THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
• Know the company and their products. Do your own due diligence so that the first interview doesn’t turn into a fact-finding mission that shows the employer your lack of preparation. Being well prepared will show the employer that you’ve given the opportunity some thought, and are not wasting anybody’s time.
• Approach the interview as a meeting between two people who are both trying to solve a problem, and share the motivation to find out how you can work together to get the job done successfully. Relax. Realize that the person you’re meeting with may be someone that you will work with and get to know for several years should you decide to go to work for the company.
• Never enter an interview without the full intent of winning a job offer. Obviously you can decide whether or not to accept the job at a later date, but the first order of business is to win the offer.
• Interviews are about showing a potential employer how you can do the job he needs done. Interviews are not an exercise in sitting and answering questions.
• Do not discuss compensation during your first interview unless the employer specifically wants to address it. You don’t want to give the impression that your main concern is about the compensation and not the company or the opportunity you’re interviewing for. If money is your main concern, please inform your recruiter, as he will be happy to explain why this job is not the right one for you! You should know what the compensation range is before entering the process, but if you’re pressed on the issue, it can be wise to respond with something that puts the matter off for later discussion. An example would be, “Obviously money is important in evaluating the position, but my main focus is on the opportunity, and I feel confident that you would offer a fair compensation for somebody with my background”.
• If this is your second interview, bring a business plan. Show the employer that you’ve really considered the goal, and have already begun to strategize how you’ll be effective in the position.
ON THE INTERVIEW
• Let the employer define the position, the problem, and the goals.
• Show your enthusiasm and understanding of the goals.
• Show the employer how you can help achieve the goals through your industry knowledge, skills and relationships.
• Suggest a strategy, or expand on his. Devising the perfect strategy on the spot isn’t crucial, but showing him that you’re already thinking about how to solve his problem is!
• Find out if the employer has any concerns about your background, skill set, etc. If so, address all concerns directly until you feel that they are no longer an issue.
• Get feedback on what you’ve discussed and your skills that relate to the job.
• Get a commitment. Assuming the job feels right to you, tell the employer you want the job. Do not assume that the employer has interpreted anything from your actions during the interview. You must make sure there is not doubt in his mind that you are interested.
• Get his business card. Sounds funny, but people forget to do this all the time.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
1. Call your recruiter. After your interview, the employer will be contacting the recruiter to give him feedback on how he thought the meeting went, but also to find out what your thoughts are. Just as you should expect your recruiter to keep you up to date on the process (good or bad), you need to do the same.
2. Follow up. Make sure that you follow up with the employer within 2 days of the interview with a thank you note. These days a letter, fax or email is acceptable.
* If you want to go the extra mile and really impress the manager, after your interview search out and talk to some of his existing clients about the company’s product. In your thank you letter you can then mention your conversation with “Mr. X” about the products, what you think about Mr. X’s comments, and reiterate your excitement about the opportunity. How many people do you think will take that extra step, and what impression do you think it will leave with the manager about you?
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