Category: Interviews

Employment testing

I listened to another great Freakanomics podcast this morning. It was The Maddest Men of All. In this podcast Michael Housman, chief analytics officer for Cornerstone OnDemand, talks about employment testing. It seems that about 2/3rds of employers use some type of assessment in the hiring process.

First I want to come right out and say that I do not believe in testing. Sure, some tests may be valid in assessing current skill levels (typing, programs, etc…) but they do not predict potential. GPA’s sure don’t. Thank goodness for some of us, me included.

But if you are in a job search, you need to be aware that often times what you think they are testing is not the thing they are testing. Housman talks about how they have measured honesty in the past. Just asking people if they are honest does not seem to work well, shock! But Housman goes on to say that asking an applicant to rank their skill level and then later in the process test their skill level to compare the two worked very well to check for honesty. Or at the very least it tests self-awareness, in my opinion.

So if you are confronted with a pre-employment survey, answer as honestly as possible. Just remember, you don’t have to be little-kid honest.

Testing is overrated.
Jeff Rich

Do you have access to your resume… Right now!

Networking should be an ongoing process. Because of that you should keep your resume handy. We are lucky. Not that many years ago that would mean carrying around a hard copy with you. Today you just need access to your Google Drive, One Drive, Dropbox, etc… That is IF your resume is there AND it is up to date.

Keep it up to date. Recently I have interviewed several candidates with outdated resumes. I usually start off the phone interview going over their resume with them. I even tell candidates my first two questions ahead of time! It is not uncommon for the most recent part of their resume to be a little out of date. I hear “Oh, I am no longer there” a lot. I can handle that, although for many employers that is a BIG RED FLAG. But, like I have said before, I am flexible.

What is less excusable is two weeks and two interviews later when we have our final interview, the exact same resume is provided with the same incorrect information. I tell candidates to bring an updated version of their resume with them to the interview. About 60% of the people who come to the final interview bring their resume with them. Of those, about 50% of them have changed their resume.

Your resume should be a living thing. You should update it regularly just as you do your LinkedIn profile. You should also be able to access it and send it to someone when you need to. Come to think of it, mine needs a little more work, if I can find it. 🙂

I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.
Mohandas Gandhi

The one on one interview

One on one interviews are the mainstay of corporate America. Here are a few things you can use to your advantage in a one on one interview.

Stereotypes: All us have stereotypes. They are not always true but there are stereotypes for a reason. Use them to your advantage. If someone went to the University of Alabama, they probably follow Alabama football. It really helps to be observant and do your research ahead of time. If you know who you interviewing with ahead of time be sure to look them up. Where did they go to school, what is their work history, etc… This will also help with the small talk part of any interview. Just keep in mind that you are walking the line between confident and cocky / interested in them and stalking them. Saying something like “I bet things were exciting at Countrywide Financial Corporation back in 2007” sounds a lot better than “How do you feel about being part of the real estate bubble popping in 07-08?”

Horns or Halo: There is something called the horns or halo effect. You want to make the best impression as soon as possible in the interview. If they like you right off the bat the interview will likely be better for you. A seasoned interviewer may know how to mitigate this effect but the fact is that an interviewer is much more likely to hire someone they like.

Follow up: You only have to write one follow-up/thank you email so you can spend more time crafting it. ALWAYS follow-up! As I write this there are candidates whose interview outcome hinges on whether or not they follow-up with their interviewers. A well crafted email definitely helps.

Connect with them: Find some common ground; school they attended, sports teams, fashion, technology, etc… This is where it really helps to be observant especially if you are interviewing in their office. Be inquisitive: “I see you have a variable height desk, do you use it standing very often?” not “Wow, those are expensive shoes, you must do pretty well around here.”

Body language: Mirror (but not exactly) their body language. If they are sitting up straight and more formal you want to do the same. If they are more casual, then you might want to cross your legs. It is also a good suggestion to match the cadence of their speech. Don’t talk fast to a slow talker.

Ask for feedback: An interviewer is much more likely to give you some direct feedback when it is just you two in the room. Many interviewers are worried about being judged by others just like you are as a candidate. But if it is just you two, then they may be more forthcoming with information.

If you are prepared, interviews can actually be fun. Where else in life are you encouraged to talk about yourself?

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
Mark Twain

Follow up

I am amazed at how few people follow-up after an interview. Call me old-fashioned but it is nice for someone to take the time (it doesn’t take much) to write a quick email.

