Thursday, December 16, 2010

Acing the Interview in Nashville

From the Examiner:

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Prepare to learn how to answer any interview question with utmost confidence, and put yourself in the driver's seat in any interview. But, as with all things, this is not a miracle pill, or else everybody would already be doing it. This method involves work - making yourself a better candidate.

1. The Behavioral Interview
Start with the hardest part - making your behavioral answers iron-clad. Keep to the format "STAR":
- Situation / Task
- Action
- Result

Write down several situations, actions you took, and the results of those actions. Have five separate situations written down. Three good situations, one situation that was less than positive (and what you learned), and one that is more neutral. Of course, write down the actions and results, too!

Avoid generalizing: "I always..." or "I never..." are dead answers - telling the interviewer you did not listen to the instructions. Be specific in your responses - specific day, time, place, customer, task, etc.

Review these situations from time to time, and update them. Practice keeping your answer 4-6 minutes in length.

2. The Canned Interview.
There are many websites out there that give 50 common or 100 common interview questions. These are the canned questions used in a "canned interview." Study them. Study them again. After you read through 50 or 100 of them, you will see that there are really only just a few things they are getting at. In fact, they are really only ever asking one of three things:
A) Why does this candidate want the job?
B) Why should the company hire you?
C) What value do you add?

Once you know the game, and how it's played, you can score at will, and keep more opportunities open!

3. "Get 'em talking" Interviews.
This type of interview will have more open ended questions, more dialogue, and more interplay between you and the interviewer. Follow a couple of key points, and you will have much success:

- Be likable. People hire people they like.
- Use a few (but only a few) canned responses. Simple, good sayings that are positive will lend to you being intelligent, likable, and business-savvy.
- Use a behavioral answer when appropriate. The interviewer will like this, and it gives insight as to how you think.
- Remember, you are only ever answering one of three broad questions. Understand this, and weave your answers in appropriately.

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