Author Archives: KanePartners

Written By: Chris Gormley, Kane Partners LLC

A common mistake often made prior to an interview is poor preparation. Candidates work hours on their résumé, seek the help of others, perhaps even pay for a professional service, all in the effort to create a great résumé; one that will secure an interview with a target organization.

In preparation a candidate will likely Google the “most commonly asked interview questions” to get ready for their big moment. Perhaps even read up on behavioral interviewing techniques to prepare for that challenging line of questions.

Now they are all set, right? Probably not…

The truth is that interviewing is tough…for both the candidate and the interviewer. Picture This: For the hiring manager, hiring is something akin to going on a blind date and then deciding after a few hours whether to get married. The net effect is to place the interviewer in a hyper vigilant mode. They look at everything and everything is magnified. Little missteps can be blown into something large enough to derail the candidacy of an otherwise qualified person.

For the candidate, interviewing may be done every few years, if that. To be good at difficult tasks, most of us need practice.  A good candidate can burn through many good job prospects before they have enough experience to get the hang of interviewing.  In a slow economy, that can mean months of down time between jobs. For many, if not most, it can be an excruciating wait.

So, how does one get experience interviewing without actually interviewing? The short answer is, we can’t. However, we can simulate the process.

Simulating the Interview Process:

• Prepare a List of Possible Interview Questions: Common and Behavioral
• ASK the question OUT LOUD.
• ANSWER the question OUT LOUD. Speak the words; don’t just think the thoughts.
• Listen to your response. Use a tape recorder, mobile device or a pc with a microphone to record your answers.
• Playback and LISTEN: What was your answer? Word Choice? Tone of your voice?
• Be critical. Ask yourself very honestly, if you were the interviewer, would you accept that answer or hire that answer?  If not keep at it. Polish your responses and keep polishing until you are confident they shine and reflect the desired tone and content.

If you still have doubts, ask someone you trust to help you…get them to ask you the questions. See what they think about your answers.

This simple technique will greatly improve your interviewing performance, even if it’s been awhile since your last real interview!

Written by: Chris Gormley, Kane Partners LLC

Our latest blog featured a simple preparation technique that will help increase your effectiveness in an interview (see: Interviewing: Before that Big Interview… Interview Yourself). Now, let us take a closer look at what the interviewer might have on his or her mind so as to better address unexpressed concerns during your meeting(s).

A universal concern shared by hiring managers is something we’ll call: ‘the trade’. They have a problem; they need a certain function performed by a qualified individual. You have been selected for an interview with this very busy person because your resume suggests you have the necessary qualifications for the job. [‘The Trade’: your services for membership into their organization, with all its advantages… salary, benefits, PTO, prestige, training, etc.]

But something goes wrong…you don’t get the job. Why, what went wrong? I can do the job, why didn’t they see that. Well, it could be a lot of things, many of which are out of your control. One thing that is fully in your control is your approach. The interviewer may be detecting one or more signals that ‘the trade’, will not be good for their company. A fundamental equation is not balanced.

What is really going through the interviewer’s mind are thoughts like: Will he or she fit with my team? Will they be discrete? Will they add negativity, or will they be a positive agent? How do they accept change? Will they anticipate needs, or will I have to assign every task? As my boss succinctly puts it: “Is their glass half full or half empty?”

You may be mostly or fully qualified to do the job. So, if you are not getting hired, it may be time to take a good look in the mirror.

“Are you going into the interview with a fully positive attitude? Are you going in with a positive perspective about what has happened to you in the past? Are you conveying a pleasant, upbeat attitude? Do you seem to be a happy person?”

If not, you may be triggering warning lights that the equation is out of balance: The company + you does not = success. The interviewer asks, “Am I solving one problem, but creating a whole additional set of problems by hiring this person?”

Trust me; it takes little to trigger ‘imbalance concerns’ these days; sometimes a mere hint or suggestion can throw your candidacy into the red. The best way to avoid it is to stay relentlessly positive and completely focused on the needs of the hiring manager and his/her team. Be present to them; express a desire to solve the challenges placed in front of you without bringing your problems or negativity to the table (or to the job after you get hired).

Charity starts at home and extends to the office. Make up your mind to remain focused on helping others and being a positive influence. You’ll be a more effective interviewer, teammate and employed for your trouble.