For some hiring managers or recruiters this may just be feeding their ego but there is a very real sense that if you do not follow-up, you are not very interested in the job. You may not believe me but it is true. This may come as a shock but many candidates just apply because they want “A” job, not “this” job. I really do have people say “oh, I am open to anything” when I ask them what they are looking for in a job or position. This would be like going on a date and asking the other person “what do you look for in a significant other?” and they reply “oh, I am not picky… I will go out with anyone.” Boy, wouldn’t you feel special.

Guess what, companies want you to want to work there! So act like it!

Let me encourage you to get up every day and focus on what you do have in life. Be thankful for the blessings of the little things, even when you don’t get what you expect.
Victoria Osteen

Interview type: Over a meal

One of the most dreaded interviews are the ones that happen over a meal. I like these interviews because I want to see how people REALLY act and meals give lots of opportunities for problems. As I say “Any idiot can handle it when things go right, you see what people are made of when things go wrong.” Things always go wrong, sooner or later.

Where to go: If they give you the choice, give them two options to choose from. No matter where you go I would go by before the interview to scope the place out. Just like in other face to face interviews you want to know how to get there, where to park and how long it will take to get there with traffic. If you have any dietary issues, definitely plan ahead. Let’s say you have Celiac Disease, Crohn’s or some other intestinal related medical problem. Look at the menu ahead of time and if you need to ask detailed questions, do it before your interview.

What to eat: There are two schools of thought on this. One, eat something easy. It is a smart and safe move. Two, go bold and stand out… spaghetti with meatballs. Whichever route you take, don’t plan on eating a lot, you are there to talk so don’t go when you are very hungry.

Etiquette: If you are not familiar with etiquette be sure to brush up. Let’s say you go to lunch and you are at a tight round table with six people. Which water glass is yours? Do you eat European style or American? Figure this stuff out before you need it.

Tricky Situations: During an etiquette dinner I was hosting, a student asked “what do I do with my sugar packets from my coffee?” My answer, “drink it black and you don’t have to worry about it.” Remember, this is not about you getting what you want to eat and drink, it is about the interview.

Drinks: It is best to stay away from alcohol but if it is dinner and the host orders a bottle of wine they might take offense if you do not have some. If you do, just have ONE glass and make it last. I like to order an Arnold Palmer. I like the taste of it and it is a little unique, which can make a lasting impression.

Small bites: The rule of thumb is to only take a bite that you can get down in three chews. That way when they ask you a question right after you take a bite you don’t have to stare at them while you look like a cow chewing on your cud.

Remember, this is more about the interview than the meal. Lastly, the general rule is no to-go boxes, sorry.

A smiling face is half the meal.
Proverb

Interview type: Panel

A panel interview is where there is one candidate but two or more interviewers. Many people do not like panel interviews but I believe they are a very useful tool in the selection process. It prevents just one person’s bias from derailing the entire interview. But the panel interview does present a few challenges for the candidate.

Set up: Hopefully there is a good set up for you, as the candidate. Usually panel interviews are done in conference rooms. If you are at the end of a rectangular table or on the other side from the interviewers then you are in luck from a logistics point of view. If you are at a round table it may seem less formal but it is more difficult to make eye contact with everyone.

Introductions: Introduce yourself to each person with a handshake. Do your best to remember each person’s name. It is also a good idea to ask them for a business card or write down their name to reference later. Always ask if they have a copy of your resume and offer them one.

Eye contact: Ideally you will make most of your eye contact with the person who asked the question but be sure to look at the other interviewers as well. Don’t leave anyone out.

Questions: Frequently the questions come more quickly in panel interviews and the interviewers may play off each others questions. Hopefully you don’t run into a situation where they try to outdo each other with touch questions but it does happen.

Use their names: Everyone likes you using their name. If the answer to one question overlaps with another answer you gave previously you could say something like “Similar to the situation Mangesh gave me, I would….”

Your Questions: If you know ahead of time who you will be interviewing with, it is a good idea to prepare questions for each interviewer based on your research. For instance, if you are interviewing for a position in sales and the operations manager is there you could ask “tell me a little about how operations and sales interact.” ALWAYS ask what the next step in the process is.

Follow up: Be sure to follow-up with a thank you email to each person you interview with and include specific information relevant to them. Do not just send out a generic thank you.

Like all interviews, try to stay calm. Most of the time the people you are interviewing with really do want to find out if it is a good two-way match for you and them.

Stressed spelled backwards is DESSERTS!
Loretta Laroche

Interview type: Skype, online or video

One of the up and coming types of interviews is the Skype, online or video interview. These interviews are great and terrible, all at the same time.

The Good

These interviews offer a chance to “meet” each other face to face and avoid the necessity of travel or taking time off to interview. They also allow for panel interviews with people from various locations.

The Bad

Many of the same issues in face to face interviews come into play, but they are made more difficult. That shirt you love to wear with that unique pattern gives people a headache over video.

