second guess the interviewer.

Buzzwords on Resumes

Go through every word on your resume. Every word is subject to being questioned. Invest the time reflecting on the words you used.

You may hear, "Tell me about your leadership style..." If I'm a leader, do I take responsibility? Do I respect the people, partners, products, or industry?

Things may creep out in the interview that you don't want them to know. To prevent this, go only to those interviews where you really love the company.

What the Interviewer is Looking for...

• Passion. They're looking for boundless enthusism for what you do. 
• Fear. It's the opposite of confidence. If you think you're going to win or loose, you're probably right.
• Integrity. Good to demonstrate you're a person of integrity. Don't gossup, or listen to it. You don't want to insert a new negative person into the organization.
• Courage. What's your comfort zone? You have to step up, share what you know. Be open and honest and you'll create a new comfort zone.
• Change. Change equals opportunity. Position yourself for new opportunities.
• Discipline. Your habits, good and bad. Are you always on?
• Relationships. Normally you will have them with clients and your team.

Do not immediately launch into an answer, but re-phrase the question. This is a common problem with young people now days. Use the extra time to position yourself.

Also, don't go to the pity zone. Even though you may be going through hard times, the company you're interviewing with had nothing to do with this.

If they don't select you, follow up anyway. Demonstrate you appreciate them. Who knows? You may get a call back if the current person doesn't work out. You could turn out to be the "bride's maid".

Problem Solving Skills

When given the question, "Tell us a time when you were particularly effective at ... ", walk through the steps below to demonstrate your problem solving skills.

• Describe the scenario.
• State the problem.
• What actions did you take?
• What where the results?
• Finally, re-state the problem and solution.

Try to show that you were strategic in your planning and thinking.