The Ugly

Think of the worst YouTube video or podcast imaginable and then imagine it determining your fate as a candidate.

Here are some things to keep in mind and pay attention to.

Bandwidth: Speed test your upload and download speeds. Generally speaking you want at least 6mb down and 1mb up. Be sure to test your connection with a friend before a real interview. You may need to use your mobile device or tablet if you have a strong LTE signal or go to a friend’s if they have faster internet speeds. Whatever option you go with, test it! Be sure to close other programs on your computer as they can also slow things down.

Backup Plan: What is your backup plan if things go wrong? Let’s say you tested everything yesterday but today, when you logon five minutes before your interview, the computer’s virus software decides to run a full system scan. What is your plan when the power goes out?

Stay Calm: No matter what happens do not start to lose your cool. One of the reasons that I like doing online interviews is that it requires candidates to follow directions, plan ahead and stay calm when things go wrong. Something almost always goes wrong.

Location, location, location: DO NOT interview in a public place and do your best not to do it in your car. Maybe this is a personal issue but I am tired of seeing head shots of people in their car. What is in the background? It it distracting? Is it appropriate? What other sounds can you hear? Will you be interrupted?

How do you look? Most of us look like we are the walking dead when lit up by a monitor, so check it ahead of time. You may want to change the lighting in the room. You also want to be sure you are not back-lit and all they get is your silhouette.

Wardrobe: Dress as if this was a face to face interview. Check your look on camera. Some outfits do not work well for video interviews.

Notes: Just like in a face to face interview, have your resume and questions with you. The upside is that you can write notes to yourself that they cannot see, like ones reminding you to smile, look at the camera and to ask what the next step is.

Body Language: Eye contact is with the camera, not their image on the screen. Do not look at other things in the room or leave the viewing area. Also, watch how you use your hands, they can be distracting. Lastly, don’t forget to smile.

Video: Pay attention to how you are framed in the shot. You might want to place the camera a little farther away so your image is not distorted. No sudden moves. If the bandwith is low the movement will look choppy.

Audio: Practice ahead of time and see if a friend with switch places with you. That way you can hear the audio quality for yourself.

Again, one of the biggest things to keep in mind is DON’T PANIC if things don’t go as planned.

Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.
Alfred A. Montapert

Interview FAIL

There are a lot of resources on the web about why interviews go bad. Here are a few things to keep in mind before, during and after the interview.

Before the interview: A lot of people fail before the interview ever starts.

Follow instructions: If they tell you to bring 3 copies of your resume, bring three. If they tell you to dress professionally, do it. I have some friends that were Army Rangers. When you are sent to Ranger school they tell you EXACTLY what to and what NOT to bring. Guess what? If you bring Gortex socks.. you’re out! No really, they send you packing.

Plan who, what, when, where: Who are you meeting with? Look them up on LinkedIn. What do you need to bring and wear? Don’t wait till the day of or before you print off your resume, shine your shoes (yes, it does matter), press your clothes, etc… When do you need to be there? Reconfirm the date and time with the company. If it is a phone interview watch out for time zones. Where are you going? Plan for traffic, parking, and other issues. Remember your P’s: prior planning prevents poor performance.

Research: We already mentioned researching the people. It is VERY impressive if you introduce yourself before they do. How can you do that? Look them up on LinkedIn, most people have a head shot. Also research the industry, competitors, company, and position. Glassdoor is a great resource for this. I have said this a lot but it continues to be true, just ready a company’s website seems to be rare these days.

Write down your questions: It does not matter whether you write them in your phone, tablet or put pen to paper but write down your questions and bring them with you. That way you don’t have to worry about remembering them. It also gives you the ability to take some notes.

During the interview: The interview starts the moment you walk out your door.

Driving: Take your time since you left early. Don’t get stressed out and be gracious to other drivers. That person you just told were number one? That might be the hiring manager. It has happened! I usually arrive 20 – 30 minutes early and scout out the place. Then wait somewhere close by and come back 15 minutes before your interview time. No rush.

Arriving: Assume that someone (everyone) is watching you as you get out of your car. The visitor spots are often times in top-management’s view. Get your smile on. Remember, we usually ask everyone what they thought about you, including the receptionist.

Body language: This is sometimes a cultural issue but you want to make good eye contact but don’t stare. Have a good firm but not painful handshake. Sit on not in the chair and lean forward a little. Don’t cross your arms or play with your hair. Watch out for nervous habits that can be distracting. Good posture.

Dress for Success: This use to always mean wearing a suit but these days it can have different meanings. The basics are to be sure your clothes are clean and fit well. You do not want to be uncomfortable in the interview. You want to match the culture of the company and dress just a little better than the management.

Q & A: There are too many issues and options to discuss here. I will blog about interview questions soon.

Questions to ask: Here is a blog post I did on questions to ask in an interview. They are very important for you and the company.

After the interview: Do your best to get everyone’s contact information during the interview.

Thank you: Be sure to write each person a thank you email. Thank them for their time, tell them again why you want the position, why you are a good match for them, and you look forward to the next step in the process. You did ask that, right?

Follow up: If you have not heard from them in the time frame they gave you I would follow up. When you have not heard from them always assume the best. Maybe their email went in your spam filter. Maybe your roommate forgot to give you the message. Maybe they dialed the wrong number.

Aside from being a bad match for the position or the position a bad match for you most people mess up in the one of the areas above. Remember, just because you did not get a job it does not mean that “messed” up. Sometimes there was a better match in the process or maybe they saw something that leads them to believe you would not be happy or successful in the position.

Questions for candidates to ask in an interview

A lot of people ask “what are good questions to ask as a candidate?” I am sure there are position, field and industry questions that are specific to each interview so I am not going there. But I will touch on some good general questions you can ask.

First, think of your questions as ingredients. Did you know that in the states the ingredients on food are listed in order of quantity from greatest to least. Yep, shampoo is usually mostly water. You questions are usually viewed the same way be recruiters and hiring managers. Ask about benefits first and it seems that benefits are the most important thing to you. Don’t get me wrong. I think benefits are important but not more important than other things to consider.

Also, tweak your questions so they show you have done your research on the company. Let’s look at these two examples if you happen to be interviewing with the largest recruiter of recent college graduates in the U.S., Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

General culture question: What is the culture like at Enterprise?

Targeted culture question: I have read that you only promote from within, how does that shape and affect your company culture?

Here are some areas to ask about for two reasons: 1. They give you a chance to show you have done your homework and 2. They give you good information that you can use to determine if you want to work there.

Culture: Company culture and make or break a job. You want to find out what they REALLY value, not just what they say they value. If the value something, they will measure it. “A lot of the pictures I have seen of your employees are at what look like volunteer opportunities, is that an integral part of your culture?”

The Good: What do people like about the company? “I have read a lot about how the company has low turnover. What keeps people here?”

The Bad: You want to see what they think is bad, you might think it is good. “Looking on LinkedIn I see where there are a lot of people who have worked here for 2 years or less. What is the most challenging part of the job?”

The Ugly: You need to know why others have failed. “All companies have people that have not worked out. What are the critical performance metrics for this position?”

Career Path: Do they provide what you want in a career and/or can they provide the opportunity to expand your skills? “If you don’t mind, tell me about your career here and what has made you successful.”

Competitors: How do they see themselves in the marketplace? “I know xyz company is also in this industry. Who is your biggest competitor and what sets you apart in the market place?”

The Muse has a lot more questions to ask. Just be sure to personalize them where you can.

Stay positive. Don’t ask about lawsuits, stock drops or anything that seems negative. That is not to say you should stay away from challenging questions. For instance if you were interviewing with a major retailer a good question might be “how do you think the FLSA exempt definition change by the DOL taking effect in 2016 is going to change the company and retail in general?”

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

Preparing for an interview – company research

I have said it before and I will say it again… I am amazed at how many people do not even take the time to look at a company’s website. I am not talking about people I cold-call. These are not even people who just take the time to apply. These are people who apply AND schedule a day and time to talk with me so there is no surprise factor at all! Add to that, I email them a multi-page job information document on the position. What do I get… blank stares. Well, they are blank stares over the phone but I can hear them!

So, step 1 is… look at the freakin’ website! You will be amazed at the information on company websites.

2. Glassdoor. They are the place to look up companies. Keep in mind that people usually only post when they have an axe to grind. But a company should be responding to posts. If you have half a brain you can see through the employee whining and get to the real issues.

3. Look at the job description again. Do they mention other parts of the company like “builds cross-functional strategies with marketing” or another department? If so, look up marketing and the other parts of the company.

4. Research other openings. A good question can come from other openings. “I saw that you also have a bottle opener position, how does that interact with this position as a bottle emptier?”

5. Google. This sounds like a no-brainer but believe me, there are a lot of people with no brains.

6. Set up a Google alert. This is also a great way to stay up on industry news and job openings.

7. Social Media. You want to look up @company and #company.

8. Competition. Also do some of the same searches on the company’s competitors.

If you even do one of these it puts you in the top ten to twenty percent. But remember… there is usually only one opening. You don’t want to be the first looser, do you?

Al

If you steal from one author it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many it’s research.
Wilson Mizner